News Archive Index
The Monthly PC/Mac News Archive

Prepared & Distributed by:  Baker Enterprises

Assorted press releases  and news articles are available by subject heading in the topic areas shown below or use SEARCH  to find articles listed by company names.

SOFTWARE:	HARDWARE:

Business & Productivity  	PC Systems

Professional/Engineering  	Expansion Products

Personal & Educational  	Peripherals

Games & Entertainment  	Macintosh Specific

System Software & Utilities  	Miscellaneous Hardware

Macintosh Specific

Miscellaneous Software  	GENERAL INTEREST:

Books & Publications

Online & Internet News

Miscellaneous News

Submitting News or Data

PC Industry Database


About Press Releases
Full Text Press Releases...

Press Releases are distributed electronically with 100% of the entire text included as supplied by the company. All material is available via our online news areas on America Online and Delphi within several days of receipt. News archives such as this are created at the end of every month. For additional information concerning any product or service mentioned in the news releases, please contact the company directly. Check the end of the article for the company's mailing address and/or telephone numbers.

Note that additional Backgrounder reports and reference material may be available for downloading from our Information Download Libraries on America Online and Delphi.


About SEARCH Capabilities
Using SEARCH to Find Articles by Company Name...

1)	Click on the SEARCH button to see a list of companies referenced

within the various news articles included in the news archive.

2)	Select the desired company from the list, then click on the Show Topics

button (or double click on the company name) to see a list of relevant

articles for that company.

3)	Select an article of interest and click on the Goto button

(or double click on the article title) to display the article text.


About Baker Enterprises
About Baker Enterprises...

Baker Enterprises electronically distributes PC & Macintosh related news and full text press releases  via our daily New Product News appearing on America Online (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD). There is no charge to any company or author submitting material for distribution .

Monthly news archives such as this are created at the end of each month and include all news processed during the previous month. Besides this Windows-compatible WinHelp format, the same information is also available in a PKZIP collection of standard ASCII text files with a simple index, but requires your own text file utilities to read. News archive files are available from our download libraries on AOL and Delphi plus our subdirectories at SIMTEL and all mirror sites on the Internet.

Baker Enterprises also maintains a reference database listing companies and products from throughout the PC industry. The database appears as an online searchable database via America Online as the PC Vendor Database within our news area. The same data is also distributed on disk and CD-ROM by EMS Professional Software . Plus a subset of our data is now available in print, as The Computer Phonebook from No Starch Press  and available through local book stores as well as direct from the publisher. Note that is no charge for submitting company and/or product information for inclusion in the database.

All written correspondence, including company/product information for our database or news submissions for FREE Distribution should be addressed to:

BAKER ENTERPRISES

20 Ferro Drive	(609) 582-9203   Voice

Sewell, NJ 08080 USA	(609) 582-9204   Fax

Electronic Mail (including news submissions) may be addressed to:

RBakerPC@delphi.com

RBakerPC@aol.com

For access to our news archives via the Internet, check:

http://www.coast.net/SimTel/msdos/bakernws.html

http://www.coast.net/SimTel/win3/bakernws.html

For more information on subscribing to the America Online service, you can call toll free within the US at 1-800-827-6364 for details.

For information on subscribing to Delphi, you can call toll free within the US at 1-800-695-4005 or you can reach them via Internet Email addressed to:  info@delphi.com


Submitting News or Data
Submitting News or Data...

Our services are provided at no cost to any company or author (including shareware authors) wishing to have their press releases distributed, or their company and product information included in our database. All submissions should be e-mailed, faxed or mailed directly to Baker Enterprises. Press releases are typically processed and available nationwide within one to two days of receipt! When e-mailing material for distribution, please send the data as standard ASCII text included within the body of your e-mail message.

Address all printed news input to:

BAKER ENTERPRISES

20 Ferro Drive	(609) 582-9203   Voice

Sewell, NJ 08080 USA	(609) 582-9204   Fax

Electronic Mail (including news submissions) may be addressed to:

RBakerPC@delphi.com

RBakerPC@aol.com


PC Industry Reference Database
PC Industry Reference Database...

Baker Enterprises produces and maintains a PC industry reference database that includes information on thousands of companies and authors, plus brief information on their products. More than just a software locator, the database also lists hardware, peripherals, publications, accessories, supplies, shareware and more -- just about anything and everything relating to the PC industry. Company information includes mailing addresses, telephone/fax/BBS numbers, Email addresses, Internet WWW/Gopher/FTP information and more. The database is available as an online searchable database in our New Product News area on America Online. The same data is also licensed for monthly worldwide distribution as the PC Products Database sold by EMS Professional Software. Individual copies on disk or CD-ROM are $25 plus $5 shipping within the USA (contact EMS on foreign orders). Plus a subset of our data is now available in print, as The Computer Phonebook from No Starch Press and available through local book stores as well as direct from the publisher.

For information on ordering copies of the PC Products Database on disk and CD-ROM, please contact:

EMS Professional Software

4505 Buckhurst Cr.	(301) 924-3594   Voice

Olney, MD 20832 USA	(301) 963-2708   Fax

The Computer Phonebook (600 pages; ISBN 1-886411-03-4) is $12.95 plus $3 for priority mail shipping (US only) if ordered direct from the publisher. Pay with Mastercard/Visa, or mail check or money order to:

No Starch Press 	(800) 420-7240

401 China Basin St, Suite 108	(415) 284-9900   Voice

San Francisco, CA 94107 USA	(415) 284-9955   Fax


Business & Productivity Software
Business & Productivity Software News:

XSoft Adds New InConcert Platforms/Features

SPG ColorWorks V1+ Paint & Impage Processing

Clearlook Word Processor to Sundial Systems

Constitution Notebook V3.3

Borland ReportSmith 3.0 Reporting/Query Tool

PeopleSoft to Bundle Cognos Powerplay w/Apps

Cognos Impromptu Integrated With Sybase IQ

Comshare BOOST Sales & Margin Planning

Nautilus Warehouse Mgmt Swr & AViiON Servers

Data General AV Image 2.0 Imaging Software

DG AV Image Support to PeopleSoft HRMS

JetForm Integrated with MS Exchange Server

Adobe Reprices Acrobat Capture

ODMA Cross-Repository Interoperability Demo

PC DOCS Launches DOCS OPEN 3.0 Doc Mgmt Swr

DOCS Intercange for Exchange

PC DOCS Expands Image/Workflow Workbench Pgm

Strong ROI for PC DOCS Customer Solutions

DOCS Open Benchmark Results

Specular Infini-D V3.2 Update Released

FormFlow 2.0 Elec Forms for Exchange Server

MapInfo & Informix Spatial Data Analysis

X-BID Available with Trading Partner PC

Digital Wisdom Mapping/Cartographic Products

American Software Supply Chain Planning

ONTOS Object Integration Server for Oracle

OpenChannel Database Connectivity Arch.

Java Access to Enterprise-wide SQL Databases

Dynamics C/S+ for Microsfot SQL Server Avail

dbIntellect/Informix Strategic Relationship

Microsoft Makes Web Publishing Easier

SOTA Relationship with BDO Seidman

MicroStrategy - RealWare Award Finalist

Meeting Maker XP Group Scheduler Updated

Brock Support for Microsoft SQL Server V6.5

Cirrus UniteScan for Kodak Image Scanners

Cognos PowerPlay get PC Week Corp IT Award

Thinque to Resell Cognos Business Tools

Computron Sentinel Workflow Process Monitor

SQL Testing in all PeopleSoft Products

Sundial to Publish Clearlook OS/2 Word Proc

Screen Actors Guild Selects OPEN/Workflow

CorelVIDEO Brings Visual Comm to Desktops

IT Metrics Swr Converted to NT & Win 95

Great Plains Dynamics C/S+ & MS SQL Server

RDBMS's Supported by TSI Mercator

Design Data Systems - Remote Time Entry Sys

Internet-Enabled Supply Chain Planning Swr

Adobe After Effects for Win95/NT

Lookout Industrial Automation Software

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows NAB Award

Adobe Acrobat AMBER Reader Swr Now Avail

QuickTime Arch Enhanced for Video Production

CCH 1996 IRS Hot Buttons for Tax Audits

CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Co's

CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corps

Softimage Video/Audio Editing Breakthrough

Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools

PeopleSoft Selects Arbor Essbase for OLAP

Paradox 7 for Windows/WFWG Product of Year

Cognos PowerPlay & Informix MetaCube Unite

Commander FDC/Budget - Financial Data Mart

Extensis PageTools 2.0 Upgrade

Extensive Lotus Desktop Marketing Programs

Avid/mFactory Avid Interactive Media Studio

Directors Chair Real-Time Scene-Editing Tool

MetaTools Final Effects AP for Win NT/95

Final Effects for Adobe After Effects

Pilot Decision Support Suite & MS SQL Server

Next Gen Decision Support Suite from Pilot

Crystal Reports Embedded in Solomon IV

Software AG Data Mart (Dmart) Package

Tangram Asset Insight for IT Asset Tracking

Remedy for Small to Medium Help Desk Market

Serious Business CDROMs for Small Business

TDI Trading Partner PC/32 Win95 EDI System

JASCA Graphically!! for Presentation Charts

Imaging Software Supports AutoCAD r13

SQL Financials/Arbor Hi-Perf OLAP Reporting

CADIS Intros Web Solution for Parts Mgmt

OmniPage Pro 6.0 Retail Upgrade at Best Buy

CGI to Resell Cognos Business Products

Cognos & VMARK Data Warehouse Initiative

WebPLAN for Win95 Manufacturing Groupware

Advantage Database Server 4.1 for Windows

HP AssetView Asset-Management Software

Hyperion CFO Integrated Financial Suite

Hyperion OLAP Now Commercial

Lotus Components Enter Beta Testing

Lotus Word Pro 96 for OS/2 Warp in Beta

mFactory mTropolis v1.1 Authoring System

Sequent Extends High-End Data Warehousing

Adobe PageMill 2.0 Web Publishing Software

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows 95/NT


Professional/Engineering Software
Professional/Engineering Software News:

Mastercam CAD/CAM w/new Machining & Design

Autodesk InsideTrack Best Training Pgm

Autodesk & Radan Sheetmetal App Partnership

Air Duct Design Program

Electric Short Circuit Current Program

Fire Sprinkler System Hydraulic Design Pgm

Xilinx Foundation Swr for CPLD/FPGA

Annual Conf for Autocad Mechanical Designers

Market for PCB Layout Tools Stagnant?

Mechancad: Rapid Product Dev. Critical

2nd Generation Database Searching w/Chem-X

Chemical Design Awarded FDA Contract

Zuken-Redac VISULA Design Partitioning

SolidWorks Named Product of the Show

Autodesk & Netscape Extend Internet for Eng

Bionic Knight DEED 3.0 New Pricing/Features

HTS Chemicals on CD-ROM Now Shipping

Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals Training

Bentley Internet-Enable MicroStation Prods

AutoCAD Rel 13 for Windows NT on Alpha Sys

ProSTEP GmbH Chosen by Computervision

ProSTEP & MacNeal-Schwendler Partnership

Autodesk Software - Choice of 50,000 Schools

Autodesk Sells More Seats of AutoCAD in 1 Yr

HP ChemLMS Applic for Quality Control Labs

Intergraph SOLID EDGE Mechanical Design Swr


Personal & Educational Software
Personal & Educational Software News:

Java Training Titles on CD-ROM

Do-It-Yourself Guide for Home Repairs

VerTec CyberTax Tax Submission Software

Microsoft Bookshelp 1996-97 Edition

CD Solutions Interactive Training Series

Easy ROR for Windows Investment Software


Games & Entertainment Software
Games & Entertainment Software News:

Road & Track Need for Speed on Playstation

Microsoft DirectPlay for Multiplayer Games

Origin Launches New Internet Gaming Tech

LINKS LS Coming Soon from Access Software

BFM Software - Shareware Game Catalog

7th Level/Morgan Creek - Ace Ventura CD-ROM

Interplay & LucasArts Renew OEM Dist. Deal

7th Level/Disney - Hunchback of Notre Dame

VR Soccer '96 Sells Off Shelves iN UK

Jane's Info Group Advanced Tactical Fighters

Happy Birthday Dreamers Guild!

Resident Evil for Sony PlayStation

Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon Comedy Adventure

Blizzard Announces Starcraft

Conquest Of The New World Lands at Retail


System Software & Utilities
System Software & Utilities News:

Blue Sky Family of ActiveX Controls

Microsoft Licenses ActiveX Help Technology

Syntegration Secure Workplace for OS/2 V4.00

NET-Install PC Installation Program

American Coders Releases RexxBase V2.10

Frontier Tech SuperTCP Suite Best of Breed

Forte Win95 Direct Input Drivers/Headgear

NobleNet EZ-API Product Family Announced

Client/Server Toolkit for NetWare Developers

Unify VISION & AppMan for VISION on OS/2

Adaptec Ships LAN Emulation Software

Attachmate EXTRA! Connector Msg'ng Solutions

Attachmate QuickApp with CA-Visual Realia

Boole & Babbage Ensign Client/Server Backup

Borland Demos Delphi 2.0 Internet Support

Borland C++ 5.0 Wins Swr Dev'96 Superbowl

Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0

Willows & Borland Deliver OWL Cross-Platform

Boxer Software Marks 5 Year Anniversary

Candle Command Center & OMEGAMON/OMEGAVIEW

Compuware XPEDITER+ 2.0 for Date-Change Proj

Creative SoundFont 2.0 Sound Sample Format

Cabletron SecureFast Virtual Networking

Cabletron SPECTRUM VLAN/VNET Manager

Cabletron SecureFast VLAN Manager

Cabletron Delivers SecureFast VNET Manager

ARCserve Online Backup of MS Exchange Server

Cheyenne CD & Optical Servers for WinNT

DEC Ent. Solutions for MS Exchange Server

DEC Adds Alpha-Based Passive Backplane Sys

DG to Resell OTG DiskExtender for WinNT

Exide Intros New Power Management Swr Tools

PowerBroker Extended C++ Dist. Object Mgmt

New ForeView Network Mgmt Swr Features

HP ORB Plus 2.0 C++ Object Request Broker

HP OpenView Network Node Mgr Distributed Ver

Legato/Octopus Strategic Marketing Alliance

Legato NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare

Lotus NotesView 4.0 Management Tool

Lotus Leads with 15 Million Comm Seats

Lotus Notes MTAS Enter Widespread Field Test

Lotus Notes Network Release 2.0

Lotus Notes Rel 4 Migration/Coexistence Pgm

Lynx Extends PosixWorks with LynxOS V2.4

Microsoft Exchange Server Available

Novell Offers Free GroupWise Licenses

GroupWise WorkFlow Increases Efficiency

Microsoft Win32 Driver Model

Bill Gates Announces Microsoft Exchange

EDS Moves Users to Microsoft Exchange

Channel Partners Profit from Exchange Server

Commitment to Microsoft Platforms

MAPI-Based Workflow Spec Now Available

NetManage Intranet Server for Windows NT

Novell NetWare Return on Investment Data

Premier Desktop GIS Available as Components

Novell GroupWise DMS Certification

Phoenix Solutions for SPIC Technologies

Shiva Remote Access Client with MS Exchange

Symantec Norton Administrator Suite

Colorific Color Matching Swr Thru Retail

Microtest Enhances CD-ROM Networking Server

PCMCIA Adopts FTL Swr as Flash Card Standard

SilverWare Windows Comm. Tool Kit V5.10

Microsoft SQL Server Scalability Records

Microsoft Developer Network at Resellers

Novell Open Beta of NetWare Client 32

Novell Lowers Price of LAN WorkPlace 5

Novell Upgrades LANalyzer for Windows

Alternative Message Transports for LANs

New DaVinci Pckg with SMTP & MIME Support

VirusTrack 6.0 Word Macro Virus Eliminator

Borland Delphi 2.0 Takes NSTL First Place

Dialogic Ships VRSoft Speech Recognition Swr

White Pine X Server Licensed to Insignia

IBM OS/2 Warp Server on Top in File/Prt Perf

PowerMan - File Manipulator/Utility

Artisoft 32-bit Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0

IDEA Print Server for LAN Printers

Fenestra FSSocket 2.0 VBasic Custom Control

Frontier Technologies NFS Client for WinNT

PDQComm Rel 3.1 Custom Control Library

Attachmate & Cisco NCIA Support in EXTRA!

Softimage Dev Kits for Real-Time 3D Apps

Netscape Ships Collabra Share 2.2

Attachmate OpenMind Editor Choice Conf Sys

Compuware EcoTOOLS Support for Windows NT

Compuware Extends Power of Oracle Ent. Mgr

FASTCD Personal Edition CDROM Emulation Swr

Forte Web SDK for Client/Server Apps

Hummingbird 3D Capable PC X Server for WinNT

IBM OS/2 Warp Server File/Print Perf on Top

KL Group Olectra Components for Windows

Microsoft Ships SQL Server 6.5

Phoenix Technologies Battery Mgmt Solution

Key Solutions for Systems Based on SPIC Tech

TechSmith SnagIt/32 V3.0.1 Print Utility

Stardock Object Desktop V1.5 for OS/2

NParse32 Parser Control for Windows 95

Artisoft Shipping INSYNC ModemShare v7.0

Artisoft Ships INSYNC CoSession Remote V7.0

Symantec Just-In-Time Compiler for Java

NetWare 4.1 Best NOS for 2nd Year

Phoenix PicoCard PC Card Flash Data Mgmt

Meridian Data Ships CD Networking Swr

Wonderware InBatch 4.0 for Windows NT

Coordinate.com Supporting LDAP Directory Std

VB/Link v4.0 Lotus Notes ActiveX Controls

Talk to Your Computer with Next OS/2 Warp

IBM Offers SOMobjects Free on the Web

IDEA Print Server for Networked Printers

MacTransfer for Win95 Accesses Mac Disks

Test Drive NTRIGUE App Server via Internet

Intel LANDesk Management Suite v2.5

InterPlot Driver Pack V2.0 for Windows NT

Kurzweil VOICE For Widnows Release 2.0

Lucent Chooses Lynx OS for Multimedia Prods

Meridian Data CD Networking Swr Tools

Meridian Data Enhances CD Networking Swr

NetSoft NS/Router Licensed to Major Vendors

Novell Extends NDS to the Internet

Free Upgrade to New ManageWise Customers

OIS to Resell Pure Software Quality Prods

PurePerformix/Web Swr Quality Tool

ReachOut Remote Access Swr WinNT 4.0 Support

StarSQL Data Access Driver for OS/2

Norton Administrator for Networks Top Honors

Software Developers Endorse RemoteWare

New RemoteWare for Remote & Mobile Computing

Super Windows Clipboard Buffer Utility


Macintosh Specific Software
Macintosh Specific Software News:

Apple Game Sprockets Swr Development Kit

White Pine Releases eXodus for Macintosh 6.0

Vea Diagramming Program for Newton

Attain Delivers Major Upgrade to IN CONTROL

Apple PlainTalk Available Thru Retail

Aladdin StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 Now Shipping

Apple System 7.5 Update 2.0 System Swr Free

Apple Beta-Level QuickTime VR Tools

CE Software Announces QuicKeys 3.5

SonicPPP Upgraded for Macintosh

C&G's MacWorld Game Hall of Fame Released

X-PORT 1.0 Xfers Info From Newton to Desktop

Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Mac Now Avail

Vitamin: The Game - Mac Arcade Game

New Apple Education Series Solutions

Cinebase Asset-Mgmt System to Mac Platform

Next-Generation Newsroom Computer Systems

NetManage Websurfer & Xoftware on WWW

Quarterdeck Ships WebSTAR 1.2.5 for Mac

Multiproc Support for Specular Backburner

Imaging Software Enhances Text Support

Email Capabilities for Netwon PDA Expanded

Apple Internet Connect Kit 1.1

Symantec Cafe Java-Compatible Tools for Mac

Microsoft Ships Mac Internet Explorer 2.0

Roaster Mac Development Tools for Java

New Symantec Release of C++ for Power Mac

Revelar Connection Utility for Newton to Mac

SCS Connect Four Game for Macintosh


Miscellaneous Software
Miscellaneous Software News:

Novell Authorized CNE Advisor

Ready-to-Run Software Support for BSD/OS

BTG Adds Verity Products to GSA Offering


System Hardware
System Hardware News:

Fast Dell Latitude XPi Notebook PCs

HP Cuts High-Performance PC Prices up to 14%

HP To Demo Concept PC Based on SIPC Tech.

Microsoft Simply Interactive PC Framework

Microsoft & Hwr Community OnNow Initiative

Advanced Config & Power Management Spec

Dolby to Bring High-Quality Audio to PCs

ZDS Real Rewards Reseller Incentive Program

Packard Bell Powerhouse PCs Deliver Internet

Toshiba Expands Tecra Notebook Family

Dell Announces Powerhouse Technology Combo

STB Video Rage Accelerator in Destination PC

Zenith Intros Education Multimedia Systems

Chem USA Value-Priced Multimedia Pentiums

Acer Aspire on Cover of PC Magazine

ALR First to Ship Quad Pentium Pro Servers

New Power Macintoshs Designed for Education

Unisys ClearPath Transform Enterprise Server

NeTpower Inks Contract with Hollywood Studio

NeTpower Calisto Digital Video Workstation

Film School Selects NeTpower Calisto

New TI Extensa 570CD & 570CDT Models

TI Extensa 510 Color Notebook Computer

Unisys 10-Processor Pentium Servers

Unisys ClearPath HMP Series

Zenith 100MHz Pentium Z-NOTE MX Portables

Samsung Intros Split Keyboard on SENS 810

Acer Business Sys Target Commercial Segment

Compaq & Phoenix to Speed Dev of USB

Compaq Support for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5

Dell Adds Recyclable Chassis to Business PCs

Gateway 133MHz Pentium Multimedia Notebook

IBM Adds Premium Features to ThinkPads


Expansion Hardware
Expansion Hardware News:

SHOWDESK DMX512 Based Lighting Controls

Digi International WAN Access for Windows NT

DirectX Optimized Drivers for Diamond Edge

Diamond Multimedia Stealth 3D Accelerator

Diamond Ships MS Explorer with Hwr Products

Hayes ACCURA/Smartcom Bundle

Siemens to use Spectrum24 Wireless Lan Card

SYSTRAN FibreXpress Fibre Channel Adapters

Racal-Datacom Extol PC-CARD ISDN Access

Racal SafeDial V.34 PC CARD

Hayes ACCURA/Quarterdeck Bundle

Adaptec PCI-UltraSCSI Multichannel Adapters

Interphase Fibre Channel Adapter for PCI Bus

Orchid Fahrenheit ProVideo 64

Digi DataFire ISDN LAN Adapter Wins Award

Dell Offers 3Com PC Cards for Latitudes

Diamond Enters prof 3D Graphics Market

Worldwide Diamond Prof Graphics Product Team

New DTC Family of PNP PCI SCSI Host Adapters

TI Unveils 28.8 Cellular Data/Fax Modem

Archtek ConferencePal V.32 terbo Voice Fax

Archtek PCMCIA 28.8Kbps V.34 Modem/Ethernet

Archtek Mwave V.34 Multimedia DSVD Fax/Modem

New Media Ships First Game PC Card

PNY Shipping Memory Upgrades for IBM PC 700

Boca H.324 PC Card Based on Lucent AVP Chip

Boca Desktop Videoconferencing Product

Graphics Blaster Multimedia Accelerator

Olicom 2nd Generation PCI Token Ring Adapter


Peripheral Hardware
Peripheral Hardware News:

ETC & BOE ViewMagic Monitor Distribution

ADTRAN Sets New Standard for ISDN Modems

ANA Tech Eagle SLI 3840 Product Choice Award

Everex to Resell CLARiiON RAID Disk Arrays

EXP Computer 6 Speed PCMCIA CD-ROM Kit

New Family of In Focus Multimedia Projectors

In Focus Sets New Standard w/PowerView 820

In Focus Breaks Price/Perf Barrier w/LitePro

Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 Plus Series

Storage Dimensions WinNT Server Storage

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR RAID Storage System

StorageTek 9710 Automated Cartridge System

Turtle Beach Recordable Optical CD Drive

Unisys NDP 500 Document Processor

Multi-Tech Enhancements to V.34 Technology

WinNT Support for StorageWorks RAID Array

Microtest Workgroup CD-ROM Sharing Towers

HP Intros Inkjet Printer for Windows Users

HP Intros Next-Generation Printer Language

Logicraft & TiltRac CDMultiServer CD Jukebox

Micropolis Announces New Aries 2 Disk Drive

Adobe Swr Bundled with Epson Stylus Printers

CLARiiON & Tech Data Partnership for NT RAID

CLARiiON & Sequent Open Storage Solutions

US Robotics Sportster Voice Faxmodems

US Robotics Sportster Voice Faxmodems

New IBM 2.5 Inch Hard Disk Drive

IBM Deskstar 3 High Performance 3.5 Inch HDD

Leading Edge Storage Module & Drive Tech.

ViewSonic Adds 21 Inch SonicTron Monitor

Optiquest Value Line Monitors by ViewSonic

ViewSonic Intros Midrange SonicTron Monitors

Panasonic Entry-Level Production Scanner

Dell Selects Phoenix for System-Level Swr

Boca High-Perf Stand Alone & Rack Modems

Hitachi 13.3-inch Super TFT LCD Monitor

New HP Printer with Disney Swr, Crafts Kit

Maxtor 2GB Hard Disk & Norton Utilities

Meridian Ships CD ROM Network Servers

Meridian CD Netlink Miniservers

QMS Ultra Technology for Hi-Perf PostScript

SuperFlex 5000 Dual Controller RAID Storage

USR Adds CD-ROM to Sportster Modem Line

Seagate OS/2 Warp Support for TR-4 Tapes


Macintosh Specific Hardware
Macintosh Specific Hardware News:

Apple & Motorola Develop China PowerPC Mkt

Shot Logger for Netwon OS 2.0 Introduced

Connectix Ships Color Quickcam for Macintosh

Low-Cost Cache DIMM for Power Macs

New Faster Apple Power Macintosh Family

Hwr-Based PC Compatiblity for Power Mac


Miscellaneous Hardware
Miscellaneous Hardware News:

3Com AccessBuilder 7000 Access Concentrator

Adaptec PCI-to-UltraSCSI Controller Chip

ADTRAN DSU III ARc DDS DSU/CSU w/Compression

Allied Telesyn Fiber ATM/Ethernet Switch

Bay Networks Routing & LAN Switching Modules

Bay Networks Interopnet Infrastructure

Cirrus & Intel Accelerated Graphics Port

Dayna BlueStreak Fast EtherPrint 10/100

DEC PCI/CardBus Fast Ehternet Chip

Digi Manageable/Stackable Ethernet Hubs

Digi Int'l Rightswitch Ethernet Switch

Exide Token Ring ConnectUPS Adapter

New Line-Up of Exide NetUPS

Farallon Ships Enhanced Firmware for Netopia

FORE Announces Advanced ATM Capabilities

Gandalf ISDN Remote Access Win Top Honors

HP Intros 100VG Print Server

Olicom CrossFire Token Ring Switch

Shiva LanRover Access Switch

Shiva & Ingram Internet/Intranet Solution

Integrated NT Server Remote Access Solution

DIMMCHECK 168P Tests 168-Pin DRAM Modules

Brooktree ATM Developer's Tool Kit

Best Power Adds Value to UPSs w/FREE Swr

Best Power Rackmount Fortress UPS

Microtest PentaScanner 350 Cable Tester

Internet COMPAS Troubleshooting Tool

Exide Intros Olympic Team Edition UPS

Extron SYSTEM 4LD Projector Control Switcher

Extron Comb Filter/Composite Video Decoder

Ericsson to Private label GDC APEX ATM Sw

GDC APEX-Advantage '96 Service Provisioning

Varian Sequential ICP-AES for Windows 95

Bay Networks System 5000 Hub Wins 2nd Award

Merisel to Carry DPI Network Printer Servers

Pentium Processor for Special Environments

Madge Networks Graps Interop Spotlight

New PIX Router Functions in Xylan Products

Cirrus Controller in Diba Internet Browser

FORTE Tracking Tech. Licensed to VictorMaxx

Mitel Demos First Voice Comm. Over USB

New Plaintree LAN Switching Products

Quark & Diba Technologies in Info Appliances


Books & Publications
Books & Publications:

CGI Programming on the World Wide Web

PageMil for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart

Windows 95 is Driving Me Crazy!

The Windows 95 Bible from Peachpit Press

BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95

BYTE Guide to OpenDoc

The Pros Talk Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3

Introducing Microsoft Exchange

Microsoft WinNT Server One Step at a Time

Delphi Nuts & Bolts for Experienced Pgmrs

Illustrator 6 for Mac: Visual QuickStart

Employee Stock Ownership Plans

How to Select & Install Medical Software

The Java Handbook

Networking Essentials Self-Paced Training

Adobe Press - Designing Business

HTML: The Definitive Guide

Internet Kids Yello Pages, Special Edition

CIS Members Create Book from Cyberspace

Designing for the Web from O'Reilly

Multimedia Sound and Music Studio

May Internet World Features Internet Search

Designing for the Web: Getting Started


Online & Internet News
Online & Internet News:

AOL Distributes S&P ComStock Financial Data

AOL Launches Mutual Fund Center

Nash & Brown Span the Globe for WOW!

E-TOWN Home Electronic Guide Debuts on WOW!

CompuServe Access by AT&T Worldnet Service

DEC & CyberCash Internet Commerce Solution

DEC & Netscape Mkt Electronic Commerce Prods

Frontier Technologies Ships CyberSearch 2.0

Direct IPO Helps Companies Go Public

Doonesbury Straw Poll Big Draw

TV Guide's Classic Cover Gallery on iGuide

AlphaCONNECT Harvests Data from Internet

AT&T WorldNet Customers Get CIS Access

AT&T College Network Job-Search Tools

Lead Story AT&T Business Network WWW Site

AT&T WorldNet Now Accepts Ads on Website

New Attachmate Internet Help-Line Services

Boardtown Webshopper Online Shopping Site

CLARiiON Intros World Wide Web Page

DEC & Open Market Secure Internet Business

Farallon Expands ISP Pgm w/Help Desk Support

Shop-the-Net via Internet or TV

ChoiceNet Customizable Internet Access Ctrl

Go On Assignment w/Nat'l Geographic Online

Netscape Proxy Server 2.0 Avail in Beta

Web Review Web-Centric News Feed Program

ATS & NuIQ Windows Check Processing Module

New SunSoft Solaris Internet Server

USR Total Control GET ACCESS ISP Program

CyberCall Internet Telephony Product

WebCall Showcased at DEMO'96

WebCall Links Home Page to Call Center

Headline News Web Service for Librarians

Wilson Bibliographic Indexing on DIALOG

Major League Baseball Area on AOL

AOL Debuts Extreme Fans Baseball Daily

AOL Launches International Channel

CIS Adds Powerful Graphics Tools

Nolo Press Partners with WOW! CompuServe

Digital, MCI & Microsoft Comm Services

WWW Java Contest Sponsored by JavaWorld

NetScheme Intros InterMart Toolkit

ichat Selects Fitzgerald Interactive

InterAct '96 Showcases Internet Technologies

Surefine Online Data Backup/Recovery via CIS

EarthLink Selects SurfWatch Parental Control

Millions View WebCruise on TV News

Reverse Searching Now Available on PC411

AOL Launches ParasScope - Paranormal Info

Time Inc Pathfinder Personal Edition & CIS

Money Magazine Finance Tools to WOW!

Fax-from-Web Adds Fax Button to Web Pages

Kinetix Hyperwire 3D Internet Authoring Tool

Microsoft Internet Newsgroups Announced

IGC Selects Qualcomm Eudora Pro for Members

Microsoft FrontPage 1.1 - Free Beta on WWW

Autodesk/Netscape Extend Internet for Design

Bell Atlantic & Netscape Licensing Agreement

Adobe Internet Conferences for Web Designers

5 Companies Sign AT&T Alternate Access

AT&T Enhances Toll-Free# Internet Directory

Autodesk WHIP! Plug-In for Internet Drawings

JASON Project Plunges Students in the Ocean

Spyglass Licensing Agreement with QNX Swr

Jupiter's Yahoo! Survey Report Now Available

O'Reilly PolyForm Web Forms Construction Kit

EA/Origin Launch Test of New Internet Gaming

SurfWatch Stumps Government Expert

Nex*Phone for FREE Internet Voice Comm.

Artisoft Agreements with Netscape & CIS

SPRYNET Group Connect Corp Billing Program

Establishing BBSs on Internet Now Easier

Web Review I/PRO Analysis of Web Advertising

XSoft & Infoseek Internet Search Partnership

New QUALCOMM Eudora Pro Dist Agreements

Win Flier Miles from Quarterdeck Promo

Spyglass Web Technology Kit

Spyglass Developer Services Group

XSoft/Infoseek Partner for Accurate Searches

Arbor Software Links Essbase to WWW

CA/Spyglass Embed Web Server in Database Swr

New Netscape Client Swr for Retail Channel

Columbus Sets Sail on the Internet

Hummingbird Columbus Integrates topicSEARCH

IBM Countdown to Cryptolope Containers

Time Life Medical - Internet Healthcare Info

Next Generation Video Transmission Service

IQ/LiveWeb for Corp Data On-Demand

Internet Explorer Launches Wildcat! Clients

Wildcat! 5 Web Server Clients from Netscape

MicroStrategy DSS Web Widespread Acceptance

Netcom Reaches 400,000 Subscriber Mark

New NetManage IntraNet Server Sales Strategy

Netscape to Improve Java App Speed/Perf

New Orleans Jazz Festival Enters Cyberspace

Quarterdeck IWARE Internetsuite

Specular 3D Web Workshop

Spyglass Web Technology Kit Supports Java

Tippecanoe TECUMSEH NT-based WWW Search Eng.

NetSpeak Licenses DSP Truespeech Technology

Leading Internet Swr for Windows NT on CDROM

GNN Unveils First Virtual Places Community

AOL Brings Chat & Community to the Web

AOL Road Trip of Olympic Proportion

AOL & VDOnet Extend Virtual Places

Wilson Abstracts Added on FirstSearch

WebSite Price Restructuring from O'Reilly

Microsoft Announces Internet Starter Kit

SPA CyberSurfari '96 Virtual Classroom

Worldgroup 2.0 Web Applications Suite

Corel Customers Get Dial Access to Internet

Enterprise-level Directories to Intranet Mkt

Comshare Introduces Web-Based Strategy

Thuridion CREW Groupware for the Internet

Gateway 2000 Launches PC Ordering Via WWW

HTML Transit Web Publishing Tech Licensing

iWORLD Acquires BrowserWatch

Microsoft Announces SLATE Online Publication

Mustang Custom Connector for Wildcat! 5

Netcom PersonalPage Web Authoring/Hosting

NetWare Web Server Top Performer in Tests

Netscape Destinations Information Site

40+ Companies Support LDAP Internet Dir Std

Netscape Certificate Server Encrypts Data

Netscape Mail Server 2.0 Announced

Final Version of RealAudio System 2.0 Ships

RealAudio 2.0 Intranet Offerings

RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit

ASAP Webshow Viewer for Presentations

Symantec Update for Cyberjack Internet Suite

Symantec Licenses AntiVirus Swr to Netscape

Netcom to Provide SurfWatch to Subscribers


Miscellaneous News
Miscellaneous News:

Online Expo '96 Announced in Los Angeles

European PC App Swr Reaches $2 Billion

3Com netWorking Partners Program Addition

Free 3Com ISDN Line Ordering & Provisioning

3Com & PictureTel Strategic Partnership

FileNet & Adobe Extensions to TIFF & PDF

Bring Learning Home Alliance

Apple Expands Family Computing Workshops

Bay Networks Acquires Armon Networking

Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partners

Bay Networks Names Partners in Excellence

IDC Report Confirms Bay Networks Leadership

Caere Establishes New Products Divisions

CAI Partners with Suny Stony Brook

ODMA Cross-Repository Interoperability

Dell Lauds Procurement Reform Initiatives

Dell Tools Relieve Purchasing Headache

Dell Awarded 1996 GSA Schedule

Efficient & Cisco Interoperable ATM Solution

Farallon Education Internet Challenge Grant

Gandalf Launches Strategic Direction

Hayes Proceeding to Fund Reorganization Plan

HP & Others in Interoperability Demo

Special Offer for IBM Shareholders

JetForm Acquires Proactive Systems

Steven Jobs - Internet World'96 Keynote

Wang & PC DOCS Expand Strategic Alliance

Keynote Insights on Network-Centered World

Seagate Acquires OnDemand Software

PowerCerv Acquires Visual Systems Dev Group

New PictureTel Videoconf Swr & Camera

3Com & PictureTel Strategic Partnership

ComputerMania Event Schedule Expanded

SVT Shiva Acquires Media Vision Assets

Unisys Info Services InfoImage Solutions

New PPTP Networking Demo at NetWorld+Interop

Wang & Microsoft AIIM Keynote Address

Utah Tech Watch  (4/6)

Shortened CeBIT Draws Higher Quality Visitor

Racal Affiliate Marketing Program Launched

Digital Opens Enterprise Solutions Center

Realignment of Two Digital Business Units

Microtest Expands Sales Channel

Osborne - Busy People Busiest Day Contest

Asia/Pacific App Swr Sales Top $1.1 Billion

SPG Code Warrior Contest Announced

SurfWatch Nominated for Smithsonian Award

3M to Spin Off Data Storage & Imaging Sys

Autodesk Unveils Kinetix Business Unit

Hayes Funding Commitments for Reorganization

Microsoft Sponsors Leonardo Medal for Mfg

Microsoft Helps Bring Internet to N Carolina

Digital, MCI & Microsoft Business Solutions

Microsoft to Acquire AHA! Software

National Instruments Acquires Georgetown Sys

GEIS & Netscape Form Joint Venture

ON Technology Acquires neTrend Firewall Tech

Sears Helps Schools Earn Points for Hwr/Swr

Apple Sells Fountain Mfg Facility to SCI

Packard Bell ISO 9001 Quality Certification

Autodesk Corporate News

Autodesk Changes Stock Symbol

Dell Disputes Price War Claim

Farallon Opens South Bay R&D Facility

Softbank Expos Acquires Strategic Networks

Interactive Conf & Expo Doubles Expo Floor

PC EXPO NYC Offers 4 Top Keynote Speakers

Utah Tech Watch 4/13/96

SoftArc Developer Partnership Program

OMG Distributed Document Component Facility

Latin America Swr Sales Top $158 Million

Adaptec Closes Deal with Western Digital

Aladdin to Acquire FAST Software Security

Apple Demos Mac Script to Screen Solutions

Apple Enhances Developer Relations Charter

SourceCraft ISV Agreement With Oracle

Cognos Business Intelligence Partner Pgm

PSINet & Farallon ISDN Service Promotion

Micrsoft Gets Multiple RetailVision Awards

Seminars Bring Tech Solutions to Retailers

Microsoft Acquires EXOS Inc

Users Gain COM/COBRA Interoperability

PictureTel Launches First-Ever TV Ads

Texas A&M Center for Distance Learning

New Phoenix Technologies Division

WDC Completes Sale of Connectivity Group

Whittaker Completes Acquisition of Xyplex

Spyglass Acquires SurfWatch Software

Latest News from Telephone Response Tech.

American Software Signs SoftM as Partner

Personal Computers in 34% of US Households

PC EXPO Quality & Buying Power Affirmed

Spicer Integration with Documentum

ON!Contact Software Reseller/Referral Pgm

MindLink Launches Corp Innovation Program

CAI & DEC Sign Far-Reaching Alliance

Utah Tech Watch, 4/27 Edition

IMATION is New 3M Data Storage & Imaging Co.

GBC/Globelle to Distribute Acer Products

Acer America Demos Commitment to Channel

Apple Enriches Worldwide Developer Conf.

FCC to Implement Apple Wireless NII Band

Aris Merges with SQLSoft

Cognos Joins Tech Support Alliance Network

New Stac Solution Partnership Program

Apple/Paramount Mission Impossible Campaign

I-PNNI Accepted As Work Effort by ATM Forum

Cisco Systems to Acquire StrataCom

Compaq Search for Most Imaginative Families

Compaq Federal GSA Contract Renewed

IBM Solution Developer Pgm Streamlines

IBM & Dev Partners Unveil New Swr Technology

Insignia Solutions Partners Program

NetWorld+Interop Showcases Internet Focus

Microdyne Marketing Rights to Novell Hwr

Micrografx Acquires Visual Software

Micron Electronics Awarded 1996 GSA Schedule

Microsoft & Casio to Collaborate

Novell Partnetship Perspective Roadshow

Novell/Utah School-to-Career Initiative

Ontos Patents Object Integration Technology

SPA Offers Hi-Tech Co's Advice in IPOs

PCs Now in 34% of US Households

Stac Announces New Service Product Offerings

InterMax Formed for Intranet Solutions

Submitting Press Releases For Distribution


Mastercam CAD/CAM w/new Machining & Design
Latest Mastercam CAD/CAM Release Offers New Machining and Design Options

April 1, 1996 -- TOLLAND, CT-CNC Software, Inc. announces the release of Mastercam Version 6, which offers dozens of new features to help speed part design and programming. Known for its power and simplicity, Mastercam is Windows-based CAD/CAM software for 2- through 5-axis milling, turning, 2- and 4-axis wire EDM, 3-D design, drafting and surface modeling.

Users have more flexibility than ever with new machining options such as multiple-surface radial cutting, which cuts a workpiece outward from a selected point like spokes on a wheel. Toolpaths can now be projected onto an unlimited number of surfaces, and gouge checking has been enhanced. Mastercam's pocketing functions have also been enhanced and now support multiple pockets and nested islands with a simple window selection.

A fully customizable icon bar makes frequently used functions instantly available. Greatly enhanced graphics speed provides smoother graphics, and shaded images can now be rotated, panned and zoomed for closer inspection. New on-line help gives users instant access to Mastercam tips and instructions.

New multi-surface manipulation tools let users trim and fillet any number of surfaces in one step, and Mastercam's new 3-fillet blend quickly creates a "blended comer" at the edge of three variable radius fillets. The release also includes a new utility for creating solid-type geometric primitives as surfaces.

Mastercam Version 6 includes dozens of additional new features designed to make both basic and complex programming tasks simpler. Examples are a new function for circle milling which allows users to contour unlimited circles in one easy step, and the ability to import TrueType fonts as machinable geometry. Mastercam's new batch processing allows multiple projects to be run overnight.

Mastercam Version 6 includes a new SAT translator that imports ACIS solids as surfaces for machining. Mastercam also provides built-in bi-directional translators including IGES, VDA, DXF, CADL, STL, and ASCII at no extra charge. An optional DWG translator is available for Version 6, allowing a direct transfer from Autocad to Mastercam.

CNC Software, Inc. is a privately-owned corporation founded in 1984. The U.S. based company has provided CAD/CAM solutions to more than 29,000 installations in 56 countries in industries including mold-making, prototyping, automotive and aerospace. Mastercam runs under Windows, Windows NT and Windows 95, and is compatible with all other CAD/CAM systems. For more information about CNC Software, Inc., and its Mastercam family of products, contact CNC Software, Inc., M - F, 8 AM - 6 PM EST at (800) 228-2877 or (860) 875-5006, 344 Merrow Road, Tolland, CT 06084. Or visit Mastercam's Web Site at http://www.mastercam.com.


Blue Sky Family of ActiveX Controls
Blue Sky Software Announces New ActiveX Controls for the Internet and Windows Help

Blue Sky Software announces support for Microsoft ActiveX Technologies

La Jolla, CA, April 1st - Blue Sky Software announces a family of ActiveX Controls, including ActiveHelp and ActiveWeb. Blue Sky Software's new ActiveX Controls will provide access to a wide range of Internet and Help features, designed to provide developers with maximum productivity.

"We are excited to see Blue Sky Software enhance its ActiveX Controls for the Internet, including ActiveWeb," said Tom Button, Director of Marketing for Microsoft's Internet Platform and Tools Division. "It's components like Blue Sky Software's family of Internet-enhanced ActiveX Controls that will provide Internet and Intranet users with a truly interactive environment," continued Tom Button at Microsoft Corp. Blue Sky Software is continuing its commitment of focusing on maximum productivity, plus new leading-edge technology and these upcoming cutting-edge Internet-enhanced ActiveX Controls will play a significant role in the Internet development market.

"Our upcoming family of ActiveX Controls will benefit all developers actively involved in Internet and Windows development and will significantly increase their productivity," said Jorgen Lien, President of Blue Sky Software Corp. "With the new ActiveWeb Control, Blue Sky Software integrates Windows with the Internet by allowing users to jump directly from any Windows application to the Intranet or the Internet. Software users can now click on a button in a Windows application and jump directly to any Internet Web and Intranet site, or send email via the Internet," continued Jorgen Lien at Blue Sky Software Corporation.

ActiveWeb Control

The ActiveWeb Control creates a button into any Windows application to jump directly to any World Wide Web site or Intranet site. With a click on the ActiveWeb button, application users can also download any file from the Internet or send e-mail. The ActiveWeb Control supports all major Web Browsers.

Jumping from Windows to a World Wide Web site With a link to their own Home page, software publishers can provide users instant access to the most frequently asked questions and answers on products, the latest technical support tips for products, marketing information, new product announcements, and more. With a link to another company's Web page, software publishers can provide their users instant access to their business partners' Web pages and information about products which complement their software.

Downloading files from the Internet to any Windows application The ActiveWeb Control is invaluable if software publishers want to provide their users with information and files not available at the shipping date of the software. For example, tutorials or samples, bug fixes, updated files, and free upgrades.

Providing a direct Internet e-mail link from any Windows application

With the ActiveWeb Control, software publishers can create an e-mail link directly from their application to their own technical support and/or provide an e-mail link to register a product electronically.

ActiveHelp Control

The ActiveHelp Control is an enhanced version of the current SmartHelp OLE Control which eliminates the need to program context-sensitive Help into any Windows application developed with Visual Basic 4.0, Visual C++ 4.1, Access 95, and Visual FoxPro 3.0 or any other development environment supporting the ActiveX or OLE Control standard.

Using the ActiveHelp control, software developers simply drag and drop the included Help button in the application's forms/screens and visually select any Help file (HLP) - no source code needed. The Help button is automatically linked to the selected topic and the context-sensitive Help link is created between the application and the Help file. No programming is needed by the developer. With the new ActiveHelp control, it takes only few seconds to integrate context-sensitive Help buttons into any Visual Basic 4.0, Visual C++ 4.1, Access 95, and Visual FoxPro 3.0 application. The ActiveHelp control also includes a Button Gallery with different types of graphical Help buttons to visually choose from.

Availability

The Blue Sky Software's family of ActiveX Controls for the Internet and Windows Help including ActiveWeb and ActiveHelp will be available in the second quarter of 1996. For information, contact the Blue Sky Software Sales Department at 1-800-459-2356, 619-459-6365 (for international) Fax: 619-459-6366 - http://www.blue-sky.com

Blue Sky Software

Blue Sky Software is an independent software company specializing in Smart Development Tools for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and Windows NT. Blue Sky Software has become a leading supplier of Windows Development Tools such as WinHelp Office (Help Authoring Suite), RoboHELP (Help Authoring Tool), Visual SQL (Client/Server Application Design and C/C++ Code Generator), Help-to-HTML Kit (Web authoring tool), and WinMaker Pro (Prototyper and C/C++ Code Generator). Blue Sky Software offers a wide range of cutting-edge products, designed with the mission of making Windows and Web development easier.

Blue Sky Software Corp

7777 Fay Ave, Suite 201

La Jolla, CA 92037

619-459-6365,  fax 619-459-6366

http://www.blue-sky.com


Microsoft Licenses ActiveX Help Technology
Microsoft Licenses ActiveX Help Technology from Blue Sky Software

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Blue Sky Software and Microsoft's Visual C++ team signed a licensing agreement to deliver Blue Sky Software's state-of-the-art, fully redistributable SmartHelp ActiveX Control as part of the new Visual C++ 4.1 release. Blue Sky Software's SmartHelp ActiveX Control offers cutting-edge technology which significantly speeds up Visual C++ 4.1 application development.

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La Jolla, CA, April 1st, 1996 - Blue Sky Software is pleased to announce its cooperation with Microsoft for the release of the Microsoft Visual C++ subscription version 4.1. The new Visual C++ 4.1 includes Blue Sky Software's new SmartHelp ActiveX Control, which eliminates the need to program context-sensitive Help buttons into Windows applications developed with Visual C++ 4.1.

"We are excited about including Blue Sky Software's state-of-the-art Help technology into Microsoft Visual C++ version 4.1", says John Browne, Visual C++ Product Manager at Microsoft Corporation. "Blue Sky Software's SmartHelp ActiveX Control included in Microsoft Visual C++ version 4.1 provides an easy solution for quickly integrating context-sensitive Help buttons into any application built with Microsoft Visual C++ version 4.1", continues John Browne at Microsoft Corp.

"Using RoboHELP 95, the award-winning Windows Help authoring tool, together with the new SmartHelp ActiveX Control included in Visual C++ 4.1 creates the ultimate Help authoring solution for Visual C++ 4.1 developers", says Shane McRoberts, Research & Development Manager, Help Tools Division, Blue Sky Software Corp. "All developers can significantly cut their development time by using Blue Sky Software's cutting-edge Help authoring technology, such as RoboHELP 95 and WinHelp Office 95", continues Shane McRoberts.

An easy way to integrate context-sensitive Help buttons

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control eliminates the need to program context-sensitive Help buttons into Windows applications developed with Visual C++ 4.1. Using the SmartHelp ActiveX Control, Visual C++ 4.1 developers simply drag and drop the included Help button in the application's screens/dialog boxes and visually select any Help file (HLP) - no source code needed. The Help button is automatically linked to the selected topic and the context-sensitive Help link is created between the application and the Help file. No programming is needed by the developer. With the SmartHelp ActiveX Control, it only takes a few seconds to integrate context-sensitive Help buttons into Windows applications. The SmartHelp ActiveX Control also includes a Button Gallery, offering different types of graphical Help buttons to visually choose from.

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control can also be used when developing Windows applications with Visual Basic 4.0, Access 95, Visual FoxPro 3.0, and/or any 32-bit Windows environment supporting the ActiveX Control or the OLE Control standards.

RoboHELP 95

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control is also included in RoboHELP 95, award-winning Help Authoring Tool which turns Microsoft Word into a full-featured Hypertext authoring tool capable of creating Windows Help systems. RoboHELP 95 includes both 16-bit and 32-bit versions of RoboHELP for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and Windows NT Help development. RoboHELP 95 supports all versions of Microsoft Word: Word 7, Word 6, Word 6 32-bit NT version, and Word 2.

RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control is also included in RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition. RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition allows users to easily and quickly create both HTML and Windows Help files simultaneously using a single source code. With the new RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition, there is no learning curve to create HTML files and Windows Help systems. The RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition automates the process of creating the HTML Home page, all the HTML, GIF, and MAP files, and Hyperlinks needed for a Web site, as well as Help systems for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and Windows NT.

WinHelp Office 95

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control is also included in WinHelp Office 95, the complete Help Authoring solution. WinHelp Office 95 provides Help Authors with everything they need for professional Help development, whether they are creating Help systems for Windows 95, Windows 3.x, and/or Windows NT or moving their current Windows 3.x Help systems to Windows 95. WinHelp Office 95 includes cutting-edge products such as RoboHELP 95, the WinHelp Video Kit, the WinHelp Tool Kit, the WinHelp HyperViewer, Mastering WinHelp, and the Moving to WinHelp '95 Kit.

WinHelp Office 95 HTML Edition

The SmartHelp ActiveX Control is also included in WinHelp Office 95 HTML Edition. WinHelp Office 95 HTML Edition is the First Suite for HTML and Help Authoring. WinHelp Office 95 HTML Edition provides its users with everything they need for professional Help development, and also gives them the ability to quickly create the HTML Home page, all the HTML, GIF, and MAP files, and Hyperlinks needed for a Web site or an in-house Intranet system.

Availability

WinHelp Office 95 HTML Edition is now available at a special promotional price of $799 (list price is $1741). RoboHELP 95 HTML Edition is available separately at a special promotional price of $699 (list price is $897). RoboHELP 95 is available at a suggested retail price of $499. WinHelp Office 95 is available at a special price of $599 (list price is $1343). The Visual C++ subscription version 4.1 is available from Microsoft. The SmartHelp ActiveX Control included in these products is distributable royalty-free. For information, contact the Blue Sky Software Sales Department at 1-800-459-2356, 619-459-6365 (for international)- Fax: 619-459-6366 - http://www.blue-sky.com

Blue Sky Software Corp

7777 Fay Ave, Suite 201

La Jolla, CA 92037

619-459-6365,  fax 619-459-6366

http://www.blue-sky.com


ETC & BOE ViewMagic Monitor Distribution
ETC AND BOE IN DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT FOR VIEWMAGIC SPECIALTY MONITORS

10-inch Monitors Destined For Supermarket Banking Centers

Fremont, CA -- April 2, 1996 -- ETC Computer, Inc., announced today that it has signed a distribution agreement for its line of ViewMagic specialty monitors with BOE, a manufacturer and value-added reseller based in Kentfield, California.

The agreement calls for BOE to distribute the full line of 10-inch color ViewMagic monitors to its customer base. The monitors will be installed in a national food chain's supermarkets which feature in-store banking centers serviced by one of the West Coast's major financial institutions.

Ed McSwain, president of BOE, says, 'After carefully evaluating many different monitors, we chose ViewMagic because of their excellent quality and competitive price. We've had relationships with a number of manufacturers and importers, and have found ETC to be the best. They really stand behind their product.'

Kent Huang, president of ETC, said, 'We are proud to be BOE's monitor manufacturer of choice. The tremendous demand for in-store banking that we'll see in 1996 will help both BOE and ETC to grow and prosper.'

BOE, established in 1974 and located in Kentfield, California, can be reached at 415/925-1596, fax 415/925-1598.

ETC is the world's largest supplier of color specialty monitors. ETC's small-screen high resolution color and black and white monitors are used for all applications, including point of sale, retail, banking, medical and office dedicated system applications where compact size, price and high resolution are important.

ETC's full line of 10-inch color and black and white monitors, and a line of touchscreen monitors in a variety of sizes, include the latest high-performance and innovative features. The company designs and builds all of the components for its product line, ensuring that every ETC monitor performs to the same demanding specifications as all major industry models

Resellers, manufacturers and retailers depend on multiple, fully-functional, high-quality monitors featuring a minimum of counter space. All monitors are designed for compatibility with the range of IBM PC/AT/XT and PS/2 systems.

* Specialty Monitors: Small-footprint 10-inch color (super VGA) monitors and 9-inch monochrome monitors, all with energy saving features designed for specialty applications

* Touchscreen Monitors: Low-cost 10-, 14-, 15-, 17- and 20-inch plug-and-play touchscreen monitors come complete with analog capacitive touch panel, mouse driver, controller and cables, VGA and SVGA resolution and an unlimited color display. The units feature a life span of greater than 20 million touches in any one location, and are supported on Windows, DOS, Windows NT, OS/2, MAC, UNIX and X-Windows.

ETC Computer, Inc. is a subsidiary of the ETC Group, which includes three manufacturing firms producing monitors, systems and auxiliary components and supplies. The ETC Group's seven floor, 150,000 square foot Taiwan facility features ultra-modern automated assembly lines with stringent quality control. ViewMagic monitors are marketed in the U.S. through ETC's sales and service organization located at 2917 Bayview Drive, Fremont, CA 94538, telephone 510/226-6250, fax 510/226-6252. ETC's European office is located in Dusseldorf, Germany.


XSoft Adds New InConcert Platforms/Features
XSoft Adds NT, Windows 95 and Macintosh Platforms and Rapid Application Development Features to InConcert Workflow Software

AIIM '96, BOOTH # 4711, Chicago, April 1, 1996 -- XSoft, the document management arm of Xerox Corporation, today announced that it has added new platforms, a suite of rapid application development interfaces, and integration with Microsoft Project to its powerful InConcert workflow software. With these enhancements, InConcert now delivers seamless workflow management capabilities across all major industry-standard computing systems and offers users unparalleled flexibility for developing enterprise workflow applications.

The enhanced InConcert, due later this year, provides support for Windows NT clients and servers, and client support for Windows 95 and Macintosh computers. InConcert's new "componentware" suite of rapid application development interfaces includes an OLE 2.0 Automation Server, providing programmers with direct access to the individual components needed to build a workflow, such as applications, task definitions, and documents. This allows programmers to quickly prototype and deploy new workflow applications by automating the development process and easing integration with third-party software applications.

"This release continues our commitment to provide highly adaptive workflow solutions and a flexible, robust development environment," said Edward Chick, XSofts director of strategic marketing for InConcert. "The platform enhancements build on our architectural strengths, and the new developer tools allow customers to accelerate workflow deployment from initial pilot to full-scale applications."

"The market demand for rapid application development tools is growing, and XSoft is heading in the right direction by making it easier for companies to develop solutions quickly and expand them across the enterprise," said Carl Frappaolo, vice president of Delphi Consulting in Boston. "This is especially critical in production workflow environments, where complex, high-value applications typically have extensive integration requirements."

Project Manager Integration

XSoft has also added ease-of-use enhancements to the Process Designer client module, including integration with Microsoft Project. The Process Designer provides a palette of intuitive, graphical mapping tools for creating workflow applications. Workflow programmers can now export project management data from Microsoft Project directly into the InConcert Process Designer to automatically generate a graphical workflow map.

Users can also import InConcert data, such as real-time workflow status information, into their Microsoft Project applications. The integrated solution improves management efficiency and provides InConcert users with expanded decision support capabilities. InConcert will offer support for additional third-party project management software packages later this year.

Aimed at document-intensive applications, InConcert enables companies to analyze, streamline and better manage their key business processes. InConcert improves productivity by automatically routing tasks and the associated documents, applications and instructions needed to complete them to the appropriate end-users. The software is designed for flexibility and integration with industry standard databases and popular desktop applications.

U.S. Pricing

InConcert is available through XSoft and its network of distributors, value added resellers, and system integrators. The InConcert server carries a list price of $14,000. The price for the basic developer's kit is $2,995. Other developer kit options are available. InConcert end-user licenses are available starting at $395 for Windows and $995 for UNIX, with prices decreasing based on quantity purchased. Site licensing is also available.

XSoft

XSoft is the document management arm of Xerox Corporation. Headquartered on a campus with PARC, the renowned Xerox research center in Palo Alto, Calif., XSoft 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 both personal and collaborative document management applications, workflow management software, structured-document publishing solutions and workgroup systems. The company also offers extensive product support, training and consulting services.

XSofts 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.

For additional information about XSoft and its products and services, customers may call XSoft at 800-428-2995 or 415-813-6920. They may also visit the XSoft home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.xsoft.com.

XSoft news releases and other marketing materials are available via fax retrieval by calling 415-813-7181 or by e-mail (info@xsoft.xerox.com).


Syntegration Secure Workplace for OS/2 V4.00
Syntegration Inc. announces The Secure Workplace for OS/2 Version 4.00

Chino, California, March 25, 1996 -- Today Syntegration, Inc. announced The Secure Workplace for OS/2 V4.00 which will be introduced at the IBM Technical Interchange April 23, 1996. New features include File Access Control, Internal User Identification and Authentication, Single Sign-on, Audit Trail, Keyboard lock and Screen blanker, and <Ctrl+Alt+Del> plus <Alt+F1> disablement. Syntegration has enhanced its Workplace object access control to allow configuration and enforcement of User and Group based permissions for files, directories and Workplace Shell objects

"Version 4.0 advances the state of the art in OS/2 security and desktop management. File access control as well as internal user identification and authentication has been major requirements for our customers. This new version will satisfy their needs." said Stephen Fox, Syntegration's President.

The Secure workplace for OS/2 V4.00 will include an Installable Security System (ISS) for IBM's Security Enabling Services for OS/2 Warp (SES). The ISS allows administrators to enforce file access control permissions on a user or group basis.

In previous versions, The Secure Workplace for OS/2 allowed administrators to use their network operating system to provide user identification and authentication. In version 4.00, identification and authentication will be performed internally. At startup, The Secure Workplace V4.00 presents the user with a sign-on window that prompts for the user identification and password. The user can also use the sign-on window to change their password or shutdown the system. The Workplace Shell starts after the user has been identified and authenticated. The Secure Workplace will allow administrators to customize user permissions in a desktop or provide users with their own desktop.

The Secure Workplace for OS/2 version 4.00 enables single sign-on to a network operating system or remote host. With this feature, users only identify and authenticate themselves once. Single sign-on is accomplished by interfacing with the Network Sign on Coordinator (NSC), User Profile Manager (UPM), or your own custom program. NSC & UPM are provided with OS/2 Warp Connect, LAN Server, and OS/2 Warp Server.

System administration includes global, user, and group definitions. Access control definitions are integrated into the Workplace Shell settings' notebook. This feature allows administrators to define permissions for Workplace Shell objects, Workplace Shell object pop-up menus, files, and directories. Workplace object style and pop-up menu permissions include open, visibility, delete, copy, move, rename, settings, drag, drop, help, create another, and create shadow. Folder object permissions include object permissions as well as select, sort, arrange, find, details view, tree view, and open parent. Desktop permissions include object permissions, folder permissions, as well as shutdown, lockup, and system setup. Workplace Drive object permissions include object permissions, folder permissions as well as check disk, copy disk, and format disk. File and directory permissions include the appropriate workplace object permissions as well as create, delete, read, write, execute, and set attributes.

The Secure Workplace for OS/2 includes an audit trail capability. The audit trail tracks all user activities. Administrators can configure the product to record the audit information locally and/or remotely on a file server. File server based auditing, gives administrators the ability to collect audit information from multiple workstations in an enterprise network.

The Secure Workplace for OS/2 V4.00 includes a keyboard lock and screen blanker. This facility is activated after an administrator defined time-out. After the screen blanker is activated, the user must re-enter the sign-on password to regain access to the workstation.

The Secure Workplace for OS/2 V4.00 allows administrators to disable the Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination to prevent unauthorized rebooting of the system. The product can also disable the ALT+F1 key combination at system startup to prevent users from restoring an unprotected desktop or accessing a command prompt.

The Secure Workplace V4.00 will ship in Standard and Professional Editions. The Standard Edition lists for US$79.95 and excludes multi-desktop management. Users can add workplace backup, restore, and multi-desktop management by purchasing the Traveling Workplace which is sold separately. The Professional Edition includes multi-desktop management and lists for US$120.00. Additional or site Licenses are available for both editions. Registered users of The Secure Workplace for OS/2 can upgrade to the version 4.00 standard edition for $29.95, and to the version 4.00 professional edition for US$45.00. Customers who purchase The Secure Workplace for OS/2 V3.XX after March 15, 1996 will be entitled to a free upgrade when V4.00 becomes available.

The Secure Workplace for OS/2 can be purchased through retail channels in the US, Canada, the Pacific Rim, and Europe or by ordered directly from SYNTEGRATION. For information write or call Syntegration Inc., 3811 Schaefer Avenue #J, Chino, CA 91710. Phone 1-909-464-9450, Fax 1-909-627-3541, Internet 73707.3331@COMPUSERVE.COM. To obtain additional information you can visit Syntegration's world wide web site. The web site address is 'http://www.primenet.com/~syntegrn' Contact: Stephen Fox, 1-909-464-9450


NET-Install PC Installation Program
NET-Install

The first PC installation program specifically designed to support one-step distribution and setup of applications and data files via the Internet's World Wide Web.  Supports electronic software distribution on Microsoft operating systems, including DOS, Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT.

WHO NEEDS NET-Install

-- Software publishers - demos, upgrades, on-line commerce

-- Organizations who need to 'intranet' or distribute programs and

   data files internally

-- Individuals and small businesses that want to save money on

   software distribution costs

BENEFITS

- One-step process; no need for separate download, decompression

  and setup programs

- Simple to use; requires no programming experience

- Reduces download time because only files selected by end-user

  are transferred

- Installs all types of files -- applications or data including

  databases, documents, etc.

A FEW FEATURES

- Display custom graphics, titles, backgrounds, messsages, etc.

  during installation

- Creates Windows groups and icons to provide easy access to

  install software

- Uninstall option

- Write installation messages in any language

- Check end-user's system for disk space, memory, video display,

  operating system version

- Supports password authorization

- Automatically update AUTOEXEC, CONFIG and .INI files

PRICING & AVAILABILITY

Available now from 20/20's web site (http://www.twenty.com) or by calling 800-735-2020. From the web site, download and install a fully-functional evaluation version of the NET-Install, including documentation. Evaluation version limits installation file access to 30-day trial period.

Introductory Price: US$149 through June 1996.

Beginning July 1996, suggested list price US$299.00.

20/20 Software; 8196 SW Hall Blvd, Suite 200; Beaverton, OR 97008

(800) 735-2020; (503) 520-0504; Fax (503) 520-9118 info@twenty.com


AOL Distributes S&P ComStock Financial Data
America Online To Distribute Standard & Poor's ComStock's Financial Data

Harrison, NY/Vienna, VA, April 1, 1996-- America Online signed an agreement with Standard & Poor's ComStock, a premier provider of real-time financial data, to distribute ComStock's financial data on America Online.

"We're extremely pleased to have been chosen by America Online as their source for high-quality, reliable financial data," said Daniel Connell, president of Standard & Poor's ComStock. "This alliance marks a significant achievement for Standard & Poor's ComStock, positioning us as the leading provider of accurate and reliable quotes to the online financial marketplace."

"Standard and Poor's Comstock is the premier global provider of real-time market data and financial news," said Ted Leonsis, president of America Online Services Company. "We're delighted to be able to offer such a broad spectrum of financial information to our members."

Under the terms of the agreement, ComStock will provide America Online with quotes for equity exchanges such as the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, Toronto Stock Exchange, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Paris Stock Exchange. Members will have access to options information on AMEX, CBOE, NYSE, Pacific, Philadelphia, and Foreign Currency. At least nine futures exchanges will be providing information, and ComStock will also provide Standard & Poor's foreign exchange data, and international exchange rates. The service will be made available to America Online's more than five million global subscribers 24 hours a day.

This agreement allows AOL, for the first time ever, to provide data from international exchanges to their users in the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K. and France. Standard & Poor's ComStock's data will be located in the Personal Finance Channel area of AOL by the end of summer, 1996.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its 5 million members a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.

Standard & Poor's ComStock is a premier real-time market data provider and leading data redistributor, delivering information from more than 125 sources and exchanges worldwide. Standard & Poor's ComStock's extensive data coverage includes equities, options, futures, commodities, foreign exchange, analysis and news.

Standard & Poor's ComStock is a unit of Standard and Poor's, which is a division of New York City-based The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP). ComStock has been providing service to the global financial community for more than 35 years.


AOL Launches Mutual Fund Center
AOL Launches Mutual Fund Center; Offers Transactions and Investment Information Online Today

AOL Teams up with The Berger Funds, The Dreyfus Corporation, Fidelity Investments, Founders Funds, The Kaufmann Fund, The Royce Funds. Strong Funds, Scudder Funds, T. Rowe Price, Twentieth Century Funds, and The Vanguard Group

Vienna, VA, April 1, 1996 -- America Online Inc. today launched the AOL Mutual Fund Center (TM), offering AOL members the opportunity to learn about mutual fund investing, obtain product information from America's leading mutual fund companies, and conduct mutual fund transactions online with select companies. The AOL Mutual Fund Center can be accessed at Keywords: "Mutual Funds", "MFC" and "AOL MFC".

"AOL is the first online service to offer such comprehensive investing services, and we're excited to be able to offer this to our members at no additional charge," said Ted Leonsis, president of the AOL Services company. "As a cornerstone to the Personal Finance Channel, the AOL Mutual Fund Center offers a wealth of information to our members."

Along with obtaining prospectus and product information, members can conduct transactions online. Services such as checking an account balance, purchasing shares, conducting redemptions and exchanges will be available from The Berger Funds, Founders Funds, and The Royce Funds. T. Rowe Price will be offering transactions shortly. Each fund company will customize its service for the AOL Mutual Fund Center, offering a variety of 24-hour transaction options to members. Transaction capability is made possible through an agreement with DST Systems Inc. Access to account information is password protected, and members must already own shares in a fund company before they can purchase or redeem shares online.

Prospectus, investment and product information is available from The Dreyfus Corporation, Fidelity Investments, The Kaufmann Fund, Scudder Funds, Strong Funds, Twentieth Century Funds, and The Vanguard Group. Members can download mutual fund prospectus information and applications as well as request this information be sent via US Mail.

The AOL Mutual Fund Resource Center (TM), located within the AOL Mutual Fund Center, will provide AOL members with authoritative, objective, reference and educational data necessary to perform evaluations of mutual fund products. Members can access BusinessWeek Online, Consumer Reports on Mutual Funds, Morningstar Mutual Funds, and link to Web-based investment resources. Also planned are AOL LIVE! events with leading fund managers, financial advisors and personal finance journalists. Message boards and chat rooms will provide an interactive learning environment for AOL members to discuss mutual fund investing amongst themselves.

America Online and DST Systems, Inc., which provides mutual fund transfer agency systems to leading mutual fund companies, are working together to provide online transactions conducted in the AOL Mutual Fund Center. America Online does not house any shareholder account data but does provide a connection to DST's Financial Access Network (TM) which routes the data to the transfer agency systems of the participating fund companies. The information is not transmitted via the Internet but through a private connection directly from AOL to DST's computers in Kansas City. Each shareholder conducting online transactions will establish their own password that enables them to protect the privacy of the information in their fund account. Services may vary from fund to fund. AOL members will not pay any extra fees to conduct transactions online.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, DST Systems, Inc. (NYSE: DST) is the leading provider of record keeping and customer service solutions to the mutual fund industry. DST's shareholder record keeping system, TA2000, is used by more than 200 investment management companies to service 35 million shareholder accounts.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its 5 million subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.

What our partners are saying about AOL's Mutual Fund Center...

"AOL's Mutual Fund Center is charting the path for future interaction between mutual fund families and their shareholders," said Craig Cloyed, chief marketing officer of Berger Associates, Inc. "We at Berger Associates are confident we will look back on our decision to be among the first participants as a significant benefit both for our shareholders and for The Berger Funds."

"Dreyfus is proud to deliver 'cutting-edge' to its customers," said Christopher M. "Kip" Condron, president and COO of The Dreyfus Corporation. "We're excited about participating in the AOL Mutual Fund Center," Mr. Condron continued. "Here we can provide information to our investors through the largest, fastest-growing online service available."

"We're committed to providing investors convenient access to the information they need to make educated investment choices," says Laurine Garrity, Director of Retail Marketing at Founders Funds. "Through the technology of the AOL Mutual Fund Center, we're able to offer such information in a medium that's being favored more and more by investors."

"The Kaufmann Fund has always been interested in using the latest technology to educate and inform investors about the fund." said Tony Toogood, VP marketing at Kaufmann. "We look forward to developing new online interactions with the AOL community."

"We are proud to participate in this inaugural launch of AOL's Mutual Fund Center," said John Diederich, director of operations for The Royce Funds. "Our investors are now able to directly benefit from the growing impact of the Information Age as technology increasingly provides on-demand access to information."

Scudder is continually exploring ways in which we can provide convenient, easy-to-access information, as we are firm believers that informed investors become successful investors," said Dudley H. Ladd, managing director of Scudder, Stevens & Clark Inc. "Scudder is pleased to participate in the AOL Mutual Funds Center in recognition of the vast number of consumers who rely on technology for information."

"We believe we can advance the skills and capabilities of investors by helping them manage their finances using their home computers," says Jay DeMartine, director of marketing at The Strong Funds. "Offering these services is a top priority for our firm."

"Twentieth Century has long been committed to technological excellence," said W. Gordon Snyder, executive vice president of marketing for Twentieth Century. "This partnership with AOL is a natural way for us to continue to grow in terms of reach, service and interactivity."


Nash & Brown Span the Globe for WOW!
NASH AND BROWN SPAN THE GLOBE TO BRING EXCLUSIVE CELEBRITY NEWS TO WOW!

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 29, 1996 -- Anyone can see Oscar-winner Mel Gibson's heroic adventures in "Braveheart." But did you hear about his battle with a bad potato in San Sebastian, Spain? Only if you're a member of WOW! from CompuServe, the new consumer online information service for home use.

Syndicated columnist Jesse Nash and his partner, photographer Jacqui Brown, travel worldwide to join top celebrities at work and play, and report on their exploits. Their weekly column, "Globetrotting With Jesse Nash and Jacqui Brown," appears exclusively on WOW! and features a collection of anecdotes and interviews. Photographs by Brown and other top paparazzi accompany the online text.

"We wanted to offer WOW! members something different, celebrity news with a new twist. Jesse's column is unique because he's not just going to Hollywood parties. He follows these people all over the world and participates in their activities," said WOW! product manager Heather Carlisle. "As a result, they're more inclined to let down their guard. He goes beyond the public persona and gets them to reveal their more personal side."

Nash, who is a frequent guest on television talk shows hosted by Geraldo Rivera and Sally Jesse Raphael, recently traveled to Shanghai, Edinburgh, Venice and Berlin in pursuit of exclusive stories from the worlds of entertainment, fashion and sports. On a junket to Dubai, United Arab Emirate, he sand-skied with the unlikely trio of David Bowie, Michael Bolton and Stevie Wonder.

Gibson's encounter with the substandard spud, Nash explained in his first WOW! column, occurred in a restaurant when the actor was feeling ill and out of sorts. He complained to a waiter about the "bad potato," prompting the beleaguered waiter to scold and spank the potato, which in turn sent Gibson and his companions into gales of laughter.

"A lot of the people in my profession are stuck at a desk, but I've always wanted to do a globetrotting column," Nash said. "I'm happy that the column made its debut on WOW! because CompuServe is well known for fostering a global community online."

In addition to his WOW! column and his TV appearances, Nash writes a syndicated column which appears in newspapers and periodicals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as in For Women magazine and Le Parisien in France. Nash also provides breaking news to columnists in the New York Post and the New York Daily News. His one-minute radio spots, syndicated by SJS Entertainment, air twice a week.

WOW! from CompuServe is a powerful new consumer online service created specifically for home use. The service offers each household member easy access to information, entertainment and communication -- including the Internet -- combined with the flexibility to customize and control the online experience. Its many features include distinct views for grown-ups and children, easy electronic mail, seamless Internet access and multimedia that enlivens the service with sound and motion.

Other content providers on WOW! include AutoSite, Entertainment Drive, Entertainment Weekly, Hearst New Media & Technology, National Geographic, Travelocity, On Location Education, Charles Schwab and Sports Illustrated For Kids. To become a charter member of WOW!, call 1-800-9GETWOW. WOW! members pay $17.95 per month for unlimited access to WOW! and the Internet. Each account provides unique email addresses for up to six members of a household. Those signing on before June 30 will become charter members and are guaranteed this pricing for life.

CompuServe is an H&R Block company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


E-TOWN Home Electronic Guide Debuts on WOW!
E-TOWN: THE HOME ELECTRONICS GUIDE DEBUTS ON WOW! FROM COMPUSERVE

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 1, 1996 -- WOW! from CompuServe, the new consumer online information service for home use, soon will provide news and reviews from E-Town: The Home Electronics Guide. Pertinent information from E-Town's interactive Web page, as well as unique content developed exclusively for CompuServe, will be in the WOW! Entertainment and Living sections.

"WOW! users, by definition, enjoy using technology to make the most of their home and leisure time," said John Edwards, WOW! senior product manager. "We believe E-Town will be a valuable resource for these consumers as they consider additional home electronics purchases. E-Town's writers bring a fresh, lively point of view to a subject close to the hearts of WOW! users."

E-Town is a combined effort involving five top consumer electronics writers whose work appears in such publications as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, the San Francisco Chronicle, Details, Us and Metropolitan Home.  They have also appeared on numerous television and radio programs, such as CNN, CNBC, "Good Morning America," MTV, National Public Radio and many others. Through E-Town novices and experts can find exclusive, expert advice and reviews to help them choose the best products to fit their needs and their wallets, as well as tips for use after they've made their purchases. Journalists David Elrich, Mark Fleischmann, Ron Goldberg, Harry Somerfield and Stewart Wolpin have combined their catalogs of articles written for major periodicals, along with fresh material written specifically for E-Town.

WOW! from CompuServe is a powerful new consumer online service created specifically for home use. The service offers each household member easy access to information, entertainment and communication -- including the Internet -- combined with the flexibility to customize and control the online experience. Its many features include distinct views for grown-ups and children, easy electronic mail, seamless Internet access and multimedia that enlivens the service with sound and motion.

Other content providers on WOW! include AutoSite, Entertainment Drive, Entertainment Weekly, Hearst New Media and Technology, National Geographic, Travelocity, On Location Education, Charles Schwab and Sports Illustrated For Kids. To become a charter member of WOW! from CompuServe, call 1-800-9GETWOW. WOW! members pay $17.95 per month for unlimited access to WOW! and the Internet. Each account provides unique email addresses for up to six members of a household. Those signing on before June 30 will become charter members and are guaranteed this pricing for life.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in more than 185 countries.


CompuServe Access by AT&T Worldnet Service
COMPUSERVE ACCESS TO BE OFFERED BY AT&T WORLDNET SERVICE

CompuServe Discount for AT&T WorldNet Customers

April 3, 1996 -- AT&T and CompuServe Incorporated today announced that they have agreed to provide customers of AT&T WorldNet Service, which offers value-added access to the Internet, access to the vast array of content and services on the CompuServe Information Service.

AT&T will feature and promote CompuServe and will take steps to make CompuServe software available to AT&T WorldNet Service customers beginning this summer.

CompuServe will be priced at a reduced rate for all customers who access the service through AT&T WorldNet Service. Pricing for CompuServe through AT&T WorldNet Service will be announced at a later date.

"By putting CompuServe's high-quality global content and international services in easy reach of AT&T WorldNet Service customers, AT&T is making good on its pledge to provide an innovative package of services, including local, long-distance, wireless and online offers," said AT&T Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert E. Allen.

Allen said that AT&T customers increasingly view the Internet as not only a major resource for information, services and communications, but also as a way of reaching useful and interesting subscription content and communities of interest.

AT&T and CompuServe have a long-standing relationship. They have been working together since late last year to bring CompuServe content to AT&T customers, initially through a proposal to provide connectivity between AT&T NetWare Connect Service and CompuServe Information Service. The two companies are now implementing a much broader relationship, expanding it to the AT&T WorldNet Service, which includes consumer and business Internet offerings over both dial access and LAN access.

More than 360,000 consumer and business customers have requested dial access software for AT&T WorldNet Service in the five weeks since AT&T began taking orders for the service, which began operations March 14. This unprecedented response has been so great that AT&T has had to carefully regulate distribution of access software to ensure a high- level of customer support. Shipments of access software have been steadily increasing as AT&T adds staff to its customer care centers.

AT&T WorldNet Service makes possible "the Internet for Everyone," with directories and topical areas to help people find useful information, guided tours for newcomers, navigational aids for users of all skill levels, and electronic mail. While AT&T WorldNet Service will work with most of today's popular Internet browsers, an AT&T-branded version of the Netscape Navigator browser software, from Netscape Communications Corp., is available to subscribers at no extra charge. The service also includes an AT&T toll-free 24-hour hotline.

For more information on AT&T WorldNet Service, customers may call 1-800-WORLDNET, or preview the AT&T WorldNet Service home age at http://www.att.com/worldnet.

CompuServe offers access to its Forum(R) areas, chat, leading-edge electronic communications tools, online publications and databases, hardware and software support and more than 3,000 other services.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 900 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


American Coders Releases RexxBase V2.10
American Coders Announces Release 2.10 for RexxBase.

Raleigh,NC March 23, 1996 - American Coders, LTD proudly announces the newest release of its database product for REXX, RexxBase (Version 2.10). RexxBase is an OS/2 DLL, dynamic link library, that allows REXX command procedures to access databases using the dBase file formats. The president of American Coders, Joe McVerry, says about the newest release of OS/2, "With the incorporation of semaphore locking RexxBase now provides additional functionality and control especially in multitasking systems such as the REXX Web Servers OS2HTTPD and GOServe."

The RexxBase interface provides an application program interface (API) for REXX programs to access dBase III and IV database files. These APIs allow a program to read, write, update, create and sort DBF, DBT, NDX and MDX files. By providing a REXX interface, RexxBase can be used with command programs and the REXX visual programming tools VisPro/Rexx and VX Rexx.

RexxBase is marketed through shareware and retail channels. The product is sold for $65.00 and is available through several OS/2 software vendors. RexxBase requires only .5 megabytes of storage. A front-end tool is provided to assist dBase programmers an OS/2 interface to their databases.

Currently: ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/incoming/rxbas210.zip

later: /os2/rexx

Joe McVerry  joe@usacoder.rtp.nc.us    Telephone: 1-919-846-2014

Address:  American Coders, POB 97462, Raleigh NC 27624


DEC & CyberCash Internet Commerce Solution
DIGITAL AND CYBERCASH CREATE PREMIER INTERNET COMMERCE SOLUTION

Companies Announce Plans to Integrates CyberCash Technology with Server Solution

NEW YORK, NY, March 25, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation and CyberCash, Inc., a leading developer of secure Internet payment solutions, today announced plans to incorporate Cybercash technology with Digital Internet products. Digital intends to offer the CyberCash CashRegister Merchant Solution and CyberCash Wallet as part of Alpha Internet commerce solutions, to enable secure electronic commerce on the Internet. The announcement was made at the Internet and Electronic Commerce Expo.

"Combining CyberCash's expertise in electronic payments with Digitals high performance Alpha platform provides a perfect solution for businesses interested in Internet commerce, "said Magdalena Yesil, co-founder and vice president, marketing and technology industries, CyberCash. "CyberCash is excited to work with Digital.

Paving the Way for Electronic Commerce Solutions

"Digital is partnering with the premier application leaders in electronic commerce such as CyberCash, to deliver a breadth of commerce solutions," said Rose Ann Giordano, vice president of Digital's Internet Business Group. "Digital's high-performance Alpha system offers businesses an industrial strength, scalable solution that optimizes application performance as a company grows."

The technology provided by CyberCash and Digital is intended to offer customers a complete and real time merchant system for secure, high-volume transactions over the Internet. Digital intends to offer the CyberCash Wallet and CashRegister with Digital Alpha Internet server solutions to enable full scale electronic commerce over the Internet. CyberCash Wallet and CashRegister will be available to the existing Digital customer base and will be available from both the CyberCash and Digital World Wide Web sites.

Using CyberCash

The CyberCash Wallet gives consumers the instantaneous ability to pay for goods or services received from merchants on the World Wide Web, and provides secure communication between the consumer, the CyberCash merchant and the bank. The CyberCash Wallet is a free software program that is installed on a consumers personal computer and allows CyberCash transactions to move between a merchant's server and the bank transaction server system. The CyberCash Wallet has the graphical look and feel of a real wallet and supports any number of credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

The CyberCash CashRegister, a secure Merchant payment Service, provides software integration modules into a server platform which accept payments made with the CyberCash Wallet over the Internet and to receives the information necessary to processing a credit card, electronic check or coin transaction. The CyberCash system is designed to build on, and to be compatible with, existing financial institution infrastructure, and allows CyberCash merchants to process transactions with US credit card processors.

About CyberCash, Inc.

CyberCash, Inc. of Reston, Virginia, founded in August 1994, is a leading developer of software and service solutions for secure financial transactions over the Internet. The CyberCash system is designed to allow banks to offer secure Internet payments to their merchants. CyberCash works with virtually all credit card processing institutions, enabling payments by credit card, electronic check and electronic coin to be instantaneously processed. The CyberCash System includes Consumer software, Merchant software, and Gateway Services and it operates with most Internet browsers and operating systems and server platforms. The company's initial service, which handles payments using most major credit cards, was introduced in April 1995.

About Digital Equipment Corporation

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


DEC & Netscape Mkt Electronic Commerce Prods
DIGITAL AND NETSCAPE TO MARKET ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PRODUCTS

Digital to Expand its Internet Product Portfolio by Porting Netscape Commercial Applications for Digital UNIX

NEW YORK (Internet & Electronic Commerce Conference), March 25, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation today announced that it has signed an agreement with Netscape Communications Corporation to port Netscape Commercial Applications -- Netscape Publishing System, Netscape Merchant System, and Netscape Community System -- to the Digital UNIX platform. These Internet-based commercial applications allow companies to conduct full-scale electronic commerce on the Internet.

Netscape Publishing System, Netscape Merchant System and Netscape Community System are the first commercial applications to integrate high-volume transaction processing, real-time data management, easy-to-use interfaces, and encrypted communications. They help customers create sophisticated on-line services and run large-scale business on the Internet.

The Digital Alpha System delivers a significant performance advantage over other hardware platforms available today. Major commerce customers understand that the performance of encryption and decryption is critical to a successful scalable commerce solution. Digital's Alpha platform executes a single decrypt from RSA's BSafe encryption algorithm many times faster than any other processors on the market. When a single encrypted transaction is processed tens of thousands of times, the price/performance of the Alpha platform is significant.

"Netscape commercial application running on the Digital Alpha system presents an ideal solution for any business looking to maximize performance and security features on the Internet," said Rose Ann Giordano, vice president of Digital's Internet Business Group. "As Internet electronic commerce increases, organizations will be faced with the challenge of servicing a rapidly growing number of customers. Digital's Alpha system offers businesses an industrial-strength, scalable solution that optimizes application performance as a company grows."

"Netscape Commercial Applications provide customers with high-performance features that solve the key issues facing electronic commerce today such as encryption and large-scale transaction processing," said Jim Sha, Senior Vice President of New Ventures at Netscape. "We are excited to further assist our customers with their performance needs by working with Digital to offer Netscape Commercial Applications on Digital UNIX."

Internet AlphaServer Family for Digital UNIX

The Internet AlphaServer Family of integrated hardware/software packages for Internet use includes: a choice of three Alpha systems with standard configurations, and a set of CD ROMs that contain the Internet Alpha Software Kit for Digital UNIX, a complete selection of public and supported Internet applications.

Netscape Commercial Applications

Netscape Publishing System provides publishers who want to create subscription-based online publications with a flexible, integrated software solution for organizing, customizing and delivering text, graphics, audio or video to Internet users.

Netscape Merchant System allows large retailers or merchants to create and manage virtual shopping malls online.

Netscape Community System gives organizations the ability to create and foster virtual communities based on shared interests.

Netscape Commercial Applications for Digital UNIX are scheduled to be available early Summer, 1996. Customers purchasing Netscape Commercial Applications from Digital will receive product delivery from Netscape. Specially trained representatives will assist customers with on-site installation and configuration.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 415-528-2555 while consumers can call 415-528-3777 for more information.

For additional information on Digital's Internet solutions, please visit http://www.digital.com/info/internet/.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


SHOWDESK DMX512 Based Lighting Controls
DMX512 is a digital control protocol used widely within the entertainment industry for the control of lighting levels, motors and other devices.

FPF Limited developed the first hardware based solution for encoding and decoding DMX512 data which gurantees full compliance with the standard. Using this FPF produced PC cards for transmitting and receiving DMX512. This allows a PC along with appropriate software to implement lighting control functions and to integrate lighting and other control functions into a multimedia environment.

A package developed by FPF - SHOWDESK - allows a PC to implement a lighting console. This package which is available for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 can be downloaded for evaluation from the FPF web site. To learn more about DMX512, FPF's products and to download an evaulation version of SHOWDESK visit the FPF web site at - http://www.demon.co.uk/fpfltd. Alternately contact us at -

FPF Limited,

AMC House,

12, Cumberland Avenue,

London NW10 7QL

UK

Tel: +44-(0)181-961-0033

fax: +44-(0)181-961-0066

e-mail:info@fpfnet.demon.co.uk


Frontier Tech SuperTCP Suite Best of Breed
Frontier Technologies Wins PC Week's Prestigious Corporate IT Excellence Award

SuperTCP Suite product line receives "Best-of-Breed" in TCP/IP category

MEQUON, WI -- April 3, 1996 -- Frontier Technologies' SuperTCP Suite product line wins PC Week's first annual Corporate Information Technology Excellence Award in the TCP/IP category. The award was revealed in the April 1 issue of PC Week's Lab Reviews section and on-line, www.pcweek.com/reviews/itx.html.

After 18 months of testing, SuperTCP Suite line was chosen for its creativity and technical superiority.

"PC Week's ITX Award marks the 19th award Frontier Technologies' SuperTCP Suite product line has received," said Dr. Prakash Ambegaonkar, CEO of Frontier Technologies Corporation. "This award further exemplifies Frontier's expertise in the high-tech market and our commitment to providing the best products for our customers."

After evaluating over 1,000 products, PC Week Lab's distributed awards in more than 50 categories including enterprise networking, client/server computing, Internet/Intranet products, business productivity, desktop and mobile computing. One product in each category was selected to receive the ITX award based on the ability for solving complex business problems in large corporations.

SuperTCP Suite 96 is an integrated solution that turns PCs into full members of the corporate network utilizing the TCP/IP multi-platform communications protocol. SuperTCP Suite 96 includes over 40 applications which provide Network Communications, including the Network File System (NFS), Internet Information Management, mainframe and minicomputer Host Access, an X- Windows server, and comprehensive Network Administration. SuperTCP Suite 96 application runs on all three Windows' platforms - 3.x, 95 and NT.

All 40+ applications for all operating systems are included on a single CE and for a single license fee. Intelligent installation identifies the operating system and installs the appropriate 16 or 32 bit set of applications. Users are not charged an upgrade license for migrating to Windows 95 or NT. Moreover, users can license and install the entire suite of applications or only those modules they need.

In a separate announcement, Frontier Technologies today receives LAN Magazine's Product of the Year Award in two categories: CyberSearch, Frontier's Internet product, chosen as best WWW Search Tool, and SuperTCP Suite 96, third year recipient of LAN's best TCP/IP Application Suite. LAN Magazine will tonight present the awards to Frontier Technologies' CEO, Dr. Prakash Ambegaonkar.

CyberSearch, a fully integrated Internet database, search engine and bookmark organizer, allows users to search Internet information off-line from the Lycos catalog provided on CD-ROM. Saving time and connect charges, CyberSearch allows users to conduct simultaneous Internet sessions at the same time. Users can then take results and place them into Internet Organizer's defined categories.

About Frontier Technologies

Frontier Technologies Corporation's mission is to pioneer Internet and Intranet applications that make individuals more productive and businesses more competitive in a global market. The company is a proven technology leader with award-winning networking products for Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT environments, including SuperWeb Server, CyberJunction, SuperHighway Access 2, CyberSearch, and SuperTCP Suite 96, and the soon-to-be released Intranet Genie. Frontier Technologies is a global company with headquarters near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With offices in Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, and India, Frontier Technologies now employs more than 150 people worldwide.

Frontier Technologies Corporation

10201 North Port Washington Road

Mequon, WI 53092

Sales: 800-929-3054

FAX: (414) 241-7084

Email: Info@Frontiertech.com

WWW: www.frontiertech.com


Frontier Technologies Ships CyberSearch 2.0
Frontier Technologies' Ships CyberSearch 2.0

Off-line search tool now works with Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator

LAS VEGAS, NV -- April 1, 1996 -- Frontier Technologies today announces theimmediate availability of CyberSearch 2.0, the second generation of its award-winning CyberSearch CD-ROM which permits Internet users to search for useful information off-line. The product is being demonstrated at Networld + Interop (booth # 732). The new version offers two new important features, it is optimized for 32-bit operation in the Windows 95 and Windows NT environment and it is browser-independent, adding value to popular browsers.

CyberSearch consists of a database of over a half million Internet locations, searchable by keyword, integrated with an easy-to-use Internet Organizer, which allows users to save and manage Internet sites. CyberSearch allows the user to search the Internet off-line from their CD-ROM drive, saving considerable time and reducing Internet connection charges. Once they do go on-line, users can download multiple Internet sources at once, thereby increasing productivity. The database is LycosTM, developed by Carnegie Mellon University, which is widely accepted as the most extensive catalog of Internet resources available to the public.

"By integrating the best of both CD-ROM and Internet technologies, CyberSearch provides a simple, fast way to find the information on any chosen topic," said Dr. Prakash Ambegaonkar, CEO at Frontier Technologies, Inc.. CyberSearch provides significant cost savings for users concerned with Internet connection charges such as international customers and those with hourly Internet access rates."

CyberSearch works with the user's favorite Internet browser, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, NCSA Mosaic and GNN GNNWorks. CyberSearch runs on Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT.

Frontier Technologies offers optional monthly or quarterly updates to CyberSearch via subscription to reflect the rapidly-expanding array of information available on the Internet. Each CD-ROM contains an updated version of the Lycos database. Also included in the updates are CyberGuide Reviews provided by NetGuide Magazine, to provide subscribers with up-to-date pointers to new and improved sites on the Internet. Users can read the reviews, rated between one and four stars, then connect to sites of interest via hyperlinks.

Pricing and Availability

CyberSearch 2.0 is now available for $29.95. Subscriptions are available for as little as $9.95 per month. For more details on how to subscribe to CyberSearch, or to order a single issue, customers should call 1-800-879-0075. (Outside the U.S., please call +1-414-241-4555.) Further information is also available on Frontier Technologies' World Wide Web site, http://www.frontiertech.com., or by Email at search@frontiertech.com.

Frontier Technologies Corporation

10201 North Port Washington Road

Mequon, WI 53092

Sales: 800-929-3054

FAX: (414) 241-7084

Email: Info@Frontiertech.com

WWW: www.frontiertech.com


Direct IPO Helps Companies Go Public
DIRECT IPO CORPORATION FORMED TO HELP INTERNET COMPANIES GO PUBLIC USING THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Venture Will Focus on Early-Stage Internet and Interactive New Media Companies

MARINA DEL REY, CA -- Hot on the heels of the Security and Exchange Commission's ruling that opens the door for companies to go public via the Internet, two California entrepreneurs have announced the formation of Direct IPO, a new corporation which will facilitate direct public offerings of early-stage Internet stocks via the World Wide Web.

Direct public offerings are registered and regulated like other public securities; however, the issuer sells shares directly to the public, without underwriters. Direct IPO's function will be to attract thousands of interested Web surfers to information concerning how to download a company's prospectus and order stock.

"Historically, the offering of stock directly to the public without underwriters has been confined to the consumer products arena: microbreweries, food and mail order," said Direct IPO chairman Michael Terpin. "We see an incredible opportunity to satisfy the unfulfilled investment desires of the technology-savvy public to create a portfolio of early-stage Internet companies."

Terpin, who is also president and CEO of The Terpin Group, Inc., a leading new media public relations firm, formed Direct IPO late last year with San Francisco securities broker Mark S. Perlmutter and other minority interest partners. Terpin will serve as chairman and will direct the Internet marketing efforts, Web site development and identification of best candidates for Internet public offerings. Direct IPO plans to focus on early-stage investments in Internet tools and security, Web advertising and other related online technology and interactive media companies.

"We have been planning this for some time now," Terpin added. "The dramatic impact of the SEC's ruling has simply proved us right in the marketplace and pushed up the timetable for making our intentions known."

* Individuals Can Create Their Own Venture Funds Via The Internet

"Our mission will be to identify the upcoming market leaders among today's breaking technologies and help these companies reach Internet users who wish to invest high-risk capital in search of possible high returns," stressed Perlmutter, president of the new entity. "This also provides an alternative source of developmental funding for young enterprises that choose not to utilize traditional venture capital, while giving the public a chance to get in early. For smaller Internet investors, this is an opportunity to carefully construct their own mini-venture fund by investing as little as $1,000 per company."

"We see direct public offerings as an excellent way of giving the middle class and small investor an opportunity to invest in early-stage high technology companies," said Perlmutter. "Heretofore, participation in venture capital activities had been limited to wealthy investors and institutions." Perlmutter added that Direct IPO will encourage investors to diversify their direct IPO portfolio, just as traditional venture capitalists do, to spread the risk in what are traditionally high-risk, high-reward models associated with start-up technology companies.

Direct IPO will initially be incubated out of the Los Angeles and San Francisco offices of The Terpin Group. Direct IPO also plans to debut its Web site by early June at http://www.directipo.com. Other things that set Direct IPO apart from current direct public offerings on the Internet include the following:

* Direct IPO is not selling stock, but is acting as an advisor, venture partner and Web-based marketer and advertiser of securities for a broad range of Internet companies.

* Direct IPO will bring a world-class team of leaders from the fields of direct public offering, Internet marketing, and the securities community to its board of directors and advisors, adding a high level of credibility and visibility.

* Direct IPO has set high standards and will be meticulous in choosing its clients, looking at as many as 50 companies before selecting one to take public. Unlike traditional venture capital, however, Direct IPO will own a very small position in each company it advises through the direct public offering process.

Terpin added that Direct IPO plans to be active in the nation's three most prominent direct public offering organizations: the California Capital Access Forum, the Texas Capital Access Forum and the newly formed DPO Council, the first trade group specifically addressing the needs of the direct public offering and SCOR financial markets. The Council also serves as a forum between DPO advocates and the nation's financial regulatory bodies. Terpin and Perlmutter will both serve on the organizing committee of the DPO Council, which held its charter meeting in Austin last week.

For more information on Direct IPO, please contact Michael Terpin at 310-821-6100, fax: 310-577-9646, email: gopublic@directipo.com.

Contact: Rolland Going, The Terpin Group

Voice: 310-821-6100

Email: rgoing@terpin.com


Forte Win95 Direct Input Drivers/Headgear
FORTE TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES FIRST AND ONLY VR SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 95

Forte's Virtual Reality Products Are First to be Supported in Microsoft's Windows 95, Direct Input and GameSDK Environments

ROCHESTER, NY -- FORTE Technologies Inc., an international leader in the development of consumer virtual reality (VR) products has announced the availability of Windows 95 Direct Input Drivers and the VFX1 HEADGEAR Software Developer Kit. Developed through a joint effort with Microsoft Corporation, the availability of these drivers establishes FORTE Technologies as the only company within the virtual reality industry to adhere to true Windows 95 compatibility.

Microsoft's development Application Programmer's Interface (API) for Windows 95, Direct Input and the GameSDK allows software applications to work directly with FORTE products providing immersive, interactive VR in a Windows 95 environment. Direct Input is a subset of the GameSDK that allows application developers easy access to multiple peripherals without having to support each device individually. Through Direct Input, users are given the option of using a VFX1 HEADGEAR or CyberPuck VR Game Controller instead of a joystick or mouse. This functionality adds for true VR compatibility with Windows 95 applications which until now, has not been available anywhere.

"Unlike other companies that force developers to support their hardware directly, FORTE is the first company in the VR industry to deliver full GameSDK compliance," said Paul Travers, president and CEO of FORTE Technologies. "This VR support gives developers and consumers direct access to all features of FORTE's products including the VFX1 HEADGEAR and CyberPuck in a Windows 95 environment. These features include head-tracking, 3D stereo imaging and communication. This technological advancement is the result of FORTE and Microsoft directly working together to further the VR market."

Software from Microsoft's GameSDK will support the VFX1 HEADGEAR along with FORTE's line of integrated peripherals including the CyberPuck and the ACCESS.bus technology, which is integral to FORTE's philosophy of expandability.

"The GameSDK is the first step in providing robust support for cool VR devices like the VFX1," said Alex St. John, games evangelist for Microsoft Corp. "We are working closely with FORTE to ensure that the GameSDK works well with their VR technology and even takes special advantage of it in future releases."

"Support in the GameSDK is integral to the continued success of all Windows 95 supported hardware products, and we are happy that working drivers are now available for FORTE's products. The GameSDK will not only increase the number of applications which are Windows 95 specific, it will open the market for more software titles which are VR specific," added Travers.

FORTE Technologies is a market leader in the development of interactive virtual reality technology. The product line includes FORTE's VFX1 Virtual Reality System, which has been successfully introduced as the premier immersive and interactive virtual reality system on the market, and the CyberPuck VR Game Controller. FORTE Technologies products are available directly from the company as well as through Ingram Micro, American Software & Hardware, Tiger Software, Incredible Universe, PC Mall and other selected distributors and retailers. FORTE is a voting member on the USB, ACCESS.bus and VESA committees.

For more information, contact Bryan Del Rizzo, FORTE Technologies, 1057 Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14623. Telephone: (716) 427-8595. Fax: (716) 292-6353. Email: fortevfx1@aol.com. World Wide Web: http://www.fortevr.com.

Contact: Brian McVicar, The Terpin Group

Voice: 310-821-6100

Email: bmcvicar@terpin.com


Java Training Titles on CD-ROM
MINDQ PUBLISHING INC. AND RAPID SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS, INC. DEVELOPING JAVA TRAINING TITLES

VIENNA, VA -- MindQ Publishing, Inc., a multimedia publisher which has won critical praise for its "Internet: - A Knowledge Odyssey" CD-ROM tutorial series, and Rapid Systems Solutions, Inc., a leading client/server systems integrator and Java training provider, will jointly create a series of CD-ROM titles aimed at instructing first-time Java programmers to learn Java through the help of sophisticated, self-paced multimedia tutorials.

Under the terms of their agreement, Rapid Systems Solutions will provide technical content and MindQ will create and distribute the CD-ROM titles. The multimedia tutorials will be created using MindQ's highly advanced authoring system, Odysseus, whose sophisticated visualization and animation techniques enable a Java student to visually experience the execution of a Java program, making the learning process faster and more enjoyable.

The added ability to click on hotspots or text to retrieve in-depth information makes this learning technique particularly well suited to programmers.

The first CD-ROM title in the series will include:

 - interactive, in-depth training material with extensive

   animations, voice-overs and code examples

 - direct links to World Wide Web sites related to Java

   the latest Java development kit (JDK) from Sun

   Microsystems, Inc.

 - documentation for Java applications development

   "100 cool applets" -- to be used in new Java applet

   development

 - an update feature to keep pace with new

   developments and versions of Java

The first CD-ROM title in the series will be available in May, priced competitively with conventional textbooks.

With locations in Columbia, MD., Atlanta and Los Angeles, Rapid Systems Solutions, Inc. is a provider of total client/server technology consulting services with annual sales for 1996 expected at $22 million. Completed projects include development of a worldwide network infrastructure, deployment of a nationwide healthcare billing application and training developers in the Java language.

Rapid Systems Solutions can be reached at http://www.rssi.com or by calling 1-410-312-0777.

MindQ Publishing, Inc., based in Vienna, VA., is a privately-owned company founded in 1994 to develop and market products designed to meet a user's need to simplify complex information through a combination of bandwidth intensive multimedia techniques and real-time access to online information. Products to be released in the 2nd and 3rd quarter of 1996 deal with Java and Windows Office applications.

MindQ can be reached at http://www.mindq.com or 1-800-MIND-008.

Contact: Kate Gardner, MindQ Publishing, Inc.

Voice: 1-800-MIND008

or

Contact: Ann Jacobs, Rapid Systems Solutions

Voice: 410-312-0777


Doonesbury Straw Poll Big Draw
DOONESBURY STRAW POLL A BIG DRAW FOR POLITICALLY MINDED CYBER-CITIZENS

Cyber-Citizens Give Opinions in Straw Polls. Results Sent to Presidential Candidates

NOVATO, CA -- Since launching The Doonesbury Electronic Town Hall web site in December 1995, Mindscape Online Publishing has experienced a significant and increasing number of visitors to its web site, first announced in G.B. Trudeau's syndicated Doonesbury strip. Now, with the presidential campaign heating up and the addition of the Town Hall's own Straw Poll section, Mindscape expects the site to become the one-stop destination for online political activists to voice their views and make a difference this election year.

The Straw Poll

Twice a week, Pulitzer Prize-winner G.B. Trudeau and Mindscape Online Publishing make it easy for cyber- citizens to speak their minds about the 1996 presidential race and other "hot button" political issues by means of this controversial, up-to-the-minute election poll. The Straw Poll enables internet users to take part and make a difference in provocative, real-time election surveys such as: "Did Shock Jock Dan Imus go too far?" and "Is Dole ready to be canned?" Results of Straw Poll are also forwarded to the candidates on a bi-weekly basis.

"Mindscape's Doonesbury Electronic Town Hall web site is becoming a focal point for users who want to express an opinion on issues of the day," said Mark Nieker, Director of Mindscape Online Publishing. "The popularity of the Straw Poll is an example of the populist nature of the online medium. People are provided with a forum to express timely opinions directly _ Doonesbury style."

This Week's Straw Poll Question...

The health care bill is on the examining table. The House version lets you take your benefits from job to job and ends the "pre-existing conditions" racket but also includes major giveaways to insurance companies, doctors, and the wealthy.

What should President Clinton do if the Senate goes along with the House version?

Answers Provided...

a) Sign the bill. It's better than nothing.

b) Veto it and try to explain on the campaign trail why the Republicans are wrong.

c) Pull the plug so nothing passes at all.

Be sure to check out today's up-to-the-minute Straw Poll results at http://www.doonesbury.com. Updated daily, The Doonesbury Electronic Town Hall web site features six sections. In addition to the Straw Poll, the site includes Daily Briefing, Flashbacks, Get Involved, The Sellout and The Chat Hall.

Mindscape Online Publishing is the online interactive publishing arm of Mindscape, Inc. Devoted to introducing exciting new online content, integrating online components into new and existing Mindscape products, and working with independent content providers to create state-of-the-art online sites, the group has introduced three web sites, Mindscape Online (URL: www.mindscape.com), SSI Online (URL: www.ssionline.com) and The Doonesbury Electronic Town Hall (URL: www.doonesbury.com).

Mindscape, Inc. is a leading developer and publisher of consumer software for personal computers and video console systems. An industry pioneer with over fifteen years of experience, Mindscape provides award-winning software for the entertainment, education, and reference markets.

Mindscape is headquartered in Novato, CA, with offices in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company's development subsidiaries include Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) of Sunnyvale, CA and MicroLogic of Emeryville, CA. Mindscape is part of Pearson, plc, the international media group based in London which focuses on the information, education, and entertainment markets.

Contact: Patrice Paul, Mindscape, Inc.

Voice: 415-897-9900, ext. 377

Email: ppaul@mindscape.com


Online Expo '96 Announced in Los Angeles
ONLINE EXPO `96 ANNOUNCED IN LOS ANGELES

First of Four National Business to Business Expositions and Conferences; Other Cities Include New York and San Francisco

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Online Expo `96, a conference and exposition offering immediate, practical online and Internet applications for businesses of all sizes, today announced its presence in Los Angeles, May 30, 31 and June 1 at the L.A. Convention Center. The conference will draw over 25,000 business people, entrepreneurs and corporate decision makers for a series of niche market panels and keynote addresses from top online and Internet company executives. Additionally, the exposition in Los Angeles is expected to host more than 200 exhibitors from commercial online services, Internet service providers, Web developers, computer manufacturers, software developers, modem and telecommunications companies, content developers and publishers, as well as multimedia and entertainment firms.

"This year we wanted our series of symposiums across the country to focus on companies-and even individual entrepreneurs-searching for immediate business solutions through emerging technology," stated Michael Wiedder, president of International Marketing Associates, producers of Online Expo `96. "We're looking to put two key groups in touch with each other: the providers of new business technologies and the decision makers in all categories of business. Online Expo will speak to the issues of increasing profits, building brand name awareness and strengthening customer relations online. Last year's L.A. show was extremely successful and we want to build on that success by meeting our exhibitor's needs for a broader business to business event."

Online Expo's presence in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York will be supplemented by several special events and presentations open to all participants of the symposium, including "The Virtual Office" Showcase. This presentation will showcase products from major manufacturers of computer and high-technology equipment in a full-scale simulated office environment. "The Virtual Office" concept in both look and feel is being conceptualized, drafted and constructed by a state-of-the art design team from the Los Angeles area.

Online Expo `96 also is offering a "Live-line Bookmarks" area to serve as an additional marketing tool for all exhibitors and sponsors. Each Online Expo will have a bank of computers on the show floor, pre-loaded with `virtual exhibitor' home pages in addition to hundreds of pages of content featuring product and company information from exhibitors not hosting booths on the show floor.

Additionally, Online Expo `96 will boast a major presence on the Internet and online services in the form of a `virtual trade show' which will be hosted year-round. Exhibitor space on Online Expo's Virtual Trade Show will be offered at no charge to all current exhibitors at trade shows scheduled for this year. The site will offer several hundred exhibitor Web booths, filled with product information, company news releases and online ordering forms.

To celebrate this year's group of expositions and conferences, Online Expo `96 will inaugurate the "Online Entrepreneur Awards." Each exposition and conference will host a local area winner, in several categories, nominated by the general public and selected by industry experts. Candidates for the award presentations are successful entrepreneurial companies-either emerging or established-who have shown innovation in integrating the online and Internet environments into their traditional marketing mix. A national "Online Entrepreneur Award" winner will be chosen and announced at Online Expo `96 in Los Angeles at the end of October.

Online Expo `96 will feature four national expositions and conferences. Cities and dates currently scheduled: Los Angeles, May 30-June 1 and October 24-26; San Francisco, July 11-13; and New York, September 5-7. For additional information on Online Expo `96, contact: International Marketing Associates, 2118 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 594, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Phone: 310/285-8728. Fax: 310/458-3789. Email: Olexpo96@aol.com. Web site: http://www.onlineexpo.com.

Contact: Heather Gore, The Terpin Group

Voice: 310-821-6100

Email: hgore@terpin.com


TV Guide's Classic Cover Gallery on iGuide
TV GUIDE'S CLASSIC COVER GALLERY

New York, NY, April 2, 1996 -- TV Guide Online today unveiled TV Guide's Classic Cover Gallery, an archive of original TV Guide covers, exclusively on iGuide. For the first time ever, television aficionados surfing the Web can download some of television's greatest stars in timeless photographs --estimated to be worth up to thousands of dollars in their original form --with notes and quotes from the original articles. TV Guide's Classic Cover Gallery can be found at http://www.iguide.com/tv.

"The TV Guide archive is an untapped treasure trove to nostalgia that's right in line with the popularity of movies made from old TV shows and cable services such as Nick at Nite," says TV Guide Online editor-in- chief Larry Closs. "With the exception of hard-core collectors, most of the covers in our gallery haven't been seen by anyone in decades."

To kick off the debut of TV Guide's Classic Cover Gallery, TV Guide Online will be hosting Dick Van Dyke, featured on a Classic Cover from 1965, as a bulletin board guest during the week of April 1. TV Guide Online is encouraging television fans to post questions to Mr. Van Dyke at www.iguide.com/bbs/tv.htm. Answers will be posted the week of April 8.

The "Gallery" includes such TV celebrities as Sally Field ("I feel I am Gidget, and Gidget is me" -- Field, May 28, 1966) and Sonny and Cher ("Maybe someday somebody'll take me seriously as an actress" -- Cher, July 14, 1973). In addition, TV Guide Online is offering 10 of these classic covers as postcards that can be e-mailed to friends and family. Among the covers featured in the first selection are The Brady Bunch, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, The Honeymooners and The Dick Van Dyke Show.

iGuide, a new Web site strategically built to make sense of the Internet, organizes the Internet into 18 separate categories and features scores of editorially-rich original content. In addition, iGuide bridges its original content with an area called inSites, a database of over 20,000 Web site reviews, designed to help the Internet community discern the sites worth visiting. iGuide's editorial staff is comprised of a mix of experienced editors and producers from a wide range of media including magazines, newspapers, television, on-line and CD-Rom. iGuide is a unit of The News Corporation.


NobleNet EZ-API Product Family Announced
NobleNet, Inc. announces its EZ-API product family, the first example of commercial "Component APIs." Using NobleNet's innovative "OneDriver" architecture, EZ-APIs simplify the integration of industry-standard and custom APIs and enable developers to enhance API functions. Because OneDriver tightly bundles a standard network transport with each API, multiple APIs can share client, server and network resources. Component API technology automatically multiplexes API calls over a single network connection between client and server, and presents them to the server as a single user process. By tightly integrating multiple APIs on the server, application efficiency is increased, and servers can take on multiple API "personalities." In addition, EZ-APIs encapsulate each API function call in a modifiable source code wrapper on both the client and server, allowing developers to add enhancements to standard APIs such as security, auditing, compression, naming and caching. This is achieved without modifying API behavior.

NobleNet's EZ-API family reflects an industry shift away from custom communications interfaces and towards standard C-based procedural APIs such as Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity API (ODBC) and Novell's Telephony Services API (TSAPI). Although this leaves developers with the need to find a framework to efficiently integrate multiple APIs and optimize their performance, there are solutions available. In the procedural world, NobleNet's EZ-APIs, provide this framework. Visual Basic provides the framework in the GUI environment while OLE and CORBA2 provide solutions in the object world.

The first member of the EZ-API family, the OneDriver ODBC SDK, relocates the ODBC API from the Windows client to NT or to a wide variety of powerful UNIX platforms. The SDK includes all necessary communications software to connect Microsoft Windows 3.1, Win95, and NT clients to any standard TCP/IP server platform. OneDriver ODBC works with any ODBC-compliant database or front-end development tool including Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, Delphi and Microsoft Access. As with all EZ-APIs, it easily integrates with other "Component APIs" and offers enhancement capability to developers.

In a related matter, NobleNet successfully demonstrated its OneDriver TSAPI SDK technology at Novell's Brainshare '96 Developers Conference. The demonstration will continue at the Client/Server and Database World Exposition in Boston. OneDriver TSAPI SDK is targeted at TSAPI systems integrators and PBX vendors building TSAPI- compliant drivers and applications and computer vendors that need TSAPI client and/or server capabilities.

About NobleNet

NobleNet offers tools for distributed client/server development for procedural and object paradigms. Incorporated in 1991, NobleNet is a world leader in Remote Procedure Call (RPC) technology and has won numerous awards for its EZ-RPC product family. NobleNet also distributes IONA Technologies' industry-leading "Orbix" CORBA-compliant Object Request Broker. The company is headquartered in Southboro, MA, and can be reached at (508) 460-8222 or at <http://www.noblenet.com/>.


Client/Server Toolkit for NetWare Developers
NobleNet, Inc., today announced and demonstrated the industry's first Client/Server Toolkit for NetWare Developers at Brainshare '96.

Targeted at ISVs and corporate end users, the Toolkit consists of NobleNet's award-winning "EZ-RPC for NetWare" compiler and a NobleNet Distribution License that grants unlimited royalty-free distribution of the target application. For a limited time, NobleNet will bundle a free copy of its "RPC Gateway" NLM with every Toolkit.  A special NetWare version of EZ-RPC in the Toolkit automatically generates Remote Procedure Call (RPC) NLMs used in client/server computing. The RPC Gateway NLM resides on a NetWare 3.11, 3.12, or 4.1 server. With the Gateway, Windows 3.1, 95, or NT clients running NetWare can initiate RPCs over Novell's SPX/IPX protocol stack, which communicate with UNIX servers or other platforms running TCP/IP.

EZ-RPC supports rapid prototyping of distributed applications. The compiler generates clean, readable, commented 'C' code, and supports complex 'C' data structures without recoding or modification. EZ-RPC runs on more than 40 platforms and supports over 20 TCP/IP stacks, including Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS. This allows NetWare developers to interface their custom NLMs to a wide variety of clients and servers running SPX/IPX, TCP/IP, or both. Using EZ-RPC, developers can distribute any application or API. Typical APIs include those for databases, devices, datafeeds and compute engines.

NetWare and TCP/IP Windows clients can use EZ-RPC with popular GUI tools such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, PowerBuilder, and Delphi. EZ-RPC for Windows automatically generates RPC DLLs that are callable from these 4GLs. With EZ-RPC, developers can choose between two industry-standard wire-compatible RPC models. The Sun ONC RPC uses TCP/IP as its transport. The AT&T/Novell Transport Independent (TI) RPC is bundled with NetWare and uses either Novell's SPX/IPX or TCP/IP.

NobleNet and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)

NobleNet permits ISVs unlimited royalty-free distribution of applications developed using EZ-RPC. NetWare developers can compile with EZ-RPC for NetWare and deploy applications without ever paying a runtime or per-user royalty.

About NobleNet

NobleNet offers total one-stop shopping for multi-platform middleware and services in both the procedural and object paradigms. Incorporated in 1991, and headquartered in Southboro, MA, NobleNet is a world leader in Remote Procedure Call (RPC) technology with its award winning EZ-RPC product family. In addition to its successful commercialization of RPC technology, NobleNet distributes IONA Technologies' industry leading "Orbix" CORBA-compliant Object Request Broker.

<http://www.noblenet.com/>


European PC App Swr Reaches $2 Billion
European PC Application Software Shipments Reached Nearly $2 Billion in 1995

Highest Fourth - Quarter Revenue in History

April 3, 1996 (Washington, DC) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today that 1995 annual personal computer application software revenues of U.S. publishers in Western Europe reached $1.99 billion. This level represents a 19 percent increase from 1994, reversing the trend of revenue declines on increasing unit shipments. Although unit sales rose twice as fast, 41 percent, as revenues over the period, revenues did not decline over the previous year. The fourth quarter of 1995 posted the highest sales ever reported for the region - $642.7 million, with October, rather than December, as the highest sales month. This is believed to be the result of the introduction of Windows 95 applications that month in most European markets.

Windows Market Share Breaks 90 Percent

Increased shipments to Europe during the Windows 95 introduction in the fourth quarter raised the combined Windows 3.x and Windows 95 market share to 92 percent for all of 1995, compared with 87 percent for 1994. DOS and Macintosh hold 3.5 percent and 3.8 percent respectively. In the fourth quarter, Windows revenues were 35 percent higher than in Q4 94, while DOS and Macintosh revenues were each 35 percent lower. Unit shipments' patterns were more varied, with Windows up 46 percent, DOS down 15 percent and Macintosh 4 percent lower than Q4 94.

All Major European Markets Showed Revenue Increases in 1995

The table below shows the sales results by country/region for Western Europe.

Germany and Austria had the highest sales in the fourth quarter, as well as the largest sales increase. Revenues for 1995 were $537.6 million - a 22 percent increase over 1994. The United Kingdom and Ireland placed second for both the quarter and the year with 28 percent growth for Q4 95 and a 17 percent increase over annual 1994 to $465 million. France was the number-three market in 1995, with sales up 21 percent to $120 million for the fourth quarter and $323 million for 1995 as a whole.

   1995 Software Sales in U.S. Dollars

   (See: www.spa.org/prsig/media.htm for table data!)

"The figures show that the sales growth in Western Europe was widespread and not confined to just a few markets," said Jim Sanders, SPA research director.

"Only in Switzerland were sales in the single digits for the year, and most markets had very strong fourth-quarter shipments."

"The figures also show that pricing declines are still having an impact on revenues," said Gerard Gabella, SPA Europe managing director. "The industry's quarterly unit growth rates were between 25 percent and 65 percent in 1995, averaging 40 percent for the year. But, average prices are still declining from 1994, so that revenue growth for the year is only half as large."

Thirty-eight primarily U.S.-based software firms participate in SPA's data program by submitting confidential data to the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, which prepares the report for SPA. Among the participants are: Adobe, Borland, Claris, Lotus, Microsoft Corp., Software Publishing, Symantec and the WordPerfect Division of Novell. The sales data were collected in 33 software categories (including word processors, spreadsheets, presentation graphics and others) and in six operating systems (including DOS, Macintosh and Windows).

SPA's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 on SPA's Web site at http://www.spa.org or through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823.


SPG ColorWorks V1+ Paint & Impage Processing
SPG Releases ColorWorks V1+ as its new Entry-Level Product, Provides Free World-Wide Upgrade to All ColorWorks 1.0 Users

MIAMI, Fl., March, 19 1996 -- SPG announced today it is shipping ColorWorks V1+ as the new entry level version of their Award Winning 32-Bit multi-threaded, multi-tasking, and multiple-processor enabled graphics paint and image processing program. SPG will mail a free ColorWorks V1+ upgrade CD-ROM to all registered ColorWorks 1.0 users, and upon registration to all users whom purchase any original Colorworks 1.0 product still in-channel. ColorWorks V1+ will come "in-the-box" as an free upgrade CD-ROM bundled with ColorWorks 1.0 for all new product entering the channel.

"We have taken the Photo CD support, the ability for scanner support using the ColorWorks Acquire plug-in interface, and many interface and usability enhancements from our new ColorWorks V2 product, rolled them back into our original ColorWorks 1.0, and created a new ColorWorks V1+ product." said Joel Krautheim, President of SPG.

Program Enhancements:

The program enhancements in ColorWorks V1+ over the previous 1.0 version include: Enhanced File Format Support including Kodak Photo CD; New Acquire Plug-in Interface for image acquisition options like Scanner Support; New Usability Enhancements including a new Image Menu; New User-Configurable Brushes Menu; New "One-Time" Free Drawing option; New Save and Float Image Menu command; Enhanced Channel Mask command; Enhanced Arbitrary Rotate command; New Set Units of Measure command; Enhanced Adjust Color Maps command; Enhanced Clone command; Enhanced Canvas Image Display in 8-Bit Video Modes; Enhanced Saving of 8-Bit Image Files; Added Saving and Reading of Image File Units of Measure; New Stack Previews option in the Effects Menu dialog boxes; New "hot key" to quickly switch between Draw Mask and Erase Mask modes; New "nudge" keys added to move a floated image; Additional method to abort a drawing operation; New 3D buttons on the Tools Bar; and All internal fixes and program optimizations from ColorWorks V2.

Like Father -- Like Son:

Similar to ColorWorks V2, ColorWorks V1+ comes fully documented with a huge 18MB+ On-Line MEGA-Manual on the program CD-ROM.

Program Requirements:

ColorWorks V1+ requires an IBM PC or compatible, OS/2 Warp, 8Mb of hard disk space, a mouse, and a CD ROM to install the program.

Program Demo:

A "demo" version of the product will be made available for download on the SPG Internet web-site.

Availability and Pricing:

SPG products are available through Distribution from Micro Central, and Blue Orchard Software. End-users can purchase SPG products from retailers, mail order resellers, internet resellers, and SPG Direct Fulfillment. SPG Direct Fulfillment offers the following:

 $349   ColorWorks V2

 $249   ColorWorks V2 CD-ROM Only (no printed manual)

 $169   ColorWorks V2 Upgrade

        (for registered ColorWorks 1.0/V1+ users)

 $ 99   ColorWorks V2 Upgrade CD-ROM Only

        (for registered ColorWorks 1.0/V1+ users)

 $149   ColorWorks V1+ (ColorWorks 1.0 with the V1+ Upgrade CD-ROM)

 $ 99   ColorWorks V2 book (no software)

SPG Inc. is a developer of computer graphics software, committed to excellence, and to the continued development of the most unique, exciting, and the highest performance computer software in the world. The SPG Internet Web-Site is http://www.spg-net.com.


Clearlook Word Processor to Sundial Systems
Sundial Systems Provides A Bright Future for Clearlook

March 29, 1996, Seal Beach, CA - Sundial Systems Corporation and Clearlook Corporation today are pre-announcing their recently concluded agreement regarding the future of Clearlook, the word processor that unleashes the power of OS/2.

"It had been our intent to wait with this announcement until we had all of our ducks in a row," said Randell Flint, President of Sundial Systems. "But, in light of DeScribe, Inc's, announcement this week that it has suspended development of its DeScribe Word Processor, we felt it best to reassure the OS/2 community that there will remain viable alternatives in the OS/2 word processing market."

The substance of the agreement is that the Clearlook Word Processor has become a Sundial Systems product -- joining in Sundial's long-standing commitment to OS/2 with the Relish product family. All of the publishing, marketing, and support activities previously handled by Clearlook Corporation are being transferred to Sundial Systems. "This means that Clearlook has a bright future with continued development and support ensured. Sundial has a long-standing reputation of commitment and success in the OS/2 market," noted Helmut Gassner of Clearlook Corporation.

All existing Clearlook customers are now Sundial Systems customers. Existing orders and warranty obligations for Clearlook products will be honored by Sundial.

"Sundial has long been a leader in exploiting the industry's most advanced technologies that are included in OS/2 Warp," said John Soyring, Vice President of IBM Personal Software Products. "With Sundial's leadership, I expect they will bring valuable new features to the OS/2 word processing market as well."

Sundial Systems has already assumed technical support responsibility for all English-language versions of Clearlook and the support policies for Clearlook remain unchanged. This support is currently available by email (clearlook@ibm.net), phone (310-596-5121), fax (310-598-9851), and, as of this pre-announcement, via the Sundial Systems section (Section 5) of the OS2AVEN forum on Compuserve. Other support options are planned for future availability. "The tradition of quality technical support for all of Sundial's customers remains unchanged -- whether they are using Relish or Clearlook. While we are still getting up to speed on the more sophisticated aspects of Clearlook, and thus might not have all the answers as quickly as we would like, we have been preparing to support the Clearlook customer base for some time" said Rollin White of Sundial Systems.

Sundial Systems will shortly make available a new version of Clearlook which has been "rebranded" as a Sundial product - "Clearlook from Sundial Systems." This version (1.7) will replace the version currently available in the channel and will be the subject of a future announcement.

Work is also progressing on Version 2.0 of Clearlook which is planned for availability later this year. Over time, Sundial Systems also plans to integrate portions of its Relish product family with portions of Clearlook to produce some exciting new products targeted toward specific solutions to customer needs.

"With this pre-announcement, we'd like to welcome the existing Clearlook community to the Sundial Systems family. Our commitment to the OS/2 market started in 1987, continues today, and is accelerating into the future," remarked Carla Hanzlik, Vice President of Sundial Systems. "And with DeScribe's announcement, we hope, over time, to welcome many DeScribe users into the Clearlook/Sundial family as well."


Constitution Notebook V3.3
The CONSTITUTION Notebook (TCN) Program has been updated to version 3.3.

The DOS and Windows versions were released 3/20, although major distribution was delayed until Monday. The Windows version is now posted in the AOL software library. Use "TCNbP" as a search key on the Quickfind (recent keyword) screen.

The DOS and Windows versions 3.3 are as nearly identical as is practical.

The changes made in this release are in response to user and reviewer comments regarding forced screens (the number of) and the daunting nature of the tutorials. My thanks to my users and to the folks at ZDI for taking the time to make me aware of their opinions.

The Tutorials menu has been replaced by an Evaluation menu.

The new Evaluation menu has three options:

    Easy QT

    Quick Tutor

    Topic Review

Easy QT is the default tutorial automatically offered the first time TCN is started following installation. It proceeeds in a logical order, first spending 4 pages telling the user about Easy QT and how to use it. Then it spends a few pages on basic study of the Constitution and using the TCN program to that end. Following this the major screens are displayed and identified. Then the features of the two most important screens are discussed in detail and exercises are offered.

The total volume of all this material is approximately 20 pages of hard copy. It is presented in 86 pages (or segments) of the on-screen tutorial. About a half dozen of the 86 segments suggest the user take a break. These breaks are suggested at logical breakpoints. The user can break at any time - Easy QT automatically saves the user's place and offers to resume there the next time if is accessed. The user can resume or start over.

Since Easy QT presents slightly less information on slightly more screens, each page is easier to absorb and the whole thing seems to go by much more easily than earlier tutorials.

The information covered in Easy QT is limited to the more basic TCN program features. Advanced features are covered in Quick Tutor. Use of Quick Tutor is facilitated by a 2-page outline which the user can print using the TCN program. The user can review segments of Easy QT by using the outline and Quick Tutor. Or the user can access information about TCN program advanced features. By the time a user has completed Easy QT, he or she should be familiar enough with the program to use Quick Tutor.

Access of Topic Review is more straightforward than in earlier releases of the TCN program. Also, the user is provided with an indication of progress when Topic Review is clicked. A message to the effect "You are now reviewing topic ### of 225." is presented. The user can resume where they left off or start over with topic number 1.

The number of forced screens before access of the Interactive Registration Screens has been reduced from 6 to 2. The force exit screen was eliminated. The number of registration screens were reduced from 10 to 6. It is hoped that this abbreviated registration screen will increase its use! Of course, the blank hard copy of a registration form is still available.

The basic features of the TCN program most directly related to study of the Constitution (Browse Screen, INTERACTIVE SEARCH and INTERACTIVE INDEXING with comments editor) remain unchanged. Version 3.3 changes relate to documentation and packaging.


Unify VISION & AppMan for VISION on OS/2
Unify becomes only second-generation tools vendor to span all major open systems environments with new OS/2, native DB2 support.

VISION and Unify's integrated application management product AppMan for VISION support IBM strategies for interoperability and management.

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 23, 1996--Unify Corporation, a leading provider of advanced, three-tier application development tools, today announced an agreement with IBM to support Unify VISION and AppMan for VISION on OS/2, and to provide native DB2 support for both the OS/2 and AIX platforms, extending Unify VISION's leadership in native support of RDBMS platforms. With this announcement, Unify VISION becomes the only second-generation tool that supports the development and management of cross-platform, cross-database applications that span all major open systems environments and scale from the department to the enterprise.

In addition to OS/2, Unify VISION and AppMan for VISION currently support AIX, Sun Solaris, DEC-Alpha, HP-UX, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Macintosh. Existing VISION-based applications developed for these platforms will now run on OS/2 without being recompiled. Unify will also enable access to existing mainframe/host databases such as DB2 for MVS, DB2 for AS/400 and DB2 for HP-UX through support of DRDA (distributed relational database architecture).

According to Scott Canali, vice president of marketing at Unify, the announcement is a boon to both current OS/2 and VISION customers, as well as to companies looking for an industrial-strength development tool that will not limit their choice of platforms. "IBM and Unify are delivering on customer requirements for scalability, cross platform interoperability, and application management," said Canali. "With Unify VISION and AppMan for VISION, developers now have an outstanding environment for building and managing client/server applications that can run without porting or recompiling on all major open system platforms."

Management and interoperability are key IBM goals supported by Unify. AppMan for VISION is the first product to automate the process of building managed enterprise applications, and integrating them with leading software distribution, and event and performance management systems, such as BMC Patrol, IBM SystemView, Tivoli AMS, HP OpenView, and Microsoft SMS.

"By developing for OS/2 Warp and OS/2 Warp Server, Unify is exploiting the broad function and incredible power of OS/2 to deliver real value to their customers," said John Schwarz, vice president of marketing, IBM Personal Software Products division. "VISION provides customers with the scaleable, versatile tool they need for building and managing distributed client/server applications across the enterprise. Unify's investment in developing VISION for OS/2 is a strong testament to their belief in the IBM strategy to provide seamless solutions across the enterprise, from the mainframe to the desktop."

Pricing and availability

Each VISION development kit costs $4,995. VISION v3.0 for OS/2 will soon be entering beta, with general availability expected in 3Q96, and will include native connectivity to DB2 on OS/2 and AIX, DRDA direct client-to-mainframe connection, and access to mainframe data through an intermediate server running either DB2 or DDCS/DRDA. Unify AppMan for VISION is priced at $1,995 for unlimited users, per operating system, per site and will be available on OS/2 at the same time.

About Unify Corp.

Unify is a leading provider of advanced second-generation application development tools for building and managing enterprise applications. Unify's flagship product, Unify VISION, combines the flexibility and ease-of-use of graphical client/server with the capability and performance requirements of enterprise-level applications. VISION provides an automated graphical rapid application development environment, advanced application partitioning, and integrated application management capabilities.

Headquartered in San Jose, California, Unify has direct sales offices throughout North America, Europe, and Japan, with a network of distributors, VARs, OEMs and systems integrators worldwide. Unify's products include Unify VISION, ACCELL/SQL, and the Unify DataServer family of products. Unify has over 350,000 users worldwide, including leaders in telecommunications, financial services, commercial industries, and government.


3Com AccessBuilder 7000 Access Concentrator
3Com Introduces High-Density Enterprise Family Member to End-to-End Remote Access Networking Systems

AccessBuilder Framework For Scalable Access Solutions; New Software for ISDN Remote Site Access Routers

April 2, 1996 -- LAS VEGAS (NETWORLD+INTEROP 1996/BOOTH 3157) -- Global data networking leader, 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today introduced the AccessBuilder 7000 Access Concentrator to its family of end-to-end systems for building secure, fault-tolerant Intranets and remote access networks. Flexible and modular, this Ethernet device brings together a high-density chassis with multiple analog, ISDN and WAN/leased line technology modules for LAN-to-LAN connectivity. Connected to a Web server, the AccessBuilder 7000 can be used to concentrate Internet traffic as well as share information between central and remote sites.

This new product joins 3Com's existing family of scalable remote access solutions, including:

 AccessBuilder 2000 and 4000 remote access servers

 AccessBuilder 8000 access concentrator for carrier networks

 (formerly the Aperture II)

 AccessBuilder Remote Office 500 and 600 ISDN access routers

 (formerly the Arpeggio Lite and Plus, respectively)

 for small offices

"When building access networks, enterprise users need systems that are proven," said Bob Jones, general manager for 3Com. "With the AccessBuilder 7000, as well as the entire AccessBuilder family, customers can rely on a brand of products that incorporate multiple technologies and robust security under flexible, scalable and manageable platforms."

Version 5.0 Software

For users of the AccessBuilder Remote Office 500 and 600 products, 3Com is offering a free software upgrade to Version 5.0 adding several new capabilities to these products and the AccessBuilder 7000, such as:

* Sophisticated IP/IPX firewall filtering capabilities enabling corporations to selectively determine the parameters, i.e. packet type, for secure inbound/outbound network and Internet connections as well as PAP and CHAP.

* Auto-configuration of Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) when connected to either selective third-party devices or 3Com's own ISDN-optimized Fast Connect technology found on the AccessBuilder 7000 and the AccessBuilder Remote Office products.

* Unnumbered links which allow corporations to assign a single IP address, rather than two, to effectively route traffic on both the LAN and WAN ports.

AccessBuilder 7000 Access Concentrator

Proven in installations throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, the AccessBuilder 7000 access concentrator provides central site enterprise environments with high bandwidth connectivity using a combination of analog, Primary Rate and Basic Rate ISDN (BRI and PRI), and WAN/leased line connections. The device supports up to 112 simultaneous, secure and resilient 64 Kbps connections making it ideal for central site remote access applications where high port density is crucial. By using a unique mid-plane bus to distribute power, management information, and channel bandwidth, the AccessBuilder 7000 system allows modules to be changed or replaced without affecting the processor architecture. This provides users with a higher meantime between repair and failures.

System Management and Security

The AccessBuilder 7000 access concentrator and the AccessBuilder Remote Office products can be managed both locally and remotely by an SNMP-based platform running under Microsoft Windows 3.1. Several important functions can be performed including, user-defined event storage, statistics gathering, configuration storage and auto-configuration of new products, and on-site upgrades via flash memory.

In addition to the software features of Version 5.0, the AccessBuilder 7000 system offers comprehensive network security features such as Ethernet address checking, data encryption, and Caller Line Identification (CLI) as well as integrated support for Security Dynamics' ACE/Server. Cost-controlling features, data compression and spoofing, are implemented in LAN-to-LAN applications using the AccessBuilder 7000 central site device and either the AccessBuilder Remote Office 500 or 600 remote site devices.

System Modules

Users can choose among four different network interface modules to fill the AccessBuilder 7000 system's 16-slot chassis. Each module has a separate routing processor to always ensure the highest levels of performance, even at peak usage. Also, each one is hot-swappable, allowing for easy exchange in the event of changes or replacement. The AccessBuilder 7000 system modules include the:

* PRI/BRI Interface Module which uses intelligent call routing capabilities to pass 64 Kbps data from up to 60 channels along the AccessBuilder 7000 backplane and onto other modules in the chassis. Intelligent call routing allows the module to choose device destinations based on the phone number called, phone number called from or the type of data contained in the call.

* PRI/BRI Bridge/Router Module which occupies one or two slots, and provides IP/IPX routing across ISDN and serial WAN links, dial- on-demand allowing for added bandwidth as needed, intelligent protocol spoofing, on-board 4:1 data compression, and comprehensive data encryption network security for up to eight 64 Kbps data channels.

* PRI/BRI Terminal Adapter Module which supports four 64 Kbps ISDN channels as well as asynchronous data rates up to 115.2 Kbps and synchronous rates up to 64 Kbps. Using V.110 or V.120 rate adaption or the Hayes AT command set ensures compatibility with existing modem-based applications.

* Triple Modem Module which supplies three V.34 modems on a single high-density card allowing network node connections at speeds up to 33.3 Kbps. It also will automatically redial remote connections upon signal loss and prevent interruption of normal leased line operations.

Pricing and Availability

Now available in the United States, the AccessBuilder 7000 is priced at $4,585 for the chassis, power supply and management card. Analog and Basic Rate ISDN modules are priced individually. In June, the company will release Primary Rate ISDN capabilities.

As part of 3Com's approach to making ISDN easier for users to adopt, the company offers free ISDN line ordering and provisioning. Simply call 1-800-NET-3COM, and select option 1 to gain instant access to 3Com's team of ISDN professionals who will order and correctly provision ISDN lines or provide users with information regarding the availability and cost of ISDN in the United States.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, service providers, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the present and future connectivity needs of today's users. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. 3Com's innovative marketing, engineering, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments.


3Com netWorking Partners Program Addition
3Com Introduces New Addition to netWorking Partners Program; First Qualified VAR Designation for Remote Access

Free Priority ISDN Line Ordering and Provisioning Headlines Offerings For VARs Selling ISDN/Remote Access

April 2, 1996 -- LAS VEGAS (NETWORLD+INTEROP 1996/BOOTH 3157) -- Global data networking leader 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today introduced a new addition to its netWorking Partners program, Remote Access Gold Seal, the first program to offer a qualified designation and targeted programs for VARs selling ISDN/remote access solutions. Headlining the program's offerings is a service enabling VARs priority access to ISDN line ordering and provisioning, free of charge, by calling 1-800-930-3COM. The service is available beginning April 15.

"In developing this program, one of the core elements was understanding that end-users look to VARs for complete remote access solutions, not point products," said Steve Pataky, channel development manager for 3Com. "Remote Access Gold Seal offers the one-on-one training, support and sales assistance VARs need to become qualified in selling remote access. This program, together with 3Com's full range of enterprise and small office ISDN/remote access systems, offers resellers a complete package for success in this market."

"Both Ingram Micro and 3Com recognize the important role of resellers in increasing the numbers of corporations using remote access," said Kelly Harvey, senior marketing manager for the technical products division of Ingram Micro Inc. "3Com's understanding of channel dynamics coupled with their solutions-based approach to programs and systems makes the company a great partner in selling remote access."

"We're glad to see 3Com initiating valuable programs for integrators that provide remote access technologies," said Alan Blaustein, president of Maxnet Communication Systems Inc. "Services like ISDN line ordering and provisioning help us take the hassle out of remote access for our customers."

Remote Access Gold Seal Program Offerings

In addition to free ISDN line ordering and provisioning, 3Com provides several key benefits to becoming a Remote Access Gold Seal partner, including:

* Priority Support -- a priority, toll-free connection to remote access network configuration specialists ensures accurate and timely configuration of remote access network systems interoperability and most effective solutions to meet customer's needs.

* Remote Access College -- a must for successful resellers, this free hands-on training provides sales strategies and experience in configuring and installing remote access products.

* WorldWideWeb Links -- establishing a level of partnership between 3Com and the Remote Access Gold Seal partner, the links help end-users find qualified resellers in their geographic areas. It can also be effective in showing ISDN's speed in customer demonstrations.

* ISDN Training Video Library -- a set of four videos, each one-hour in length, focusing on a specific remote access market segment, such as telecommuting or small office, provides market information, product and initial technical data, and a demonstration of key features. Desktop selling guides are included with the library of tapes to assist in sales situations.

For more information on the netWorking Partners program and Remote Access Gold Seal designation, please call 1-800-NET-3COM or a local 3Com sales representative. Reseller registration for Remote Access Gold Seal begins April 8.

3Com offers a full range of ISDN products for users in enterprises and small offices. The product line includes:

* 3Com Impact external digital modems and ISA adapter

* OfficeConnect Remote 510, 520 and 530 access routers (part

  of the OfficeConnect family, total networking system explicitly

  designed for small offices)

* AccessBuilder Remote Office 500 and 600 access routers (formerly

  Arpeggio Lite and Plus)

* AccessBuilder 4000 remote access server

* AccessBuilder 7000 access concentrator

* NETBuilder II w/WAN Extender multi-protocol backbone router

* NETBuilder Remote Office multi-protocol backbone router

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, service providers, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the present and future connectivity needs of today's users. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. 3Com's innovative marketing, engineering, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments.


Free 3Com ISDN Line Ordering & Provisioning
Free ISDN Line Ordering and Provisioning from 3Com Makes ISDN Even Easier for Users

April 2, 1996 -- LAS VEGAS (NETWORLD+INTEROP 1996/BOOTH #3157) -- 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS), end-to-end supplier of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) systems, today made this technology even easier for users to adopt by offering free ISDN line ordering and provisioning. Beginning April 8, customers make a single phone call to 1-800-NET-3COM, and select option 1 to work with 3Com's team of knowledgeable ISDN professionals to deploy ISDN in homes, small offices and branch offices. This team has been specially trained to efficiently order and correctly provision ISDN lines for 3Com's broad range of products.

The service is available now, and 3Com's professionals are on duty seven days a week: Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight EST and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to midnight EST. Also included in the free service are details regarding the availability and cost of ISDN in the United States.

"3Com's ISDN products come with all the necessary cables, menu-based installation software utilities, and now, a knowledgeable team of ISDN service professionals -- enabling people to adopt ISDN more easily," said Robyn Aber, business development manager for 3Com. "This will be an invaluable service for people who have been wanting to take advantage of ISDN's speed and reliability without all the hassle."

3Com offers a full range of ISDN products for users in enterprises and small offices. The product line includes:

* 3Com Impact external digital modems and ISA adapter

* OfficeConnect Remote 510, 520 and 530 access routers (part

  of the OfficeConnect family, total networking system explicitly

  designed for small offices)

* AccessBuilder Remote Office 500 and 600 access routers (formerly

  Arpeggio Lite and Plus)

* AccessBuilder 4000 remote access server

* AccessBuilder 7000 access concentrator

* NetBuilderR II w/WAN Extender multi-protocol backbone router

* NetBuilder Remote Office multi-protocol backbone router

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, service providers, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the present and future connectivity needs of today's users. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. 3Com's innovative marketing, engineering, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments.


3Com & PictureTel Strategic Partnership
3Com and PictureTel Partner to Deliver LAN-Based Multimedia Solutions

3Com Enhances Ethernet Network Interface Cards to Deliver Real-time Multimedia Over Ethernet Networks

April 2, 1996 -- LAS VEGAS, NV, (NETWORLD+INTEROP 1996/BOOTH #3157) -- The worldwide leader in network connectivity, 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS), and PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ:PCTL), the world leader in videoconferencing, today announced a strategic partnership to work towards eliminating barriers to widespread LAN-based multimedia, and accelerate the deployment of practical data and video conferencing solutions. This comprehensive program includes two major elements. First, 3Com is enhancing its industry-leading Ethernet and Fast Ethernet network interface cards to deliver optimized LAN-based multimedia in conjunction with 3Com switches. Secondly, the alliance between 3Com and PictureTel will provide a product bundle, delivering PictureTel LAN-based data conferencing software free of charge to 3Com network interface card users, as well as low-cost upgrades to full videoconferencing.

Emerging LAN-based multimedia applications such as data and video conferencing for collaborative computing offer improved communication and productivity. Today's desktop PCs have the power to support these applications, however, widespread deployment has been limited due to technology, acceptance and cost barriers. 3Com and PictureTel are working together to eliminate these barriers.

"As the leader in videoconferencing, we are extremely pleased to partner with the leader in network connectivity." said Dom LaCava, vice president of PictureTel's Enterprise Systems Group. "We believe this alliance will bring to market the technology necessary to accelerate the acceptance and deployment of LAN-based data and video conferencing and bring network productivity to the next level."

3Com Network Interface Cards Deliver Multimedia Optimized Desktops

Eliminating Technical Barriers:

With 3Com's Priority Access Control Enabled (PACE) technology users can cost-effectively run multimedia networked applications to the desktop without requiring forklift upgrades to their existing Ethernet network infrastructure. PACE is an enhancement to Ethernet switching technology that delivers optimized multimedia support over Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. A major barrier to deployment of LAN-based multimedia has been the lack of support for prioritization in operating systems and network operating systems. 3Com has eliminated this barrier with an enhanced network interface card software driver which identifies key applications and sets the PACE packet priorities. PACE software drivers will be available for 3Com EtherLink III and Fast EtherLink 10/100 PCI-bus network interface cards beginning in April. The next natural step in optimizing the desktop for multimedia, is to enhance network interface card drivers to facilitate control of multicast traffic.

Today there are a limited number of multicast-based applications, however, as applications supporting key standards for point-to-multipoint conferencing such as T.120 and H.323 ship starting in late 1996, use of these applications will increase. Multicast applications pose challenges for switched networks, because without multicast control, excess multicast traffic can flood desktop links. 3Com plans to ship enhanced network interface card drivers which leverage the desktop network interface card's knowledge of the applications running on the PC to dynamically set switch multicast filters to control this traffic. This multicast capability will be phased into 3Com Ethernet network interface cards starting 2H '96. 3Com will proliferate this software this year to build a large installed base of PCs which are future-proofed with the ability to automatically configure filters on the switches which will have this capability in 1997.

With these two software enhancements 3Com EtherLink III and Fast EtherLink network interface cards will play a key role in delivering networking solutions which eliminate the technology barriers preventing widespread use of LAN-based multimedia.

"As a world leader in Ethernet network interface cards and switches, 3Com is able to envision and deliver breakthrough networking solutions which enable the pervasive use of LAN-based multimedia," said Doug Spreng, executive vice president of 3Com's Personal Connectivity Operation. "Working with PictureTel, as the best in class in videoconferencing, lets us deliver a high-quality conferencing solution to run over these multimedia optimized networks."

3Com and PictureTel Eliminate LAN-based Conferencing Acceptance and Cost Barriers

3Com and PictureTel, market leaders in their respective areas, are eliminating conferencing acceptance and cost barriers by allowing users to get PictureTel's data conferencing software -- LiveShare Plus, a $249 value, for free. LiveShare Plus software will be bundled with 3Com's PACE-enabled EtherLink III PCI and Fast EtherLink 10/100 PCI Parallel Tasking" network interface cards. PictureTel's LiveShare Plus enables PC users in separate locations to work jointly in real-time on data files using application sharing or a whiteboard, as well as to transfer files or share messages on a common clipboard. PictureTel will also provide low-cost upgrades to videoconferencing by offering its LiveLAN-V video software with a $500 manufacturer's rebate to 3Com Ethernet network interface card customers.

3Com Network Interface Card/LiveShare Plus Bundle includes the following:

* Free PictureTel LiveShare Plus software shipped with 3Com

  network interface cards

* Initial shipment on EtherLink III PCI and Fast EtherLink

  10/100 PCI network interface cards (evaluation units in April,

  volume mid 1996)

The LiveLAN-V Starter Kit Upgrade includes the following:

Users will receive a $500 manufacturer's rebate on the LiveLAN-V Starter Kit, a $2,795 value

 2 copies LiveLAN-V software

 2 sound/video boards

 2 cameras

 2 sets of multimedia speakers

 2 microphones

 copy of Live Manager

3Com's EtherLink III and Fast EtherLink PCI network interface cards are a natural platform for advanced applications; when combined with PictureTel's conferencing technology, they allow for high-quality LAN data and video conferencing over shared Ethernet, switched Ethernet, and Fast Ethernet networks. In addition the embedded cooperation between 3Com network interface cards and switches enabled by PACE and desktop configured VLANs ensures optimized support of video traffic.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a full range of visual telecommunications solutions that are "Redefining the Way the World Meets." The company's products serve videoconferencing needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also markets network products and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide services.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the immediate and long term connectivity needs of today's user. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. The company's innovative marketing, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments.


Adaptec Ships LAN Emulation Software

PROVIDES FIRST STEP TO MIGRATE CLIENTS AND SERVERS TO ATM

MILPITAS, CALIF, - March 27, 1996 - Adaptec is now shipping LAN Emulation software that enables customers to deploy ATM clients and servers into their existing networks. The software emulates an Ethernet network on ATM, allowing existing network applications to run over ATM networks transparently, and allowing ATM and Ethernet users to communicate and share common resources. Adaptec's LAN Emulation software is compliant with version 1.0 of the LAN Emulation specification from the ATM Forum, maximizing interoperability.

"Today's LAN users demand network-intensive applications like web access, collaborative computing, and data warehouse mining," said Gary Law, vice president of marketing for Adaptec's INTO business unit. "Only ATM offers them the performance, quality of service, and flexibility to maximize those applications. LAN Emulation software allows users to migrate to ATM, experience its benefits, and still protect their legacy investments. Customers using LAN Emulation will build the infrastructure and experience to meet current networking challenges and to anticipate networking challenges of the future."

ABOUT THE SOFTWARE

Adaptec's LAN Emulation software currently supports Windows NT and Sun Solaris. Drivers for Windows 95, OS/2, DOS/Windows, SunOS, and NetWare will ship in the second quarter of 1996.

The software has been extensively tested for interoperability with LAN Emulation servers from Bay Networks, Cisco Systems, FORE Systems, Interphase, Olicom, 3Com, and Whitetree, and is compatible with all Adaptec ATM adapters shipped to date.

Adaptec's LAN Emulation implementation boasts four Emulated LANs (equivalent to four network adapters) from one adapter and standards- based support for both 1516 byte and 9234 byte data transfers.

"Early test results show that using ATM with a 9234 byte MTU size reduces server CPU utilization by over forty-five percent over a 1516 byte MTU but offers the same performance of nearly 21Mb/s," noted Geoff Seelbach, director of technical services at LANQuest, an independent testing laboratory.

Gary Law continued, "LANQuest's test results demonstrate that 9K MTU ATM operation in LAN Emulation increases network performance over Ethernet-only operation by leveraging those increased CPU efficiencies. This benefits server-to-server communication in applications such as network backup and database replication."

AVAILABILITY

Adaptec's LAN Emulation software is available now for free at http://www.adaptec.com/techsupp/BBS_ATM.html, from the Adaptec BBS at (408) 945-7727, or from CompuServe at GO ADAPTEC. It also comes pre-packaged with all of Adaptec's ATM adapters.

Adaptec, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures, and markets IOware solutions to eliminate performance bottlenecks between microcomputers, networks, and peripherals. Solutions range from simple connectivity products for single-user and small office desktops, to intelligent subsystem, high performance SCSI, RAID, and ATM products for enterprise-wide computing and networked environments. Adaptec I/O solutions are incorporated into the products of virtually all the major computer and peripheral manufacturers around the world.

Founded in 1981, Adaptec is a recognized leader in high performance I/O technology. Adaptec currently employs approximately 2,000 people, and with its global distribution network, serves customers worldwide. Adaptec's World Wide Web home page address is http://www.adaptec.com.

EDITORS' NOTE: Adaptec has a full interoperability listing available at http://www.adaptec.com/networking/Interoperability.html. An Adaptec whitepaper on LAN Emulation will be available from the Web on April 1, 1996. Adaptec is demonstrating its LAN Emulation software at Networld+Interop '96 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center booth # 5791.


Adaptec PCI-to-UltraSCSI Controller Chip
Adaptec Introduces PCI-to-UltraSCSI Single-chip Solution

THE AIC-7860 OFFERS LOW-COST ULTRASCSI PERFORMANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY

MILPITAS, CALIF, - March 27, 1996 - Adaptec, Inc. today introduced its first PCI-to-8-bit UltraSCSI controller chip targeted at low-end servers, desktops, docking stations and laptops.

The AIC-7860's unique feature set includes a 32-bit PCI Bus Master host interface connected to an 8-bit UltraSCSI protocol controller (UltraSCSI provides the fastest data transfer rates available today). Also integrated into the 128-pin package is the high-performance Adaptec PhaseEngine RISC processor which reduces CPU utilization and a large 128-byte FIFO which reduces system latencies.

The AIC-7860 meets all Plug and Play requirements including SCSI Configured AutoMatically (SCAM) support. The AIC-7860 device operates at either 3.3V or 5.0V and the on-chip Advanced Power Management (APM) functions dramatically decrease power consumption with power down features for complete versatility when designing high-performance, low-power systems.

According to Marc Lowe, general manager of Adaptec's Desktop Products Group, "Adaptec continues to be the leader in SCSI technology by providing products that offer OEMs, and ultimately end users, with unmatched compatibility." The AIC-7860 leverages this SCSI expertise by offering the latest in SCSI performance -- UltraSCSI. The AIC-7860 with UltraSCSI provides data transfer rates of up to 20 Megabytes per second. It complements the existing line of UltraSCSI products which includes the AIC-7880, a 16/8-bit Ultra Wide SCSI controller designed for the low-end to high-end server market. Adaptec designs both the AIC-7860 and AIC-7880 UltraSCSI devices, with a patented SCSI I/O cell which results in superior performance and data integrity.

"The AIC-7860 optimizes end user performance while keeping OEM costs low," continues Lowe. "As with all Adaptec products, the AIC-7860 takes advantage of Adaptec's extensive compatibility with virtually all major operating systems, hardware platforms and peripherals, to offer both end users and OEMs optimum flexibility."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The AIC-7860 is packaged in either a 128-pin plastic quad flat pack (PQFP) or thin quad flat pack (TQFP). Samples are available for $35 now, with volume production available in Q2 1996.

The AIC-7880 PCI-to-Ultra SCSI single chip controller with up to 40 Mbytes per second data transfer rate is available now for a sample price of $40.

Adaptec, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures and markets IOware solutions to eliminate performance bottlenecks between microcomputers, networks, and peripherals. Solutions range from simple connectivity products for single-user and small-office desktops, to intelligent subsystem, high-performance SCSI, RAID and ATM products for enterprise-wide computing and networked environments. Adaptec I/O solutions are incorporated into the products of virtually all the major computer and peripheral manufacturers around the world.

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Adaptec is a recognized market leader in high-performance I/O technology. Adaptec currently employs approximately 2,000 people, and with its global distribution network, serves customers worldwide. Adaptec's World Wide Web home page address is http://www.adaptec.com.


FileNet & Adobe Extensions to TIFF & PDF
FileNet, Adobe Announce Extensions To Document-Imaging Standards

Common Functionality Across TIFF and PDF to Enable Document-Imaging Technology to More Easily Integrate with Broader Set of Business Applications

Costa Mesa, Calif., (April 1, 1996) (Nasdaq: ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated and FileNet Corp. (Nasdaq: FILE) today announced that they will jointly propose common extensions to both the Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) specifications to enable seamless use of both file formats across a broad range of document-imaging, document-management, archiving, and electronic publishing systems. The proposed extensions would create a common set of annotations that could be used across all TIFF and PDF viewing and authoring applications.

The joint proposal is designed to address the problem caused by the growing number of extensions developed by different vendors to the TIFF format, which make it difficult for customers to integrate and broadly apply document-imaging systems in the enterprise.

"This represents a significant boost not only for Adobe's PDF and FileNet's enterprise users, but more importantly for the entire industry," said Thomas M. Koulopoulos, president at Delphi Consulting Group, Inc. "TIFF has long been a nightmare for users of imaging due to its numerous extensions, making compatibility and transportability a serious problem. The proposed Adobe/FileNet PDF/ TIFF annotation standard will move the industry much closer to the ideal of cross platform point of access -- an absolute must for intra- and inter-enterprise document management. This may be as important to the future of enterprise imaging as the advent of CCITT Group 3 fax."

The proposed extensions, called OCALA (Open Common Annotation Language), will help applications from different document-imaging vendors share image files more effectively, while allowing customers to better integrate document imaging with a broader set of corporate information systems. As a result, customers can more easily deploy applications that provide a single point of access to a wide range of electronically-created and paper-based documents.For Immediate Release For more information: Rick Brown Adobe Systems Incorporated 415 962.6060 ribrown@adobe.com or Robin Tanchum FileNet Corp. 714 966.3444 rtanchum@filenet.com or Albie Jarvis Copithorne & Bellows 617 252.0606 albie.jarvis@cbpr.com

FileNet also announced its intention to support the PDF format. Initially, FileNet and Watermark Software, a FileNet company, plan to incorporate the new annotation format into future versions of FileNet and Watermark document-imaging software, while maintaining existing support of TIFF. Adobe will also add support for the extensions into future releases of Adobe Acrobat software. As a result, applications supporting the proposed extensions will be able to seamlessly share both TIFF and PDF files through common annotation and viewing capabilities.

"Our industry is experiencing a convergence of workflow, document-imaging, document management, and COLD technologies, creating the need for users to organize, manage, and share electronic documents in a variety of file formats," said Ted Smith, president and CEO of FileNet. "By working with Adobe, a leader in electronic publishing, we can develop a common method for managing annotations in PDF and TIFF documents, and help customers further leverage corporate information assets and business processes across the enterprise."

"We want to enable corporations to standardize on a single data type that will allow them to easily use information, both electronic and paper-based, across many business applications, such as document management, print-on-demand systems, and the Internet," said John Warnock, CEO of Adobe Systems Incorporated. "By combining our expertise with FileNet's leadership in document-imaging and workflow, we can advance a standard to support a broad range of corporate information in one universally accessible format."

The proposed extensions will be designed to create interoperable annotation capabilities, allowing users to add comments, sticky notes and highlighter annotations to electronic documents that cross PDF and TIFF formats. PDF, the file format created by Adobe Acrobat software, is widely used as a corporate standard for the electronic distribution of documents across the Internet, internal networks, and CD-ROM disks. Acrobat Capture software converts TIFF files to PDF but without carrying over annotations. Through the proposed extensions, Acrobat software could provide users with universal viewing capabilities of image and non-image documents.

FileNet and Adobe will work together to advance the specification in the industry, making it available free of charge. The companies plan to publish a draft specification on the Internet to solicit comments. After comments are received, the companies will provide a forum for all interested parties to finalize and publish the specification for general adoption.

Rudy Burger, vice president of Business Development at Visioneer, makers of the leading paper input system, PaperPort Vx, said "Document communications across LAN-based email and the Internet requires industry standard file formats. We expect the OCALA initiative to accelerate the adoption of document imaging by mainstream personal computer users."

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http:// www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.

About FileNet

FileNet Corp. is a leader in enterprise document management and business process automation. The company's software products organize, manage, and store all electronic documents, and make them accessible to individuals and business processes located anywhere in an organization at any time. Software from FileNet and FileNet's two business units, Saros and Watermark, enable document-intensive organizations in many industries and levels of government worldwide to maximize enterprise productivity. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., FileNet has a sales and support organization that spans more than 50 countries.

For more information, call (800) FILENET (345-3638) or (714) 966-3400.

Editors: For FileNet corporate and product information, and press releases, access the FileNet Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.filenet.com. Please use (800) FILENET (345-3638) for reader inquiries.


ADTRAN Sets New Standard for ISDN Modems

New Terminal Adapters Make ISDN Simple to Use

Las Vegas, NV - ADTRAN Inc., (NASDAQ: ADTN) announced today, at the Networld+Interop trade show in Las Vegas, the introduction of two new consumer oriented ISDN modems that greatly simplify the process of connecting to ISDN. The Express XR and Express XRT are standalone devices that combine terminal adapter and NT1 functions to provide high-speed access to corporate networks or the Internet at speeds up to 230,400 bps. The Express XR is a data only device while the Express XRT provides two analog ports for connecting two analog devices such as a phone, fax machine, or analog modem.

ADTRAN's new Express Configuration Wizard, a graphical user interface with a Windows '95 look and feel, makes connecting to ISDN and configuring the Express XR/XRT easy. Simply enter your ISDN phone numbers and let the Express Wizard step you through the rest. Sophisticated patent pending algorithms automatically detect the telephone company parameters such as switch type and SPID numbers. With Windows '95 Plug and Play compatibility, automatic COM port selection, and predefined application profiles you'll be communicating with the office or Internet in no time.

These products are based on ADTRAN's third generation ISDN terminal adapter design, which now sets a new standard for ease of use while offering consumers new features such as STAC LZS compression with throughputs to 230,400 bps. Additionally, the Express XRT uses a patent pending method to accommodate a user's existing analog modem without requiring an extra COM port on the user's PC.

ADTRAN President Howard Thrailkill says "these products were developed with the average home user in mind. From the beginning of the project, ease of use has been the primary focus. "

ISDN Product Manager Leslie Conway said "most home users already have a high speed analog modem. The Express XRT allows those users to migrate to ISDN, continue to use their existing modem, and not pay a price penalty or require an extra COM port to do so. That's unique in the industry! "

Added features include STAC LZS compression per the PPP standard at rates up to 230.4 kbps, custom calling features like Caller ID, Call Waiting, Hold, Transfer, and Conference, and Multilink PPP. Additionally, the Express XRT dynamically allocates bandwidth between voice and data calls. When transmitting data at maximum throughput over both channels, the Express XRT will automatically detect calls on the analog ports. If the user elects to place or answer a phone call, the Express XRT dynamically adjusts the speed of the data call to one 64 kbps channel and accepts the analog/voice call on the other. Upon completion of the voice call the Express XRT automatically resumes the data transfer over both channels.

According to ADTRAN's Vice President of Marketing Danny Windham, "the Express XRT was designed with the MIS manager in mind; those supporting hundreds of employees working at home or in remote offices. Remote configuration and extensive diagnostic capabilities allow the unit to be configured and maintained from a centralized location without the need for onsite support."

The list price for the Express XR is $299 with availability slated for May 1996. The Express XRT will list for $449 and is scheduled to begin shipping in June 1996.

ADTRAN was established in 1985 to design, develop and manufacture advanced transmission products for high-speed digital communications. In addition to its HDSL products, ADTRAN is a primary provider of DDS and ISDN digital loop products to Regional Bell Operating Companies and many well known OEMs. The broad selection of customer premises products offered by ADTRAN includes a complete line of DSU/CSUs, a variety of ISDN extension and network terminating products and flexible T1 multiplexers.

For more information regarding ADTRAN and its products, call 1-800-326-3700, fax (205) 971-8116, or E-Mail: info@adtran.com. ADTRAN can be found on the Internet at www.adtran.com.


ADTRAN DSU III ARc DDS DSU/CSU w/Compression
ADTRAN Announces Industry's First Compressing DDS DSU/CSU for use with Frame Relay Circuits.

Las Vegas, NV - ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN) announced today the DSU III ARc, the industry's first DDS DSU/CSU with synchronous data compression designed to optimize throughput over 56 kbps Frame Relay Circuits. The announcement was made at the Networld+Interop Trade Show in Las Vegas.

The DSU III ARc is based on the recently announced TIA/EIA 655 specification for compression of bit-formatted synchronous data over point-to-point digital circuits. By incorporating the Frame Relay Forum's Implementation Agreement FRF.9, the DSU III ARc supports compression over multiple permanent virtual circuits. Each unit is capable of supporting compression on up to three PVCs, with an unlimited number of transparent PVC's supported. The DSU III ARc is also compatible with non-compressing DSUs for use in existing networks. This feature allow compressing DSUs to be installed on circuits that require increased throughput while maintaining overall network interoperability.

According to Gary Culp, design engineer at ADTRAN, the DSU III ARc automatically selects the DLCIs to compress based on the LMI, Annex A or Annex D status messages. This feature allows the units to be installed in new or existing Frame Relay Networks with minimal additional setup or configuration. A manual mode of configuration is also available to allow users to select which PVC's to compress.

In addition to the DSU III ARc, ADTRAN also announced Frame Relay support for the DSU III DBUc, the industries first DDS DSU/CSU to incorporate synchronous data compression as well as ISDN, V.32, or Switched 56 dial backup capability.

The DSU III ARc is available in standalone configuration, with full numeric keypad and LCD display. List price is $1125. List prices for the DSU III DBUc units start at $1495.

ADTRAN was established in 1985 to design, develop and manufacture advanced transmission products for high-speed digital communications. In addition to its DDS products, ADTRAN is a primary provider of HDSL and ISDN digital loop products to Regional Bell Operating Companies and many well known OEMs. The broad selection of customer premises products offered by ADTRAN includes a complete line of DSU/CSUs, a variety of ISDN extension and network terminating products and flexible T1 multiplexers.

For more information regarding ADTRAN and its products, call 1-800-326-3700, fax (205) 971-8116, or E-Mail: info@adtran.com. ADTRAN can be found on the Internet at www.adtran.com


AlphaCONNECT Harvests Data from Internet
ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS LAUNCHES ALPHACONNECT AGENT TO HARVEST DATA FROM INTERNET AND INTRANETS FOR DELIVERY TO POPULAR WINDOWS APPLICATIONS AND WEB PAGES

SANTA ANA, CA (April 3, 1996)....Alpha Microsystems (Nasdaq NM:ALMI) announced today the introduction of AlphaCONNECT, a powerful software agent and communications tool for selectively harvesting data from legacy applications running on corporate Intranets and local area networks, as well as from Internet sites using HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) standards. AlphaCONNECT converts the harvested data and delivers it for use by popular applications that run under Microsoft Windows, Windows 95 or Windows NT. The new software agent can also be used to create dynamic self-updating Web pages through its ability to deliver collected data to automatically edit and update specified pages on the Internet. The current release of AlphaCONNECT supports the delivery of retrieved data to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Quattro Pro, WordPerfect, Borland Paradox, or Web browsers such as Netscape. AlphaCONNECT will be available for delivery through Alpha Microsystems in mid-May at a retail price expected to be less than $150 per copy.

For those interested in testing the software, starting today, and until mid-May, a free copy of a beta-test version of AlphaCONNECT software can be downloaded from the AlphaCONNECT Web site. To download a limited-time-use copy of the beta-test version of AlphaCONNECT software, connect to the AlphaCONNECT Web site from an Internet browser: HTTP://WWW.ALPHAMICRO.COM/AC

According to Alpha Microsystems President and CEO Douglas J. Tullio, AlphaCONNECT is "a powerful and versatile data collecting and conversion tool with unique communications abilities. It cuts through the Internet clutter to capture desired data from wherever it is located, whenever it is wanted, delivering it to whatever appropriate destination a user wishes."

According to Gregory M. D'Alessandro, WebMaster for Westergaard On-line, the Internet-based investor's information service of New York City-based Westergaard Publishing Corporation, "We have been testing AlphaCONNECT for the past several weeks and have found it to be a powerful tool for the real-time capture of data from servers on the Internet and the dynamic updating of our Web pages. With AlphaCONNECT, we are also able to easily deliver data retrieved from other servers and Web sites to our Paradox and Microsoft Access data bases. The software is well-designed and, with its intuitive Windows user interface, it is easy to use. The installation process is straight forward, and AlphaCONNECT's automated scheduling features make it easy to automate the entire data retrieval and updating process, thereby saving us personnel and connect time. It's a great program, it's flexible and we have only scratched the surface of its potential uses."

Tullio said that AlphaCONNECT uniquely harvests data via standard Internet protocols such as FTP and HTTP. It can access data from legacy system text or report files located on mainframes, minicomputers, PCs, local area networks and wide-area networks, as well as from Web pages on the Internet. The data can be delivered automatically to the user in two ways: as an updated Windows office application; or as an HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) file, properly formatted to enter an enterprise Intranet or the World Wide Web.

Based on user-specified criteria and under the control of a built-in timer, AlphaCONNECT will automatically control the entire data harvesting and updating cycle. It can be set up to establish the connection with the specified legacy applications or Web sites, collect the desired data, launch the appropriate Windows application or Web page updating routines, filter the incoming source data, map the output to the specified destination and shut down the application when all processes are completed. When delivering data to Windows applications, AlphaCONNECT can create new documents or spreadsheets, or update existing ones using established formulas, formats and attributes.

"AlphaCONNECT is user-friendly as well as comfortable for the experienced user," Tullio remarked. "In addition to the standard Windows application, AlphaCONNECT can also handle Web page creation, formatting and reformatting as desired, giving the sophisticated user more control." To assist the user in locating and connecting to a broad range of Web sites on the Internet, AlphaCONNECT contains an address book and approximately 200 sample links to Web pages. In addition, software developers can further extend the capability of AlphaCONNECT by writing small programs known as "plug-ins." With these simple programs, AlphaCONNECT can be enabled to support additional file formats.

AlphaCONNECT is sensitive to industry concerns about security. Data acquisition requires user name and password access to FTP sites and results cannot be posted live on the Internet unless access to the gateway computer is authorized. AlphaCONNECT can also be installed in "run-only mode", which allows users to run predefined tasks, but not to modify or add tasks.

"Now almost anyone can devise and maintain dynamic, self-updating Web pages, spreadsheets, word processing documents or database files that require new data or citations gathered from other sources at regular or even irregular intervals," Tullio added.

Alpha Microsystems is an information technology products and services provider concentrating on software market niches served both directly and through value-added resellers and distributors. The Company also provides consulting, networking, software support and maintenance services, with approximately 50 locations in North America and The United Kingdom.


ANA Tech Eagle SLI 3840 Product Choice Award
ANA Tech's SLI 3840 RECEIVES PRODUCT CHOICE AWARD

Littleton CO, April 3, 1996 -- ANA Tech's Eagle SLI 3840 has been honored with the 1995 Product Choice Award by Document Management magazine. The SLI 3840, featuring a revolutionary large format optical sensor head, was selected over competitors' models by Document Management's editors based on their own product evaluation, as well as recommendations from the magazine's 35,000 readers.

"The Eagle SLI 3840 is a significant improvement over previous models," Richard N. Stover, Document Management's editor, commented. "Its functional design and styling are certainly far beyond anything else currently in the field. ANA Tech has again demonstrated that it is one of the industry leaders in straight line imaging sensor technology."

Introduced in mid-1995, the Eagle SLI 3840 relies on state-of-the-art imaging sensor technology to scan E-sized documents in less that 20 seconds capturing line art at variable resolutions from 50 to 800 dots per inch (dpi) and 256 levels of grayscale.

"The marketplace was demanding a cost effective large scanner that could scan documents at high speeds," said ANA Tech's Director of Marketing Gerald Kasten. "We listened and responded with the Eagle SLI 3840. We're particularly proud of this recognition because it tells us that we delivered what the market needed."

According to Kasten, the importance of electronic document management is "increasing dramatically" in global business. Building on the technology introduced in the Eagle SLI 3840, ANA Tech recently launched the next generation of large format scanners the SLI 3840/PLUS. The Plus integrates straight line imaging with ANA Tech's new APOGEE processor. The system features real-time large aperture thresholding, producing high resolution data without reduction of throughput rate from even the poorest quality originals.

For dealers near you contact ANA Tech.

ABOUT ANA TECH AND INTERGRAPH

Founded in 1981, ANA Tech was acquired in 1988 by Intergraph Corporation, a Fortune 1000 company. ANA Tech is a pioneer in the engineering and technical scanning marketplace and today offers a comprehensive line of high resolution, large format document scanners designed for volume production environments. ANA Tech hardware and software products are used in aerospace, automotive, AEC, manufacturing, mapping/GIS and utility applications at hundreds of sites throughout the world.


Bring Learning Home Alliance
Leaders in Learning Technologies and Resources Form Alliance to Bring Learning Home

CUPERTINO, California--April 2, 1996--Several of the biggest providers of educational resources today joined forces with Apple Computer, Inc. in an effort to strengthen the connection between classroom and home learning, and promote the role of parents in the education of their children. Apple, the National Geographic Society, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Scholastic, Inc., and the Computer Learning Foundation announced the Bring Learning Home Alliance. The Alliance is an outreach program designed to educate communities about the benefits of technology to children's learning, and to develop creative ways to help parents and children use technology together.

The Bring Learning Home Alliance believes that technology can enhance the quality of education, and help to create an environment where parents and teachers can become stronger partners in a child's learning. The charter of the Bring Learning Home Alliance is to identify innovative ways to bring educators, parents and family members together to develop learning opportunities for children from preschool through high school; to generate greater awareness among parents of how their involvement contributes to a child's learning experience; and foster a collaborative environment among schools, homes, government and business to extend education beyond the limits of traditional learning through the use of interactive computer technology.

"There is no greater investment than the one we make in preparing children for living and working in a global society. Increasingly, our world is being shaped by instant access to resources, and the ability to use those resources in meaningful ways," says Gil Amelio, Apple's chairman and chief executive officer. "The Bring Learning Home Alliance represents a shared vision that computer technology is an essential part in expanding learning beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. It is an important tool for helping parents become partners with teachers in preparing children for a competitive work force, and for making positive contributions to our communities. We are honored that the alliance members joining Apple in this endeavor are among the nation's most recognized contributors of resources, materials and services to education today."

ALLIANCE MEMBERS INCLUDE:

The National Geographic Society, the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization, was founded in 1888 to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge. Today, in addition to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE and WORLD magazine, it continues to support that mission by providing teachers and parents with new ways to bring geography, history and science into the classroom and home.

"The National Geographic Society is pleased to be a part of the Bring Learning Home Alliance. We share Apple's commitment to education with our decade-long mission to improve geography education, and to develop educational technology programs that make learning fun," says Bob Sims, senior vice president of The National Geographic Society. "Like geographic literacy, computer literacy has emerged as an essential skill for the next millennium. The challenges of tomorrow also demand that parents take an active role in their children's education today. Through the Bring Learning Home Alliance, parents and children alike can reap the benefits of today's technology--and learning can become a family affair."

PBS is a private, nonprofit corporation owned and operated by the nation's 345 public television stations. An important community resource, PBS and its member stations use the power of noncommercial television to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs, and education services that inform, inspire and delight. PBS is the number one resource for K-12 classroom programming in the country, and its Adult Learning Service is the world's largest source of college-level telecourses. Among its many services is PTV, a Ready to Learn Service on PBS that combines television programming such as Sesame Street and Barney & Friends with between- program educational messages and community-based training for parents and childcare providers to help them use public television as a teaching tool. PTV, which has interactive elements on PBS ONLINE on the World Wide Web, is sponsored in part by Apple.

"The Bring Learning Home initiative is a wonderful complement to the PBS programming watched by more than 95 million Americans every week," says Ervin S. Duggan, president and chief executive officer of PBS. "PBS and its member stations provide Americans of all ages- -regardless of their economic, geographic or social circumstance- -a comprehensive array of engaging educational programs and services. We are delighted to join this alliance and to support its mission."

Scholastic, Inc. is committed to producing multimedia resources that tie directly to the curriculum to enhance the learning experience. Scholastic offers one of the broadest selections of education software on the market today through its software and book clubs and technology fairs.

The Computer Learning Foundation is an international nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the quality of children's learning and preparation for the workplace through the use of technology. The Foundation offers a number of resource materials for parents and educators including software review guides, parent guides and teaching materials, and videos. It is the publisher of "Everything You Need to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask Kids) About the Information Highway," funded by a grant from Apple.

Tom Plati, Director of Libraries and Education Technologies for Wellesley Public Schools in Wellesley, Mass., says the alliance's emphasis on families learning together will begin to bridge the gap between home and schools.

"It's widely accepted in the education community that parent participation in the learning process greatly enhances the child's experience," says Plati. "The Bring Learning Home Alliance emphasizes the importance of reinforcing learning at home, and the role that parents play in guiding their childrens' experiences. Technology can be used to foster a closer relationship between education and parents. It's pretty obvious that children who have this kind of guidance and attention are going to benefit."

ALLIANCE TO CREATE OUTREACH PROGRAMS

The Bring Learning Home Alliance plans to create new outreach programs and services, as well as participate in existing programs that meet the goals of the alliance. Other companies are expected to join the alliance. Initial programs and services include:

Family Computing Workshops, an expansion of a pilot program launched by Apple in April 1995, offers interested educators and technical coordinators the opportunity to host a workshop at their local elementary school or community center. Parents and children are invited to learn about the benefits of technology in education by listening to a short presentation and participating in a hands- on computer technology session. Beginning this month, the Alliance is sponsoring thousands of workshops throughout the nation. Each of the participating schools receives a kit that includes all the materials and guidance needed to put on a free technology workshop.

The Alliance is developing the Bring Learning Home World Wide Web site, which will provide information about Alliance activities, programs, services, general home learning information, and links to each Alliance member's web site. In addition, the site will provide a channel for communication and feedback between Alliance members and attendees of the Family Computing Workshops. The site is expected to be complete this summer.

The Alliance is providing a Bring Learning Home brochure, called "There's No Place Like Home...For Learning on a Computer." This guide provides information on the relationship between technology and learning, use of the Internet, benefits of home learning, and guidelines to purchasing a home computer. The free brochure is available by calling (408) 974-6958.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customer in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Apple Expands Family Computing Workshops
Apple Expands Family Computing Workshops to Reach Thousands of Schools

CUPERTINO, California--April 2, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced the expansion of its Family Computing Workshops, and sponsorship of the workshop by the Bring Learning Home Alliance, an outreach program led by Apple Computer, Inc., the National Geographic Society, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Scholastic, Inc., and the Computer Learning Foundation. (See companion press release titled, "Leaders in Learning Technologies and Resources Form Alliance to Bring Learning Home", April 2, 1996.) The Family Computing Workshops educate families about the benefits of technology for children's learning, and develop creative ways to help parents and children use technology together.

Based on a pilot program launched by Apple last May, the workshops are the first in a series of programs, products and services to be offered by the Alliance. Beginning this month, the Family Computing Workshops provide educators and technology coordinators at thousands of schools throughout the U.S. with the materials and guidance they need to host free technology workshops at their local schools or community centers. Parents and children are invited to learn about the benefits of technology by listening to a short presentation and participating in a hands-on computer technology session.

"Educators recognize the value of developing a strong relationship between learning at school and learning at home, and they want to participate in the process of bringing technology into both of these experiences," says Mike Lorion, senior vice president and general manager of Apple's consumer marketing group. "When they host a Family Computing Workshop, they are encouraging parents to become partners with schools in improving children's education through the use of technology."

"This kind of encouragement works," says Mary Fischer, technology coordinator for Sweet Home Central Schools in Williamsville, N.Y. "Parents are amazed at what their children are doing, and grand-parents are astonished at how schools have changed," she says. "They recognize that technology is not a passing phase. It's in the curriculum, it's working, and students need to know how to use it. We're seeing kindergarten children coming to school with two year's experience on computers. It's important that they come into a school that has the technology, and it's important that parents support this."

Jackie Lipsitz, technology coordinator for the school district of Clayton, Mo., agrees that showing families how technology is used is important, and it's also a community service. Lipsitz sponsored a Family Computing Workshop called "Leap into Technology" on Feb. 29. "Our goal was to show parents how we use technology to support learning, and to supply them with information on quality software that they can use to support learning at home," she says.

Apple introduced the program last year to more than 1,000 schools throughout the nation. Last fall alone 96,000 people, including parents, grandparents and children, attended. Response was so positive, with an average of 80 people attending each workshop, that 85 percent of the workshop leaders said they would do it again.

Lipsitz is one of them. She says her district received positive response from parents as well as school board members. "The parents were amazed," she says. "They knew their children were using computers, but many didn't know how much our schools have infused technology into the curriculum, or how skilled their children had become. The day after the workshop our superintendent received email messages from our board members complementing the district on this event."

Program Designed for Educators

The workshops are designed to be simple, fun, and interactive. Workshop leaders are provided with all the tools necessary to host a successful workshop. Materials can be easily customized to fit the needs of parents of children from three to 18 years of age.

Each school participating in the program receives a free workshop kit that includes:

* a planning guide

* a multimedia presentation on CD-ROM and a presentation script

* a set of educational CDs for hands-on sessions

* posters and flyers to promote the event

* a National Geographic Society kit with technology catalog, brochures

  and map -- the book "Everything You Need to Know (But Were Afraid

  to Ask Kids) About the Information Highway," developed by the

  Computer Learning Foundation with a grant from Apple

* a letter from Apple Computer that includes information on how

  to order additional materials, replace missing items, and receive

  technical assistance for the presentation CD

Attendees receive a free Family Activity Guide from Apple and Scholastic. The guide features activities, ideas and tips that families might consider to enrich the computing experience.

Participating schools are automatically entered into the Family Computing Workshop Sweepstakes by mailing in the workshop evaluation form. Sweepstake prizes include Apple Macintosh computers, Apple QuickTake cameras, and Apple Color Stylewriter printers. A random drawing will take place in February 1997. Winners need not be present.

How to Host a Workshop

In order to host a workshop, schools must have the following equipment: a Macintosh with eight megabytes of RAM and a double speed CD-ROM drive, a VCR and a large-screen projection device. In the future, the Bring Learning Home Alliance plans to extend the workshops to community centers, clubs and organizations. For information, or to register for a Workshop, call 1-800-365-7080, ext. 200.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customer in over 140 countries.

Computer Learning Foundation is an international nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the quality of children's learning and preparation for the workplace through the use of technology. The Foundation offers a number of resource materials for parents and educators, including software review guides, parent guides and teaching materials, and videos. For additional information, or to receive a copy of their annual guide, Computer Learning Software Review, at no charge, contact the Computer Learning Foundation: Department AHL, P.O. Box 60007, Palo Alto, CA 94306-0007, (415) 327-3347.

The National Geographic Society is the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization. It was founded in 1888 to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge. Today, in addition to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE and WORLD magazine, it continues to support that mission by providing teachers and parents with exciting new ways to bring geography, history and science into the classroom and home. For more information, please call (800) 368-2728. After June 20, 1996, the National Geographic Society's Internet address is: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/.

PBS is a private, nonprofit corporation owned and operated by the nation's 345 public television stations. An important community resource, PBS and its member stations use the power of noncommercial television to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs, and education services that inform, inspire and delight. For more information write 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314, visit PBS ONLINE at http://www.pbs.org, or call (708) 739-5000.

Scholastic, Inc. is committed to producing multimedia resources that tie directly to the curriculum to enhance your child's learning experience. Scholastic offers one of the broadest selections of education software on the market today through its Software and Books Clubs and Technology Fairs. For additional information or to receive a free software catalog, please call (800) 724-6527, that's 800 SCHOLAS (TIC).

NOTES TO EDITORS: (1) A report on the findings of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT), a research project that investigated the relationship between technology and learning, is available by calling 1-800-825-2145. The report is entitled "Changing the Conversation About Teaching, Learning and Technology: A Report on Ten Years of ACOT Research." The part number is L01567A. To order the report electronically, see ACOT's Web site at the following address: http://www.atg.apple.com/acot.index/html. (2) If you are interested in receiving Apple press releases by fax call 1-800-AAPL-FAX (1-800-227-5329) and enter your PIN number. If you do not have a PIN number, please call the Public Relations Hotline at (408) 974-2042. If you would like to receive Apple press releases by email, please send an email message to pressrel@thing2.info.apple.com. Include the text "subscribe [your full name]" in the body of the message.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Apple & Motorola Develop China PowerPC Mkt
Apple and Motorola Step Up Momentum of PowerPC Systems and Mac OS Platform in China

Companies Launch Joint Education Software Development Program in China

Beijing, China - March 29, 1996 - Apple Computer International Ltd. and Motorola, Inc. today announced joint strategies to develop the PowerPC market in China, with a significant focus on education. The companies strategies' underscore their commitment to helping China by providing the tools to develop its own resources and achieve its goal of building a world-class software industry.

The two companies will focus on developing the Chinese market through strategic relationships with members of the Chinese hardware and software industries. Also, Nanjing Power Computing Ltd., Motorola Computer Group's joint venture with Panda Electronics Group in China, will start production of Mac (OS compatible PowerPC desktop systems later this year.

"Motorola's manufacturing capabilities and strong brand awareness in China, coupled with Apple's recognized leadership role in the education market, uniquely position us to grow PowerPC technology and the Mac OS in this globally influential developing market," noted Dr. Kenneth Kin, Vice President and Director of Asia Pacific/Japan Operations for Motorola Computer Group. "We are committed to increasing Mac OS market share growth and to offering more supplier choice for Chinese users in education and at home."

"PowerPC microprocessor-based Macintosh desktop systems running the Mac OS are uniquely suited to serve the Chinese market in the education and consumer areas," said Robin Abrams, Managing Director of Apple Asia. "We are delighted to be working with partners like Motorola and the Chinese government as part of Apple's drive into the education market in China."

Joint Software Developer Program

Apple and Motorola are cooperating in a joint education software development program to spur the development of curriculum software tuned to the needs of Chinese teachers and students in primary and secondary schools. Apple plans to work with the National Center for Audio-Visual Education to create multimedia-rich resources, such as text, clip-art, video and music, for use in teaching a wide range of subjects, including social sciences, languages, mathematics and Chinese culture. Separately, Apple is working with several universities that specialize in training teachers, including the Eastern China Normal University in Shanghai, to set up centers to instruct teachers on how to create curriculum software on Macintosh computers. With the resources and easy-to-use development tools, the teachers will be able to create "courseware" specifically targeted at China.

"At Apple, we believe teachers are the best developers for curriculum software," said Vincent Tai, General Manager of Apple China. "We are confident that China's teachers will quickly adapt the multimedia resources to create compelling learning solutions for use in the classroom." Motorola and Apple will both contribute to the software development program by providing PowerPC microprocessor-based Macintoshes for content development, as well as development training and support.

"China represents a huge educational PC market opportunity - in 1995, there were more than 200 million Chinese children between the ages of five and 14," said Dr. Kin. "The Mac OS is the world's preferred platform for learning, and Panda will be able to support the low-cost education and home markets with systems assembled in Nanjing."

Motorola's Computer Group (MCG) reiterated today that Nanjing Power Computing Ltd., its joint venture with Panda Electronics Group in China, will start production of Mac OS compatible PowerPC desktop systems later this year. The move follows last month's announcement of MCG's agreement with Apple Computer, Inc. to license the Mac OS operating system. This licensing agreement applies to version 7.5.x and includes access to the next major release of the operating system. MCG is the first licensee to be able to sub-license the Mac OS with its motherboards and private-label systems to the OEM marketplace. Motorola will sell, support and service Mac OS compatible PowerPC desktop systems, positioning MCG as a premier supplier of PowerPC platforms.

In China, this will benefit computer customers by providing them additional sources for Mac OS compatible systems, and a broader range of feature-set, price, support and distributed choices. It also provides China's growing Mac OS software developer community with an exciting business opportunity for existing as well as for new markets.

The Motorola licensing agreement is another step in Apple's transition to a broadly open licensing model. Since it first announced its intention to license the Mac OS in September 1994, Apple has committed itself to creating a successful business opportunity for its licensees and has followed a two-phase strategy. In the first phase, Apple has focused its efforts on a relatively small number of licensees, in order to provide them with the level of technical support they needed to successfully implement Apple's proprietary hardware design.

Apple is now moving into the second phase of its licensing strategy, made possible by the availability of the PowerPC Platform specification. This open hardware architecture based on the powerful PowerPC RISC microprocessor enables an open, flexible licensing model. The PowerPC Platform is a set of specifications that defines a unified personal computer architecture and brings the combined advantages of the Power Macintosh platform and the standard PC environment to both system vendors and users.

Today's announcement is another strong sign of the industry momentum and the unique technological potential of the PowerPC microprocessor, jointly designed by the Apple, IBM, and Motorola alliance.

Apple Computer International Ltd., based in Hong Kong, is one of three subsidiaries that comprise Apple's fastest growing division - Apple Pacific. Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, on-line services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector (SPS) fully supports a broad- based family of scalable, high-performance PowerPC microprocessors for the Mac OS operating environment. In addition to the microprocessor family, SPS provides comprehensive support for building computer solutions based on the PowerPC Platform including system and software development tools, compatible chip sets, reference design systems and open firmware. Motorola SPS will expand on these offerings to include support for the Mac-compatible market.

The Motorola Computer Group is a worldwide hardware and software platform supplier to companies that provide computer solutions. MCG is comprised of three areas of focus: embedded technologies, technical OEM systems and commercial systems. MCG's strategy is to deliver high-performance PowerPC platforms and solutions for Windows NT, Mac OS, AIX, and Solaris operating systems for targeted areas such as graphics-intensive applications, multimedia and the Internet.

MCG corporate headquarters, along with regional headquarters for Latin America, are located in Tempe, Ariz. Regional European headquarters are located in Maidenhead, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany. European channel headquarters are located in Paris, France. Headquarters for MCG's Asia Pacific region are located in Hong Kong.

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems, components, and services. Major equipment businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics, and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices, computers and millions of other products. Motorola's 1995 sales were $27 billion.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800- 462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/

Motorola home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.mot.com/PowerPC/

Motorola Computer Group's home page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.mot.com/computer/


Apple Game Sprockets Swr Development Kit
Apple Game Sprockets to Enable Cutting-Edge Multimedia and Internet Games on the Macintosh

CUPERTINO, California--March 29, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced the first developer release of Apple Game Sprockets--a new, software development kit (SDK) to create advanced multimedia and Internet-enabled games for Mac OS-based computers. Using this SDK, all Mac OS-compatible games can feature real-time 3D graphics, 3D sound, Internet support, speech recognition, and input device/monitor control.

Available royalty-free to all developers, Game Sprockets profoundly simplifies the creation of Apple Macintosh entertainment software. Game Sprockets includes the final release of QuickDraw 3D RAVE (Rendering Acceleration Virtual Engine), a multi-platform technology that enables game developers to incorporate plug-and-play 3D acceleration hardware.

Apple has established a World Wide Web site to provide developers quick release and updates of these new technologies. The Web site is at http://www.dev.apple.com/games and will be open beginning March 31, 1996.

Apple Game Sprockets--named to reflect the extensible nature of the SDK--is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) designed to work seamlessly with other Apple multimedia technologies such as QuickTime, QuickTime VR, QuickTime Conferencing, and QuickDraw 3D. Developers can "mix-and-match" individual sprockets to best enhance and complement the existing features of their title.

Using Apple Game Sprockets, a typical "twitch" game could take on new realism and excitement with the addition of real-time 3D graphics and 3D stereo sound that reacts to the player's location and movement. A new interface makes it easy for games to implement advanced joystick features. If desired, this game might also include speech recognition, multi-player contests across the Internet, videoconferencing, and animation. Best of all, these games can be created and enjoyed on any PowerPC-based Macintosh computer.

"Apple's Game Sprockets SDK provides incredible sound, faster graphics and smoother video, by using the powerful floating-point circuitry built into all Motorola PowerPC microprocessors," said Stan Tims, group marketing manager of Motorola's RISC microprocessor division in Austin, Texas. "Users of 3D game, Internet, multimedia, education and entertainment software can expect thrilling new application effects, enhancing and extending the capabilities of any Power Macintosh system."

The current Apple Game Sprockets SDK includes:

 NetSprocket--Internet connectivity and multi-player gaming API

 SoundSprocket--3D sound and Sound Manager API

 SpeechSprocket--speech recognition API

 InputSprocket--digital joystick control and input device API

 DrawSprocket--multiple buffering/display control API

 QuickDraw 3D RAVE--fast, multi-platform 3D graphics API

"Apple has combined a number of unique technologies in this development kit, with the corporate backing necessary to make it a success," said Louise Biggs, director, desktop graphics and multimedia for International Data Corporation, and one of the authors of the new 3D games market analysis. "We were impressed with the wide range of unique features being offered in Game Sprockets, especially the 3D cross platform capabilities and voice recognition technologies. This SDK should enable developers to create new titles for the Macintosh that are very competitive in the marketplace and help drive overall sales of Apple computers."

"Games represent a key market segment where Apple can leverage its traditional strengths in multimedia technology," said Heidi Roizen, vice president of developer relations at Apple. "Game Sprockets will enable developers to easily add exciting new features to their titles that showcase the Macintosh platform. We firmly believe that our unique technology--combined with dedicated developer support -- will give Macintosh customers the best new games on any platform."

A number of leading Macintosh and PC game developers are already evaluating Apple Game Sprockets for use in their titles, including Bungie Software, Interplay Productions, LucasArts Entertainment Company, PF. Magic, and Reality Bytes, Inc.

The development release of Apple Game Sprockets will be available on the World Wide Web starting March 31, 1996, concurrent with the Computer Game Developers Conference (March 31-April 2, 1996) in Santa Clara, California. Apple will be hosting a number of discussion groups at the show on these technologies, with engineers also available at the booth to answer developer questions.

"The business of making great games is a classic example of evolution--you get cooler quick, or you get left behind," said Ben Calica, senior product manager of game technologies at Apple. "Our job is to provide developers with unique, game-centric technology that shows off the power of the Macintosh by helping them create the hottest titles on the market. For most developers, the Macintosh versions of their games are already the best on any platform -- now we want to help them widen the gap even further with Game Sprockets."

Apple Game Sprockets Technical Details

NETSPROCKET

NetSprocket provides standard, customizable user interface dialogs for configuration, log-in, and hosting a game across the network. A simple set of calls allows messages to be singlecast, multicast or broadcast to other machines within the game. A theoretical maximum of 2 billion users can simultaneously use NetSprocket across a broadband connection.

NetSprocket also provides transparent access to Internet-oriented gameplay and multi-player gaming. This API uses Open Transport for TCP/IP, AppleTalk (with support for LocalTalk, EtherTalk or TokenTalk) and modem communication access. By utilizing a client/server topology, it is possible for gamers to use multiple protocols in a single session and with minimal overhead (a total of 28 bytes are used per player for the message header). NetSprocket also support the creation of groups for broadcast of data to specific users across the network.

SOUNDSPROCKET

SoundSprocket incorporates a standardized API for accessing both traditional sound functions as well as new 3D sound technologies developed by Apple. For 3D sound, the listener and each sound channel are given specific positions and velocity vectors in a virtual audio space. These positions are changed during game play, along with the sounds themselves, to give the impression of spatiality and movement.

The signal processing, taking advantage of the capabilities of the PowerPC microprocessor, simulates Doppler Effect, distance attenuation, environmental reverberation and spatial positioning. The 3D effect may be effectively presented over speakers or headphones--it is also fully integrated with the camera position used in QuickDraw 3D, which enables sound to "follow" the player in 3D space.

INPUTSPROCKET

InputSprocket provides a compact API through which games can communicate with drivers for analog or digital joysticks and other game-oriented input devices in a plug and play fashion. It also provides user interface elements that allow player override of the default control options through specified dialog boxes. Mouse and keyboard support are also enabled, as are multiple input device support.

DRAWSPROCKET

DrawSprocket allows developers to easily utilize multiple (double or triple) buffering on the Macintosh for smooth display of graphic images. Multiple buffering is achieved by DrawSprocket using the best option available on the user's system--true double buffering in hardware, page-flipping, efficient memory copies or through the traditional CopyBits function call. The game does not need to be aware of the hardware specifics to use this benefit.

DrawSprocket also enables configuration of display resolution or color depth without leaving the game environment (no need to access the sound and displays control panel) and screen sizing/blanking. A sprite engine, available through QuickTime, may also be used in tandem with DrawSprocket.

SPEECHSPROCKET

Based on Apple's PlainTalk technology, this API allows developers to easily include high-quality speech recognition in their game titles.

QUICKDRAW 3D RAVE

Recently announced as the first component of Apple Game Sprockets, RAVE enables developers to transparently access 3D graphics accelerators for maximum speed and throughput while also providing exceptional 3D rendering speed in software. RAVE lets game developers leverage their existing rendering technologies--a key issue for vendors seeking to differentiate their content. RAVE is shipping now for Power Macintosh and Microsoft Windows 95, with a Windows NT version due in April 1996.

The initial release of Apple Game Sprockets will be delivered at the Computer Game Developers Conference on March 31, 1996--a final version is expected by mid-second quarter. Apple Game Sprockets will be issued via the internet at http://www.dev.apple.com/games.

Contact Information

Game developers interested in learning more about Apple Game Sprockets should email Mark Gavini, Macintosh games evangelist, at gavini@apple.com. Product marketing information may be obtained from Ben Calica, senior product manager, at calica@apple.com. For more information about home entertainment solutions, contact Yves Martin, manager for home entertainment solutions at martin.y@applelink.apple.com.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customer in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800- 462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Allied Telesyn Fiber ATM/Ethernet Switch
Allied Telesyn Introduces New Fiber ATM/Ethernet Switch

BOTHELL, WASH., APRIL 1, 1996 - Allied Telesyn International today announced the introduction of the AT-4016F, a 10BASE-FL ATM/Ethernet access switch. This fiber-based switch, one of the first on the market, provides direct connectivity between fiber multimode Ethernet LANs and high-speed ATM networks.

The AT-4016F switch has 16 10BASE-FL ports, offering a dedicated 10Mbps connection to desktops or servers and a modular 155Mbps, OC-3c/STM-1, ATM uplink port. The modular port can accept several ATM media options including multimode fiber, Category 5 unshielded twisted pair or single mode fiber interfaces. The product provides customizable store-and-forward as well as cut-through switching capabilities.

LAN Emulation and Virtual LAN Capabilities

Through the ATM interface, the AT-4016F can be connected directly to the ATM backbone and perform as a LAN Emulation client. To provide efficient Ethernet-to-ATM communications, the product implements ATM Forum LAN Emulation 1.0 specifications, assembling Ethernet packets from legacy LANs into ATM cells which are forwarded across a high-speed ATM network via an ATM backbone switch. The product also provides integral LAN emulation client software that interoperates with an external LAN Emulation Service for address resolution, data forwarding, broadcast, and multicast.

This switch enables network managers to create virtual workgroups of distributed Ethernet users who can communicate and access resources across a high-speed ATM backbone network. Using software to create logical as opposed to physical LANs, switched virtual networking reduces network management complexity and overall support costs, and provides increased performance for new high-bandwidth applications. Unlike many of the competitors' offerings, the VLAN capability can be defined by port or by MAC address, providing greater virtual LAN flexiblity.

Simplified Network Management

To reduce network management complexity and further increase efficiency, this switch supports 64 virtual LANs, over 2,048 Ethernet/ATM MAC addresses, and 1,024 switched virtual circuits. The AT-4016F also supports 802.1 Spanning Tree Protocol, automatically handling loops and redundant links.

Software upgrades to support the latest ATM-standard capabilities or new Allied Telesyn product feature releases can be performed easily over the network using the TFTP protocol or a plug-in PCMCIA Flash memory card on the front panel of the switch.

The AT-4016F incorporates both Telnet and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) network management capabilities, giving users the flexibility to manage networks remotely from a low-cost terminal or a workstation running SNMP-based network management software, such as HP OpenView, SunNet Manager, or IBM NetView.

"Allied Telesyn is dedicated to supporting the broadest range of media types in all our products categories," said Alan Menezes, Product Marketing Director. "With the introduction of the AT-4016F, we are one of the first vendors in the market to introduce a fiber-based Ethernet/ATM access switch."

The Company

Allied Telesyn International, incorporated in 1987, is a worldwide provider of sophisticated LAN connectivity components, including Ethernet network adapter cards; intelligent Ethernet stackable hubs and switches; Ethernet access switches for ATM networks; and media products such as transceivers, fanouts, repeaters, and unmanaged hubs. Allied Telesyn also offers a full line of network management software for Windows, Macintosh, and major UNIX platforms. The company is committed to providing the lowest cost of network ownership through competitive pricing, high reliability, and comprehensive product support and service.

Allied Telesyn has sales offices throughtout the United States. Its main U.S. offices and facilities are located in Sunnyvale, California and Bothell, Washington. Outside of the United States, Allied Telesyn has sales and operations offices and manufacturing facilities in the Pacific Rim, and subsidiaries in France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and Canada. It also has affiliates, Allied Telesis K.K. (ATKK), in Japan, and Allied Telesyn International (Asia) Pte. Ltd (ATA), Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong.

Detailed information on Allied Telesyn and its products is available on its World Wide Web site located at http://www.alliedtelesyn.com.


AT&T WorldNet Customers Get CIS Access
AT&T WorldNet Service customers to get CompuServe access at a discount

APRIL 3, 1996 -- BASKING EDITOR, N.J. -- AT&T and CompuServe Incorporated today announced that they have agreed to provide customers of AT&T WorldNet Service, which offers value-added access to the Internet, access to the vast array of content and services on the CompuServeR Information Service.

AT&T will feature and promote CompuServe and will take steps to make CompuServe software available to AT&T WorldNet Service customers beginning this summer.

CompuServe will be priced at a reduced rate for all customers who access the service through AT&T WorldNet Service. Pricing for CompuServe through AT&T WorldNet Service will be announced at a later date.

"By putting CompuServe's high-quality global content and international services in easy reach of AT&T WorldNet Service customers, AT&T is making good on its pledge to provide an innovative package of services, including local, long-distance, wireless and online offers," said AT&T Chairman Robert E. Allen.

Allen said that AT&T customers increasingly view the Internet as not only a major resource for information, services and communications, but also as a way of reaching useful and interesting subscription content and communities of interest.

AT&T and CompuServe have a long-standing relationship. They have been working together since late last year to bring CompuServe content to AT&T customers, initially through a plan to provide connectivity between AT&T NetWare Connect Service and CompuServe Information Service. The two companies are now implementing a much broader relationship, expanding it to the AT&T WorldNet Service, which includes consumer and business Internet offerings over both dial access and LAN access.

More than 360,000 consumer and business customers have requested dial access software for AT&T WorldNet Service in the five weeks since AT&T began taking orders for the service, which began operations March 14. This unprecedented response has been so great that AT&T has had to carefully regulate distribution of access software to ensure a high-level of customer support. Shipments of access software have been steadily increasing as AT&T adds staff to its customer care centers.

AT&T WorldNet Service makes possible "the Internet for Everyone," with directories and topical areas to help people find useful information, guided tours for newcomers, navigational aids for users of all skill levels, and electronic mail. While AT&T WorldNet Service will work with most of today's popular Internet browsers, an AT&T-branded version of the Netscape NavigatorR browser software, preconfigured for easy installation, is available to subscribers at no extra charge. The service also includes an AT&T toll-free, 24-hour hotline and worldclass customer care.

For more information on AT&T WorldNet Service, customers may call 1-800-WORLDNET, or preview the AT&T WorldNet Service home page at http://www.att.com/worldnet.

CompuServe offers access to its ForumR areas, chat, leading-edge electronic communications tools, online publications and databases, hardware and software support and more than 3,000 other services.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 900 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.

To get more information or subscribe to Worldnet Service, customers may call

Customer Service

1-800-WORLDNET.

Visit the WorldNet website.

Send email to info@worldnet.att.net.


AT&T College Network Job-Search Tools
AT&T College Network provides job-search links, expert advice

APRIL 3, 1996 -- BASKING RIDGE, N.J. -- Eight out of 10 college students say they are likely to use the Internet as a job-search tool, according to a recent AT&T poll of 1,000 students nationwide. To make their searches easier, AT&T today launched a new Internet Web site that provides college students links to job-search and other college-related Internet sites.

Called the "AT&T College Network" (http://www.att.com/college/), the site offers students links to popular Internet job-search sites, as well as weekly job-search and career tips from Bradley Richardson, author of the national best-selling book, JobSmarts for Twentysomethings. It also offers links to academic sites -- researched and arranged by subject -- and links to games, free software and "shareware" sites, and information on AT&T services.

Visitors to the site also will be able to register to win $5,000 cash and a trip to the 1997 national men's college basketball championship.

"Survey results show that more than 80 percent of college students have free access to the Internet while at school and that they're using the 'Net to help them get ahead," said Earl Roach, AT&T college market manager. "The AT&T College Network will provide these students with one-stop access to the job-hunting and career information they want and need."

"To get hired today, it takes more than just working hard; it takes working smart," said Richardson. "The Internet can be a powerful career tool. It can provide job-seekers with access to vital information about industry trends, companies and contacts -- information that can make them better-prepared job candidates."

Other results of the AT&T poll show that 95 percent of college students surveyed feel that their ability to use the latest communications and information technology will give them an advantage over others competing for the same job.

Students also say they will rely on communications technologies, such as electronic mail and wireless communications, when looking for a job. More than 80 percent say they are likely to use electronic mail; 43 percent say they are likely to use a cellular phone; and 36 percent say they are likely to use a pager in their job searches.

Students who do not have access to the Internet while at school or who want their own Internet access accounts, can subscribe to AT&T WorldNet service and get five free hours a month for a year if they are an AT&T long-distance customer. For more information, students can call 1-800-WORLDNET.

Bradley G. Richardson

Bradley G. Richardson, 29, is an author, professional speaker, entrepreneur, consultant, and top sales and marketing executive. His book, JobSmarts for Twentysomethings (published by Vintage, a division of Random House, 1995) offers young up-and-comers a "cut-to-the-chase" script for career success.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 with a B.A. in Communication, Richardson entered the on-line information industry with an aggressive high-tech company owned by Dow Jones & Company and Forbes 400 Billionaire Ed Gaylord. At Datatimes, Richardson sold on-line information to top executives at Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies and media in New York. His clients included Pepsi, Philip Morris, Texaco, Hill & Knowlton, Grey Advertising, Major League Baseball, ESPN, NYNEX, CBS, ABC News, Time, The New York Times, and Met Life, among others.

In 1995, he became president of The BGR Group Inc., his own training and consulting firm that helps corporations to better recruit, train and retain twentysomething employees.

Richardson has presented as guest lecturer, keynote speaker and consultant to colleges and universities, conferences, and corporations around the country. Richardson speaks to students, recent graduates and young professionals about JobSmarts, creative job searching, what to expect during the first year on the job, how to improve communication and organizational skills, how to be a leader on the job and in the business community, and how to effectively use technology as a job- search and career tool.

Richardson, a former collegiate tennis player, is married and lives in Dallas, Texas.

To get more information or subscribe to Worldnet Service, call:

Customer Service

1-800-WORLDNET

Visit the WorldNet website.

Send email to info@worldnet.att.net.


Lead Story AT&T Business Network WWW Site
Lead Story is first web-based service from AT&T Business Network

APRIL 2, 1996 -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- AT&T today launched Lead Story, the first of a series of World Wide Web sites from AT&T Business Network designed to serve the needs of business managers, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Lead Story provides busy professionals with an in-depth view of one major business or general-interest story per day, drawing from all the journalistic and background sources on the Web. Lead Story can be accessed through the URL http://www.leadstory.com.

Lead Story features links to news from a wide variety of Web sources, plus analysis, opinion, background materials and other information that helps give professionals the broadest possible perspective on a major story. By organizing and presenting this content in one place, Lead Story lets professionals spend valuable time digesting and acting on important information, rather than seeking it out. Examples of Lead Story topics include the federal budget showdown, Internet censorship, China's controversial military exercises and the landmark tobacco industry settlement.

A product of AT&T's New Media Services unit, AT&T Business Network is a comprehensive online information service for business professionals, and is currently hosted on AT&T Interchange Online Network, an advanced publishing platform. By the end of 1996, the Web will be the primary delivery vehicle for AT&T Business Network content, as the AT&T Interchange platform will be phased out. Lead Story is the first of a number of Web-based business information services from AT&T Business Network that will launch over the next few months.

By selecting links to only the best and most original material, and augmenting it with summaries, information graphics and other helpful visuals, we are providing a complete, "one-stop shopping" view of a major story," said Michael E. Kolowich, president of AT&T New Media Services. "With Lead Story, whether you give us as little as five minutes or as much as an hour, we'll give you the most comprehensive briefing available today on the Web. Any serious professional should bookmark Lead Story and check it every day -- it's a big time-saver."

Lead Story topics are archived for several days after they appear. Lead Story is updated at noon Eastern time every business day, plus Saturday. Lead Story is a free site; registration is not required and there are no subscription fees charged.

AT&T recently announced the Introductory Advertising Program for Lead Story and the other AT&T Business Network services launching on the Web this Spring and Summer. The Introductory Advertising Program offers advertisers competitively-priced, guaranteed impressions-based packages for reaching a high-quality audience of business professionals on the Web. The first companies advertising on Lead Story include Toyota and MasterCard International.

For more information on advertising opportunities on AT&T Business Network Web sites or to obtain an advertising rate card, contact Network 1.0, the interactive ad representation firm handling ad sales, at the following numbers. East Coast companies should contact Leslie Laredo, executive vice president, at 617-441-5536 or network1ad@aol.com. West Coast and Mid-West companies should contact either Ted West, president, at 415-435-5638 or tedwest@linex.com, or Jeff Cohen, senior vice president, at 415-342-7698 or jefco@aol.com.

Based in Cambridge, Mass., AT&T New Media Services is part of AT&T's initiative to develop a series of AT&T-branded online information services, targeted at business and professional markets.

AT&T Corp., a global communications and computer company, operates the world's largest and most advanced long-distance network and provides communications services and products, as well as network equipment and computer systems, to businesses, consumers, telecommunications services providers and government agencies.


AT&T WorldNet Now Accepts Ads on Website
AT&T WorldNet Service will now accept ads on its website

MARCH 27, 1996 -- NEW YORK, N.Y. -- AT&T today announced that it is accepting advertising on AT&T WorldNet Service, the value-added Internet service that has attracted more than a quarter-million requests for access software in the last month.

Thirteen companies are participating in an AT&T WorldNet Service advertising preview in connection with the advertising program. They are Delta Air Lines, JCPenney, and MasterCard International, represented by Modem Media, a leading interactive marketing and advertising company; Discovery Channel, Duracell, and The Cox Communications Atlanta Games site, represented by i-traffic, Inc., a leader in media planning tools and services for Internet advertising; Adobe Systems, Inc., The HomeArts online network from Hearst New Media & Technology, a division of The Hearst Corporation; National Basketball Association, Sony Electronics, Personal Information Co., 1-800-FLOWERS, Frontier Technologies, and MCA/Universal.

Advertisers on AT&T WorldNet Service will receive highly competitive industry rates, preferred ad locations and a guaranteed audience of AT&T customers, many of whom will be AT&T long-distance customers as well.

"AT&T WorldNet Service advertisers will have the distinct advantage of displaying their ads in front of the Internet's most sought-after advertising audience: AT&T customers," said Tom Evslin, AT&T vice president for AT&T WorldNet Service. "The service's design is visually pleasing, friendly, and carries the brand tradition of AT&T. The advertising opportunities on our service will help companies realize their goal of extending their marketing into the growing Internet audience."

A charter advertising package is available for AT&T WorldNet Service through the end of April. Charter advertisers will have banner ads placed in a sequential queue on the "At Home" or "At Work" home page throughout the charter period as well as owning exclusive sponsorship of one of the 22 targeted content category pages (as available). The home page queue will have a maximum of 22 advertisers. The charter package, competitively priced at $30,000, guarantees 1 million impressions over a display period of April 29-July 28. Advertisers who sign up now will have the opportunity to display their ads during the month of April gratis. Other charter advertiser benefits include: Special discounted rates through 1996, unique advertising and co- marketing opportunities; and sponsor index inclusion.

Advertisers on AT&T WorldNet Service will have a wide variety of effective placement categories including fourteen "At Home" and seven "At Work" category pages covering a wide variety of subject areas for targeted advertising. Other advertising opportunities include content category logos; box/banner combinations for tertiary pages, and box/banner combinations for premium space, which includes placements in "Today's Features," "Celebrity Spotlights," Search, Directories, and "My World." All of the categories and available ad space are listed on the attached rate card.

HomeArts (http://homearts.com/), the leading online content provider for information about the home, which is owned by Hearst New Media & Technology, will be among the advertisers to appear on AT&T WorldNet Service advertising preview.

"We are very excited about AT&T WorldNet Service," explains Brian Sroub, Vice President of Marketing for Hearst New Media & Technology. "Their service makes it easier for mainstream consumers to access the Internet, and HomeArts' content -- with its articles and forums about cooking, gardening, relationships and decorating -- is very much geared toward this mainstream audience."

For more information on the AT&T WorldNet Service Advertising Program or to obtain a rate card, please contact 1-888-ADS-4-ATT (1-888-237-4288).

AT&T WorldNet Service provides a new "front door to the Internet" -- directories and topical areas to help people find useful information, guided tours for newcomers, navigational aids for users of all skill levels, and electronic mail. While AT&T WorldNet Service will work with most of today's popular Internet browsers, an AT&T-branded version of the Netscape Navigator browser software, from Netscape Communications Corp., is available to subscribers at no extra charge. The service also includes a world-class, toll-free 24-hour hotline.

For more information on AT&T WorldNet Service, customers may call 1-800-WORLDNET, or preview the AT&T WorldNet Service home page at http://www.att.com/worldnet/.

To get information about the AT&T WorldNet Service Advertising Program or a rate card, please contact 1-888-ADS-4-ATT (1-888-237-4288).

To find out about or subscribe to AT&T WorldNet Service, customers may:

Call 1-800-WORLDNET

Send mail to info@worldnet.att.net

Preview the WorldNet Service web site.


Attachmate EXTRA! Connector Msg'ng Solutions
ATTACHMATE PROVIDES ENTERPRISE-WIDE LAN-TO-HOST MESSAGING SOLUTIONS FOR MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER

Microsoft Exchange Server and Attachmate EXTRA! Connectors help customers seamlessly integrate PROFS, OfficeVision, and SNADS with Microsoft Exchange.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. - Attachmate - The Intranet Company - announced today that it will provide comprehensive LAN-to-host messaging and scheduling connectivity solutions to IBM host-based office systems users. Attachmate's EXTRA! Connector product suite offers the only products available to help large organizations migrate from host-based office systems to Microsoft Exchange Server. The products, EXTRA! Connector for PROFS/OV and EXTRA! Connector for SNADS, provide messaging and scheduling connectivity between LAN-based systems and IBM host-based office systems including PROFS, OfficeVision, SNADS and Verimation Memo. By combining Microsoft Exchange Server and the Attachmate EXTRA! Connectors, companies get all the tools necessary to seamlessly move from traditional host-based messaging servers to Microsoft Windows NT operating system-based Microsoft Exchange servers.

"Attachmate is a leading vendor for Microsoft desktop messaging and scheduling connectivity requirements to and from IBM host applications," said Rob Shurtleff, general manager, Microsoft Exchange Server Connectivity at Microsoft Corp. "Attachmate's EXTRA! Connectors are important products for Exchange Server and for large enterprise accounts that need to link host messaging systems to Microsoft Exchange."

"The EXTRA! Connectors for PROFS/OV and SNADS add yet another important component to our complete package of Intranet communications solutions," said Larry Zito, executive vice president of products at Attachmate Corporation. "Our goal is to give companies access to information across virtually any collection of enterprise and Internet systems, including LAN-to-host messaging and scheduling connectivity. The Attachmate EXTRA! Connectors preserve enterprise host data access, allowing corporations currently running systems such as PROFS to confidently embrace the Exchange platform."

"It is impossible to completely eliminate our host-based PROFS messaging systems as we deploy Microsoft Exchange Server," said Tom Webb, manager, electronic messaging for Shell Services Corporation. "Shell needed a strong integration facility to ease the transition. The Microsoft/Attachmate integrated solution, EXTRA! Connector for PROFS/OV, allowed us to start deploying our next-generation LAN-based messaging system while maintaining mission critical access to IBM host resources."

The EXTRA! Connector products are gateways that run on Windows NT-based servers. Both products encapsulate Microsoft Exchange messages across the host messaging backbone without loss of data integrity. They provide confirmation of delivery and read status, and support OfficeVision notes, attachments, and documents. The EXTRA! Connector products can reside on the same machine as Microsoft Exchange Server, and require no host code.

The EXTRA! Connector for PROFS/OV allows Microsoft Exchange Server clients to transparently share information, and schedule meetings in real-time with PROFS and OfficeVision/VM users. The EXTRA! Connector for PROFS/OV is the only solution that provides real-time, bi-directional scheduling between PROFS/OfficeVision and Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Schedule+. The EXTRA! Connector for SNADS allows users of Microsoft Exchange Server to transparently send and receive electronic mail information to and from users on IBM MVS and AS/400 messaging systems such as OfficeVision/MVS, OfficeVision/400, and Verimation MEMO.

Microsoft recommends Attachmate's EXTRA! Connectors for PROFS/OV and SNADS to all IBM host office systems users planning on implementing Microsoft Exchange Server. In addition, Microsoft and Attachmate are combining field efforts to help corporate customers understand and evaluate the EXTRA! Connector solutions. Attachmate has trained systems engineers to provide technical support to sales forces at both Microsoft and Attachmate. In return, Microsoft's Enterprise Customer Unit is building an Intranet home page to provide EXTRA! Connector products marketing and technical information to its entire sales force. Consulting Services at both companies will help enterprise customers architect seamless transitions from PROFS to Microsoft Exchange Server. In addition, Attachmate and Microsoft are working together to present the combined solution to enterprise customers at their respective Executive Briefing Centers.

Attachmate and Microsoft also selected key Solution Providers that provide professional consulting services to enterprise customers needing help implementing migration paths from PROFS to Microsoft Exchange Server. These Solution Providers are: New Technology Partners, Compucom, and 3S Software. Each company is certified on the Microsoft BackOffice family, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Attachmate EXTRA! Connectors and has in-depth experience servicing large client organizations with critical host connectivity needs.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The EXTRA! Connector for PROFS list at a US$ price of $12,500, which consists of single server license and 250 client access licenses. Additional client licenses are available in 250 client access user packs at a US$ price list of $12,500. The product will be generally available on April 4, 1996.

The EXTRA! Connector for SNADS list at a US price of $12,000, and is based on a per server license. Additional licenses are required for each downstream Exchange Server at a list price of $2,000 per additional server. The product is expected to ship within 30 days of general availability of Microsoft Exchange Server.

ATTACHMATE - THE INTRANET COMPANY

Attachmate is a leading provider of high quality universal information access software and services that help organizations build secure Intranets. The company's object-oriented client, server, authoring tool and management software safely link enterprise systems, Internet systems and people. These solutions allow desktop and mobile users to transparently access, manage and share any business information inside or outside the organization. The Company leverages its 14 years of corporate expertise in enterprise and Internet technologies by providing comprehensive and knowledgeable customer consulting and support services in more than 30 countries to help organizations build high-performance and secure Intranet client/server systems. Attachmate is ranked as the sixth largest PC software company in the world according to Softletter. The company employs over 2,000 people worldwide.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Wash. at (206) 644-4010 or toll free (800) 426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com.


Attachmate QuickApp with CA-Visual Realia
ATTACHMATE TO DELIVER 3270 TOOLS FOR COMPUTER ASSOCIATES' COBOL CLIENT/SERVER ENVIRONMENTS AS A MEMBER OF CA'S DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Attachmate's QuickApp offers integration with CA-Visual Realia to deliver a total solution for COBOL-to-Client/Server migration

BELLEVUE, WASH. -- Attachmate - The Intranet Company - today announced a partnership with Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA) to provide support for CA-Visual Realia in QuickApp, Attachmate Corporation's revolutionary graphical client-to-host development tool. CA-Visual Realia is a fully integrated client/server tool that allows COBOL programmers to easily create mission-critical graphical applications. Attachmate's QuickApp extends this capability by easily incorporating host screen-based information into these new client/server applications while eliminating the need to write communications code.

QuickApp support for CA-Visual Realia will be available for Windows 3.1 (using CA-Visual Realia version 1.0) and for Windows 95 with full OCX support (using CA-Visual Realia version 2.0). Under the partnership, Attachmate has become a member of CA's Development Partnership Program, which has been recently expanded to include CA-Visual Realia. Attachmate is the first member under the CA-Visual Realia umbrella.

"Many COBOL developers have been asking for 3270 connectivity support as part of the client/server migration process in CA-Visual Realia," said Marc Sokol vice president of advanced technologies at Computer Associates. "This alliance allows COBOL developers to extend the scope of CA-Visual Realia with the unique and strongly integrated capabilities of QuickApp."

QuickApp arms developers with a powerful navigation engine which supports IBM mainframes, AS/400, VAX, Unix and Unisys systems. This engine eliminates the need to write communication code, ultimately slashing development time by as much as 50 percent. The Attachmate navigation engine insulates application developers from the communications and HLLAPI complexities involved in host-to-client/server development. By eliminating the need to understand communications programming, QuickApp enables developers to deploy new client/server and desktop applications using graphical tools such as CA-Visual Realia in a fraction of the time.

CA-Visual Realia uses a Windows-based visual programming environment to provide veteran COBOL programmers with new, highly productive tools for creating and updating new applications, yet retains the full functionality of COBOL. CA-Visual Realia includes everything users need to build Windows applications: project management, client/server application development, enterprise-wide data access via ODBC, a personal database, GUI report writer, version control, configuration manager, forms editor, COBOL Workbench, COBOL analysis, navigation and debugging support, database administration facilities, and more.

"Attachmate and Computer Associates share much of the same client base," said Bobby Clay, Attachmate's vice president of Enterprise Client/Server Tools. "Since 80 percent of corporate America's development sites are COBOL-based, QuickApp's support for CA-Visual Realia fills an important gap in the market. Our ability to provide connectivity at the desktop to CA's strong suite of applications make this partnership a perfect fit."

Computer Associates recommends Attachmate's QuickApp to meet the 3270 development needs of CA-Visual Realia users. Computer Associates will include an introductory version of QuickApp with all copies of CA-Visual Realia, enabling CA-Visual Realia users to sample the capabilities of QuickApp. For existing CA-Visual Realia customers, this version of QuickApp will be available free of charge directly from Attachmate's Internet Web page (http://www.attachmate.com).

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

QuickApp with support for CA-Visual Realia will begin shipping this summer. QuickApp is priced at $995 in the US. International pricing varies by market. In North America, QuickApp is available directly from Attachmate. For product information and reseller names, please call 1-800-426-6283. Outside North America, QuickApp is available through Attachmate's worldwide distribution and channel network.

CA-Visual Realia version 1.0 supports Windows 3.1, version 2.0 supports Windows 95. Both versions are priced at $2,500 a copy. A competitive upgrade is available for MicroFocus users. For more information, call Computer Associates at 1-800-434-7325 in the United States and Canada, or contact your local CA office.

ATTACHMATE - THE INTRANET COMPANY

Attachmate is a leading provider of high quality universal information access software and services that help organizations build secure Intranets. The company's object-oriented client, server, authoring tool and management software safely link enterprise systems, Internet systems and people. These solutions allow desktop and mobile users to transparently access, manage and share any business information inside or outside the organization. The Company leverages its 14 years of corporate expertise in enterprise and Internet technologies by providing comprehensive and knowledgeable customer consulting and support services in more than 30 countries to help organizations build high-performance and secure Intranet client/server systems. Attachmate is ranked as the sixth largest PC software company in the world according to Softletter. The company employs over 2,000 people worldwide.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Wash. at (206) 644-4010 or toll free (800) 426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com.

ABOUT COMPUTER ASSOCIATES

Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), with headquarters in Islandia, New York, is the world leader in mission-critical business software. The company develops, licenses and supports more than 500 integrated products that include systems and database management, application development, manufacturing and financial applications. CA has 9,000 people in 130 offices in 36 countries and had revenue of $3.2 billion in calendar year 1995. CA can be reached by visiting http://www.cai.com on the World-Wide Web or emailing info@cai.com.


New Attachmate Internet Help-Line Services
ATTACHMATE DELIVERS NEW INTERNET HELP-LINE SERVICES

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Internet, But Didn't Know Whom to Ask

BELLEVUE, WASH. -- Attachmate - The Intranet Company - today announced two new Internet support services for first time and novice Internet users. The first, the Corporate Internet HelpDesk, is a telephone consulting service targeted at overburdened IS departments seeking technical assistance for Internet and Intranet services. The second, Internet Co-Pilot, is a telephone hot-line geared to newly connected Internet users in the small office/home office (SO/HO) environment. Both services aim to increase users' knowledge and enjoyment of the Internet, while providing technical support and answering general questions about common Internet problems. Now, with a simple telephone call, corporate and home customers can receive help on everything from how to access the Internet, where to find a specific Web site, or to how to send E-mail and download files and software. Callers even receive Internet product installation help if necessary, although specific problems with other vendor's Internet hardware and software will be referred to that vendor's technical support line.

"Attachmate's introduction of the Corporate Internet HelpDesk service is very timely," said Jack Thomas, president and CEO of A1 Tile and Carpet. "The Internet has quickly become the communication method of choice of our larger customers and manufacturing mills. As our sales executives buy browsers to respond to this change, they call our IS group for help. Most of their questions are very general, but because of the volume and time it takes to help each of them, the additional burden on our IS staff has become overwhelming. Like many others, our IS department is short-handed and working very hard at simply maintaining the systems we have in place. We are very excited about partnering with Attachmate to give our people the help they need while keeping our IS staff focused on more important duties."

"The Internet HelpDesk and Co-Pilot services are a natural extension of Attachmate's communications expertise," said John Schneider, vice president of support products and services at Attachmate. "Attachmate provides corporations with universal information access solutions that link any computer system to both the Internet and corporate Intranets. While many of our customers are power Internet users, there is still a very large base of newly connected home and corporate users that need assistance with Internet problems. A quick call to our Internet HelpDesk can eliminate hours of paging through software manuals or thick Internet books in search of a simple answer."

The Corporate Internet HelpDesk provides supplemental Internet support to end-users in the corporate world. This complements Attachmate's tradition of working closely with its customers in a consultative relationship. "Most corporations do not have the time or resources to train hundreds of novice users on the Internet, said Schneider. "By providing newly connected Internet users with the assistance they need, Attachmate's Corporate Internet HelpDesk allows a company's internal support staff to focus on their core competencies rather than training new Internet users."

The second service, Internet Co-Pilot, is a consulting hot-line aimed at novice users in the small office and home office market. This service gives users quick and easy help on general Internet problems and information on how to take advantage of the Internet for business purposes. In addition to answering specific Internet questions, these services are a valuable resource for first time Internet users or even people deciding whether or not to invest in Internet capabilities. The Attachmate Internet hot-lines help users understand how the Internet works, learn how they can benefit from using the Internet, and decide which hardware and software solutions will best meet their Internet needs. Attachmate's highly trained consultants provide non-biased, educational and solution-oriented help.

For corporate users, Attachmate's newly formed Internet/Intranet Consulting Practice provides expert advice on how to plan, build and implement corporate-wide internal Intranets. Attachmate's new Intranet strategy, unveiled in December, 1995, outlines a complete program for building secure corporate Intranets. The company's five-step program includes a variety of new products and services for building and maintaining secure, internal, enterprise-wide Intranet systems. These products include:

* EMISSARY WORKGROUP WEB for complete Internet/Intranet Web conferencing, browsing, publishing, searching, tracking and document management - can be linked to any Web server or home page.

* EMISSARY HOST PUBLISHING SYSTEM for dynamically linking host applications and data to Web pages or servers to enable organizations to build robust Web applications readable by any browser.

* EMISSARY DESKTOP AND EMISSARY OFFICE offer TCP/IP solutions for users to browse, organize and work with data wherever it resides, such as on a local hard drive, a host system or the Internet.

* EMISSARY TCP SERVER, a scaleable, high-performance TCP/IP-to-SNA internetworking solution for large enterprises that lets companies connect thousands of TCP/IP users to their SNA hosts while providing centralized administration and management functions.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Corporate Internet HelpDesk service and Internet Co-Pilot will be available to users throughout North America beginning April 1, 1996. Pricing for The Corporate Internet HelpDesk is customized to meet each customer's specific goals and needs with standard pricing starting at $1,000 (US$) for initial set up and $11.00 (US$) per call. Internet Co-Pilot is available at $1.45/minute (US$) (billed directly to the customer's telephone bill) at 900-976-7500. Internet Co-Pilot, at 888-COPILOT, provides unlimited support for single problems for a one-time credit card charge of $19.95 (US$).

ATTACHMATE - THE INTRANET COMPANY

Attachmate is a leading provider of high quality universal information access software and services that help organizations build secure Intranets. The company's object-oriented client, server, authoring tool and management software safely link enterprise systems, Internet systems and people. These solutions allow desktop and mobile users to transparently access, manage and share any business information inside or outside the organization. The Company leverages its 14 years of corporate expertise in enterprise and Internet technologies by providing comprehensive and knowledgeable customer consulting and support services in more than 30 countries to help organizations build high-performance and secure Intranet client/server systems. Attachmate is ranked as the sixth largest PC software company in the world according to Softletter. The company employs over 2,000 people worldwide.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Wash. at (206) 644-4010 or toll free (800) 426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com.


Autodesk InsideTrack Best Training Pgm
AUTODESK'S INSIDE TRACK NAMED ONE OF TEN BEST MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE TRAINING PROGRAMS

AUTODESK AWARDED FOR SUPERIOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

SAN RAFAEL, California, April 1, 1996 -- Multimedia Training Newsletter has named Autodesk's InsideTrack for Mechanical Design & Drafting one of the "Ten Best Multimedia Training Programs" at the 19th Annual Training Conference & Expo held in Atlanta in January. Inside Track is a fast, flexible, PC-based software tool that helps AutoCAD users learn how to solve workplace design problems and find answers to technical questions quickly and effectively. The software was released in December 1995 as the first product from Autodesk Press, a global strategic alliance between Autodesk and International Thomson Publishing, the world's leading educational publisher. Computer Visualization, Inc.also teamed with Autodesk's Learning and Training department to develop Inside Track's content and learning environment.

Brandon Hall, Ph.D., editor and publisher of the Multimedia Training Newsletter, Sunnyvale, California, stressed the strengths of Inside Track at the Training Conference's Super Session on "EvaluatingTen of the Best Multimedia Training Programs." Dr. Hall commented, "Inside Track's superiority lies in its instructional design, which lets learners choose from projects, concepts or techniques depending on their learning style. This software effectively and appropriately employs beautiful graphics and animation, and is very rich in content."

Inside Track for Mechanical Drafting & Design is an interactive multimedia software learning tool based on AutoCAD Release 13, AutoCAD Designer 1.2 and AutoVision 2.0 software. The program gives its users individualized instruction for both immediate and long-term productivity gains. If a designer is on a tight deadline and does not know how to solve a specific design problem, Inside Track will quickly identify and demonstrate the proper technique to find the solution using the appropriate Autodesk software. If a more broad-based understanding such as learning parametric design is needed, users can practice real world projects to gain expertise and enhance productivity.

"This product reflects the Autodesk Education Department's commitment to provide 'best in class' learning for all Autodesk software users," said Dr. James D. Purcell, Director of Autodesk's Education Department.

Wayne Hodgins, Autodesk's Technical Director for Learning Solutions, who was instrumental in Inside Track's development, added, "Autodesk recognizes that the only sustainable competitive advantage for software users is the ability to learn the right things faster. Inside Track is the first in a series of educational software tools resulting from years of Autodesk's research into the learning and productivity needs of our customers."

Inside Track for Mechanical Drafting & Design is available worldwide in English only on CD-ROM for use in a Windows environment for a suggested retail price of US $149.95(prices outside the United States may vary). Inside Track requires a 33Mhz 486DX or better PC, double-speed CD-ROM, 16-Bit Digital Sound, a minimum of 16 MB RAM and a video adapter capable of displaying 640 X 480 pixels with 64K colors (recommended). AutoCAD, AutoCAD Designer and AutoVision software are not required. For more information about Inside Track or to place an order, please call Autodesk Press at 1-800-347-7707.

Autodesk Press, founded early in 1995, develops and distributes training materials that help both design professionals and students alike take full advantage of Autodesk software. Autodesk Press works with Autodesk's Education Department to provide the software and services that prepare individuals for careers in design.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 129 countries. For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe or log-in with a World Wide Web browser at http://www.autodesk.com.


Autodesk & Radan Sheetmetal App Partnership
AUTODESK FORM PARTNERSHIP WITH RADAN

"BEST-OF-CLASS" SHEETMETAL APPLICATIONS TO COMPLEMENT AUTODESK'S MECHANICAL PRODUCTS

SAN RAFAEL, CA., April 1, 1996 -- Autodesk today expanded its Mechanical Application Initiative (MAI) program by announcing a partnership with Radan Computational Ltd, UK, the worlds leading supplier of sheetmetal related software applications. Radan will work closely with Autodesk's Mechanical CAD Division to develop Auto-SM, an integrated sheetmetal design and unfolding solution for the AutoCAD mechanical marketplace.

"Radan is an important addition to Autodesk's growing team of MAI partners," said Dominic Gallello, vice president of Autodesk's Mechanical Market Group. "Radan's expertise in CADCAM sheetmetal applications will give users of the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop access to a fully integrated sheetmetal design solution."

Radan joins 12 other partner companies committed to providing best-of-class applications as part of Autodesk's MAI program. The partners are delivering fully integrated products under a common Autodesk user interface that will offer users a complete solution from design and analysis through manufacturing.

"There is a significant demand for specialist applications, such as Radan's sheetmetal design and unfolding technology," said Tony Billett, Managing Director of Radan Computational Ltd. And President of Radan CIM Inc. "Autodesk's Mechanical Desktop and MAI partner strategy provides an excellent opportunity for us to synergistically address this demand."

The recently released Autodesk Mechanical Desktop is a tightly integrated software application that provides advanced 2D and 3D mechanical CAD functions on desktop systems. The MAI partners provided their input and expertise throughout the development of the Mechanical Desktop and its Application Programming Interface (API) to ensure the product meets the needs of their most exacting customers.

The Auto-SM software module from Radan expands the MAI program by providing sheetmetal design for manufacture tools as an integral part of the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop environment.

Sheetmetal is used in a wide range of products which are produced by many different industrial categories. Advanced machine tools can now produce very complex designs from a single piece of sheetmetal, reducing both manufacturing costs and timescales. Increased use of such technology has created a need to understand the manufacturing process at an early stage of the design. In other words, true "Design for Manufacture."

Leveraging their extensive sheetmetal design to manufacturing experience, Radan's Auto-SM software module will address the overall design for manufacture process from initial concept design through to the generation of manufacturable flat blank geometry.

Key Auto-SM features will include:

 Designed specifically for the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop Environment

 Consistent AMD user interface, with commands accessed via Auto-SM

 Toolbar

 Sheetmetal specific approach treats the 3D model as an actual

 sheetmetal component, assisting design for manufacture

 in areas such as specialist sheetmetal construction conditions,

 material and tooling preferences, and bend and corner relief.

 Automatic generation of correct flat blank geometry as standard

 AutoCAD 2D data from 3D Mechanical Desktop sheetmetal part.

Radan Computational Ltd, a UK based company, was established in 1976 to provide Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing systems and services. Soon after formation, the company chose to concentrate on specialized applications for sheetmetal design and manufacture. Radan is now the world's leading supplier of sheetmetal related software, with technology in use at more than 800 companies world-wide. Radan is represented in North America by Radan CIM Inc., with offices in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe", or log-in with a World Wide Web browser at http://www.autodesk.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 119 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide.


Bay Networks Acquires Armon Networking
Bay Networks Finalizes Aquisition of Armon Networking

Acquisition Strengthens Bay Networks' Leadership in Enterprise-wide Network Management

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 2, 1996 -- Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE: BAY) today announced the completion of its acquisition of the Tel Aviv, Israel-based Armon Networking, Ltd., a worldwide provider of RMON-based distributed analysis tools and multi-segment LAN probes. The acquisition expands Bay Networks' network management leadership with client/server analysis expertise, including RMON and RMON2 technology, which Bay Networks will leverage across its entire product line.

Bay Networks acquired the privately-held Armon Networking for approximately $33 million in cash. As a result of the acquisition, Armon Networking has been integrated into Bay Networks' network management group, under the name of Bay Networks Israel, Ltd.

Armon Networking's RMON technology allows Bay Networks to extend the openness of its Optivity" network management application suite in the area of end-to-end monitoring for multivendor environments. This acquisition enables Bay Networks to build on its existing embedded and stackable probe technology to deliver an integrated suite of next-generation RMON2-based applications for the new stackable probe market. These new applications will include client/server application monitoring, response time analysis, network accounting and enterprise design tools.

Armon Networking, Ltd. established itself as a leading worldwide manufacturer of distributed LAN monitoring and analysis network management products. Its newest applications, NetReporter (for long-term, unattended traffic collection and reporting) and EyeNet (for enterprise monitoring of end-to-end conversations), complement its existing OnSite product line and award-winning OnSite Manager software. OnSite includes single and multi-segment RISC-based probes for Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI networks, and graphic management applications that integrate with SunNet Manager, HP Openview and IBM NetView/6000. All products are based on the SNMP and RMON Remote MONitoring standards.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' web site at http://www.baynetworks.com. Bay Networks' web site also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partners
Bay Networks Names First Enterprise Solutions Partners to Partner Alliance Program

Value-Added Resellers Earn Bay Networks' Top Designations; Partners Demonstrate Technical Expertise, Broad Product Knowledge and Advanced Skills

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- As part of its commitment to provide customers with a combination of advanced internetworking solutions and business and technical expertise, Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE: BAY) today awarded its first Enterprise Solutions Partner designations to five qualifying value-added resellers under the Bay Networks Partner Alliance Program. Earning Bay Networks' highest reseller designation, Enterprise Solutions Partners provide customers with comprehensive solutions for a wide range of network implementations.

Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partners are the principal sales and support channel for Bay Networks' advanced technology solutions. These partners have been qualified to resell Bay Networks' entire product line, including all ATM products and high-end routers and hubs. Enterprise Solutions Partners possess demonstrable, in-depth expertise in internetworking products and technologies. Each organization delivers market-leading technical competency, and their engineers have completed stringent certification testing through the Bay Networks Certification Program.

The program is open to all Bay Networks resellers worldwide. In the United States and Canada, designations are awarded on a per-site basis with each location having a certified engineer on staff; resellers can also earn corporate-wide partner status once the required percentage of sites have qualified. Outside of North America, resellers qualify on a per-country or a per-area basis. Approximately 400 reseller organizations worldwide are actively pursuing Enterprise Solutions Partner or Authorized Partner designations. Bay Networks' new Enterprise Solutions Partners include:

* Americable, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN and Dallas, TX) - provides products and services designed to build and manage LAN and WAN infrastructures for large and medium-sized end users; as a value-added reseller, Americable offers customized, integrated solutions in meeting its customers' LAN/WAN needs through a combination of high-quality technical services and a broad range of network electronics and software;

* Anixter Inc. (U.S. and Canada) - is a $2.2 billion value-added provider of integrated communications systems and services that support worldwide business information and network infrastructure requirements with a variety of customized pre- and post- sales services, leading networking products and superior logistics management available through a global network of 165 locations;

* Codaram Corporation (Apharetta, GA) - is a small business, female- owned systems integrator and value-added distributor of customized networking solutions for corporate information systems; the company offers consultation, planning, and the deployment of Bay Networks LAN and WAN products, while focusing on network problem solving and maintenance through dedicated on-site support services;

* Galaxy Data, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI) - leverages its extensive experience in enterprise connectivity and technology integration to plan and implement long-term network solutions that will remain strategic, cost-effective competitive tools for customers at every step along their migration path, while protecting existing investments;

* RealTech Systems Corporation (New York City, NY and Albany, NY) -provides enterprise-wide, complex communications infrastructure consulting including innovative network design, comprehensive project management, implementation and on-going support, coupled with Bay Networks advanced technology products and services to Fortune 1000 corporations.

Partner Alliance Program

The Bay Networks Partner Alliance Program provides comprehensive marketing, training, sales and technical support resources to Bay Networks resellers. Introduced in July 1995, the program features two designations - Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partner and Bay Networks Authorized Partner - each with a rich set of benefits designed to help resellers continue to develop their expertise in Bay Networks' product solutions.

"As networking environments continue to expand with new, integrated networking technologies, applications and business requirements, organizations are increasingly turning to VARs for value-added internetworking solutions and services," said Skip Wangbickler, vice president of channel operations at Bay Networks. "By achieving Bay Networks' Enterprise Solutions Partner status, Bay Networks partners clearly distinguish themselves in the marketplace with extensive knowledge in the full range of internetworking strategies, advanced technologies and commitment to customer satisfaction.

"While today's announcement highlights our U.S.-based Enterprise Solutions Partners, Bay Networks is enjoying success with this program on a worldwide basis. We will announce Enterprise Solutions Partners addressing the European, Latin American and Asia Pacific markets in the near future."

Providing extensive network, systems or application integration knowledge, Enterprise Solutions Partners have extensive experience in selling and supporting enterprise-level networking solutions that include routers, hubs, switching products and network management to mid- and large-sized customers. Authorized Partners have expertise in selling and supporting connectivity and/or routing solutions for small- to mid-sized environments.

Through the Partner Alliance Program, Bay Networks makes substantial investments in the reseller channel, providing subsidized product training, pre- and post-sales telephone support and marketing co- op funds. Additionally, Bay Networks' reseller partners have access to a range of technical and sales support information, including CDs, training videos, annual sales and service conferences, and qualified sales lead generation.

Bay Networks Certification Program

The Bay Networks Certification Program offers a real-world approach to certification by evaluating both the formal training and on-the-job experience of engineers involved in selling, managing or supporting Bay Networks products. The program defines two levels of expertise - specialist and expert. Specialists focus on fundamental skill sets and product knowledge, while experts possess extensive technical expertise, broad product knowledge and advanced skills.

To become a Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partner or Authorized Partner, resellers need their engineers to complete the specialist or expert certification track. To assist in these efforts, a full range of educational options is available - from independent study to classroom instruction. The focus is on skills assessment; no coursework is required. The Certification candidates demonstrate their skills and knowledge on Bay Networks products through both performance-based electronic tests and hands-on practical examinations.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' web page at http://www.baynetworks.com or via CompuServe using GO BAYNET. Bay Networks' web page also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Bay Networks Routing & LAN Switching Modules
Bay Networks Announces Industry's First Integrated Routing, Switching, Shared Media and ATM Functionality in a Single Platform

Scalable Routing, Virtual Network Routing, LAN Switching Capabilities added to System 5000 Delivers Flexible, Powerful Enterprise Network Solution

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- In a move designed to address increasing enterprise network performance demands while reducing complexity and simplifying network management, Bay Networks (NYSE: BAY) today announced new routing and LAN switching modules for its market-leading System 5000 enterprise hub. These additional features deliver unprecedented integration of switching, routing, shared media and communications services in a single enterprise hub.

The new System 5000 modules include: the industry's first integrated virtual network routing module for connectivity to existing LAN virtual networks and migration to ATM; an Ethernet/Fast Ethernet switch module for LAN switching; and router modules for scalable routing to existing local area networks (LANs) and wide-area networks (WANs).

Enterprise networks are increasing in complexity, propelled by changing business needs, competitive pressures and technology dynamics. Organizations are moving beyond simple data sharing to introducing bandwidth-demanding strategic applications such as client/server, multimedia and video. Additionally, telecommuting and mobile workers are fast becoming the norm for most businesses. Demands for access to the Internet and corporate intranets are also growing rapidly. Such requirements are straining network performance because increasing numbers of users are competing for a fixed amount of bandwidth.

These performance challenges are coupled with shrinking staffs and budgets, a need to maintain support for existing applications, and the ability to meet these goals with a solution that provides the flexibility to accommodate future requirements. Often, the right answer is a mixture of technologies - but that decision typically results in multiple hardware solutions.

"Bay Networks recognizes the pressures our customers face in supporting new users and applications in fast changing environments," said Peter Tarrant, vice president of product management for Bay Networks' Hub Product Business Unit. "When we introduced the System 5000 as our strategic network platform, we did so with the intention to provide customers with solutions that would consolidate LAN switching, routing, shared media, communications services and network management in one system, with a migration path to ATM. Today's announcements represent a significant milestone in accomplishing this goal."

Utilizing a sophisticated multibackplane architecture, the System 5000 is the only enterprise hub that incorporates all shared LAN technologies, frame and cell-based switching, routing and communications services simultaneously with no performance degradation. Deploying different technologies is as simple as swapping modules. The System 5000 supports Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI and ATM.

The Industry's Only Integrated Virtual Network Router

Unlike competitive solutions that require multiple connections and systems to connect disparate virtual LANs, the ATM Virtual Network Routing Module in the System 5000 provides the connections through a single interface. As a component of the ATM backbone solution, this integrated routing capability delivers high-speed routing between multiple virtual LANs over ATM, and connects ATM networks to frame-based FDDI, Ethernet and Token Ring networks. Performance is unequaled, with throughput at wire speeds of 120,000 packets per second. Importantly, because the ATM Virtual Network Routing Module includes Bay Networks Routing Services (BayRS) software, it enhances interoperability through support for all major network and bridging protocols, wide area services and IBM standards.

Scalable Integrated Routing

Integrating routing within the System 5000 delivers market-leading scalability while easing network design, because multiple protocols and interfaces are supported. Additionally, integrated routing provides a migration path from shared media to ATM. The Router Modules also facilitate performance of applications in remote offices and medium-sized data centers, and can terminate WAN traffic.

Based on Bay Networks' proven router technology, the new modules support four Ethernet or Token Ring hub backplane interfaces and two optional Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, 100BASE-T, synchronous and ISDN BRI network modules. This flexibility allows a network manager to start with a single slot router module and add to it as performance needs grow. Performance ranges from forwarding rates of 50,000 packets per second for a single module up to 200,000 packets per second in a four-module configuration.

The Router Modules support BayRS, as well as Parallel Packet Exchange (PPX), Bay Networks' backplane interface. PPX allows the interconnection of multiple routers within the 5000 and forms an extensible router that is managed as a single unit. This significantly eases management and maintenance, and reduces costs.

LAN Switching Combined with Shared Media Delivers High Performance at Half the Cost of Desktop Frame Switching

Most networks today are shared-media solutions, such as Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI LANs. Virtually all enterprises have significant investments in shared-media applications that must be protected while migrating to technologies that provide increased bandwidth. For the vast majority of workgroup, departmental and remote office applications, shared media still provides the performance required at affordable costs, even when many more users have been added to the network.

The new Ethernet Switching Module dramatically increases available bandwidth on shared-media LANs by segmenting network traffic to reduce data bottlenecks, while protecting shared-media investments. Featuring two gigabits per second of internal switching capacity, the Ethernet Switching Module supports different interfaces on a single module, allowing the choice of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps or FDDI connectivity. Non-blocking wire speed performance is delivered to all ports regardless of configuration. Bandwidth to the desktop is increased significantly, but at half the cost of typical desktop frame switching solutions.

Configuration switching allows the assigning of geographically distributed users and devices to the same logical workgroups, regardless of their physical location, enabling performance-tuning of the network without having to physically change connections. This flexibility allows organizations to effectively address their business objectives rather than being unnecessarily constrained by network design.

For maximum network availability, a redundant link capability allows fault tolerant connections to other switches or shared media segments. VLAN support includes up to 32 VLANs per switch, and up to 64 VLANs per community.

Simplified Network Management

Like all Bay Networks products, the System 5000 is managed by Optivity, "the world's most popular suite of network management applications. Optivity provides a comprehensive approach for monitoring and controlling network performance, eliminating the need for multiple stand-alone devices and reducing network complexity without sacrificing performance, functionality or control.

Pricing and Availability

The suggested list price of the System 5000 starts at $8,000 U.S. The Ethernet/Fast Ethernet Module ranges from $12,000 to $31,000 U.S. suggested list price. The Routing Modules range from $13,000 to $32,000 U.S. suggested list price. And the ATM Virtual Network Routing Modules range from $25,500 to $35,500 U.S. suggested list price.

The Ethernet/Fast Ethernet Module is shipping now. The Routing Modules and ATM Virtual Network Routing Modules will be available in the second quarter of calendar year 1996.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' home page at http://www.baynetworks.com or via CompuServe using GO BAYNET. Bay Networks' home page also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Bay Networks Names Partners in Excellence
Bay Networks Names "Partners in Excellence" Award Program Winners, Announces 1996 Worldwide Program

Members of Judging Panel Represent Technology Experts from Dataquest, McConnell Consulting, Strategic Networks Consulting, Computer Reseller News, Network VAR, and VAR Business

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- Showcasing the exceptional enterprise-wide internetworking achievements and capabilities of its leading reseller partners during 1995, Bay Networks today announced the winners of the Bay Networks Partners in Excellence Award Program. Of the more than 75 entries submitted this year, a total of 6 Bay Networks value-added reseller partners were awarded the Partners in Excellence designation. The network designs were reviewed and awarded by an independent panel of technology experts. The winning designs were selected based on innovative networking technologies, significant operating benefits and comprehensive sales and support achievements.

"This prestigious award recognizes excellence within the networking industry and is given to Bay Networks' partners that best exemplify the competitive use of value-added networking technologies in organizations implementing enterprise internetworks," said Bay Networks President and CEO Andy Ludwick. "Through their distinguished network designs, in-depth internetworking expertise and commitment to customer satisfaction, the six Partners in Excellence Award recipients reinforce Bay Networks' and its partners' leadership position in today's highly competitive internetworking environment."

The Partners in Excellence Award winning partners and customers are:

  Anixter Inc. / AG Communication Systems;

  Anixter Inc. / Frito-Lay, Inc.;

  SystemSource, Inc. / Circus Circus Enterprises;

  HI-TECH Connections / National Penn Bank;

  RealTech Systems / The New York Times;

  The Presidio Corporation / a large federal regulatory commission.

The winning partner designs were chosen by an independent Finalist Panel comprised of industry market analysts and editors.  Members included:

  Trudy Barker, Director of Networking Services at Dataquest, Inc.;

  John McConnell, President of McConnell Consulting, Inc.;

  Nick Lippis, President of Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc.;

  Tom Smith, Networks Editor at Computer Reseller News;

  David Brambert, Editor at Network VAR;

  Cassimir Medford, Networking Editor at VAR Business.

The winning designs are summarized as follows:

* Anixter Inc. / AG Communication Systems - Anixter (Skokie, IL) helped deliver a total switched environment for AG Communication Systems, providing 1,700 dedicated switched connections for the company's Arizona facility and 650 connections at the Illinois- based campus via an ATM backbone. Supporting software development, telco/central office call simulation and engineering applications, the highly reliable network infrastructure streamlines production by leveraging Ethernet switching, ATM integration, LAN emulation and integrated network management capabilities. This, together with the use of VLAN technologies, has enabled AG Communication Systems to increase personnel productivity, while enabling faster time to market for new products.

* Anixter Inc. / Frito-Lay, Inc. - Migrating from an SNA and VSAT network environment, Anixter (Skokie, IL) partnered in the design and deployment of a Frame Relay switched internetwork for Frito- Lay that provides enhanced connectivity, reliability and interoperability for up to 250 distributed sites. Leveraging DLSw, ISDN and Frame Relay connectivity, the new infrastructure supports the increased use of office automation, financial, database and communication applications among users located throughout the company's headquarters, multiple manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and remote offices. This has enabled the company to deliver higher levels of service than would otherwise have been economically feasible.

* SystemSource, Inc. / Circus Circus Enterprises - SystemSource (Ridgeland, MS) migrated Circus Circus' IBM mainframe-based network to an ATM backbone to ensure continuous system connectivity, interoperability, bandwidth capacity and integrated management among the multiple Circus Circus casino and hotel properties nationwide. Leveraging ATM technology, SystemSource helped provide Circus Circus with a networking infrastructure to support a full realm of both back and front office multimedia applications and communications facilities across the enterprise, while providing a foundation for future expansion.

* HI-TECH Connections / National Penn Bank - National Penn Bank chose HI-TECH Connections' (Reading, PA) design and implementation services to migrate its PC-based environment to a scalable, high- performance infrastructure to support and manage a 100 percent increase in headquarter and remote site network connections. Integrating Token Ring switching, backbone and remote site routers, enterprise concentrators and network management tools, the upgraded infrastructure delivers mission-critical banking applications, while eliminating traffic bottlenecks and congestion on the corporate LAN, balancing network server workload and providing comprehensive network management from a central location. The network has enabled National Penn Bank to improve its customer service levels while reducing costs.

* RealTech Systems / The New York Times - RealTech Systems (New York City, NY) teamed with The New York Times to provide an ATM workgroup and backbone architecture to support the projected 20 percent annual network growth rate among The Times' 3,000 distributed users, while leveraging the existing backbone to its full potential. Additionally, RealTech assisted in implementing workgroup frame switching to facilitate re-segmentation, node growth and newsroom relocations with minimal disruption and protection for ongoing operations.

* The Presidio Corporation / a large federal regulatory commission -The Presidio Corporation (Lanham, MD) provided a large federal regulatory commission with a phased network design that introduces ATM and Token Ring switching into the backbone for higher throughput performance. Increasing available bandwidth among 700 distributed network users and resources, the Presidio design also extends the ATM backbone to the agency's existing FDDI environment and directly connects server resources to the ATM backbone network. Additionally, the delivery of network management capabilities to the agency's network resulted in significant operational savings.

The winners were awarded the 1995 Partners in Excellence designation based on the following criteria:

* Innovative Technical Solutions - by taking emerging technologies and putting them to work today, these partners have introduced new technological advancements or creatively applied key technologies/products;

* Exceptional Operating Advantages - by improving their customers' bottom-line through no-nonsense networking, these partners give end-users a significant competitive advantage and increased profitability;

* Comprehensive Sales and Support Achievements - by addressing important new applications or accounts, these partners have extended networking's role into important new areas.

The Partners in Excellence Award Program

The goal of this new program is to recognize outstanding networking achievements by leading Bay Networks resellers during 1995. The Partners in Excellence Award Program was available in 1995 to all U.S. and Canadian Bay Networks Enterprise Solutions Partners and Authorized Partners, including VARs, systems integrators and telecommunications service providers. Based on the tremendous success of the program, Bay Networks will offer the Partners in Excellence Award Program again in 1996. Recognizing the importance of international markets, the 1996 Partners in Excellence Award Program will be available to Bay Networks resellers worldwide.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, unified by the BaySIS(tm) architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' home page at http://www.baynetworks.com or via CompuServe using GO BAYNET. Bay Networks' home page also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


IDC Report Confirms Bay Networks Leadership
IDC Report Confirms Bay Networks Worldwide Leadership in LAN Management

Bay Networks Optivity Network Management Software Leads in both Low- and High-end Market Segments

BILLERICA, Mass., March 29, 1996 -- Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE: BAY) has been named as the global leader in the 1995 LAN management software market by International Data Corporation (IDC), a leading worldwide computer industry research firm. Bay Networks' Optivity" network management application captured 51 percent worldwide market share for low-end, Windows-based LAN management software, more than twice that of 3Com and Cabletron. The company also earned a leading 38 percent share of shipments in the high-end, Unix-based LAN management market.

Brian Burba, author of the IDC report, LAN Management Software: 1995 Yearend Market Review, stated, "The combined shipments of Bay Networks Optivity (for Workgroup and Campus) product line were the market leader for low-end LAN management software, a dramatic improvement from 1994's 35 percent share... Bay Networks' strength among low- end products is nearly matched in the high-end as Optivity for Unix leads the market..."

In 1994, Bay Networks also held the dominant position in the low-and high-end management market segments. According to IDC, Bay Networks' Optivity network management application earned a leading 35.5 percent worldwide market share in the low-end hub management segment, and captured a leading 31.6 percent in the worldwide high-end management market. In 1995, Bay Networks' low-end LAN management software increased 15.5 market share points, while the company's high-end market share increased 6.4 points.

"When choosing a management system, network professionals require a solution that complements their existing network infrastructure," said Jim Goetz, director of network management at Bay Networks. "Providing full-featured management for any networking environment - from departmental networks and workgroups to mid-sized campuses and enterprise-wide systems - Bay Networks' Optivity network management software seamlessly integrates with the industry's leading management platforms. Importantly, through our acquisition agreement with Armon Networking, Bay Networks also delivers client/server analysis expertise for end-to-end monitoring of multivendor network environments."

Based entirely on industry standards, such as SNMP, RMON and RMON2, Bay Networks' industry-leading Optivity network management application suite delivers an open solution for monitoring and controlling multivendor, small or workgroup networks, mid-sized LANs and large enterprise internetworks. Providing complete management of switches, hubs, routers and client/server traffic from a single management console, Bay Networks' Optivity network management suite includes the Windows-based Optivity Workgroup and Optivity Campus, as well as Optivity Enterprise, which operates on Hewlett-Packard's OpenView Network Node Management, IBM's NetView for AIX, SunSoft's SunNet Manager and Novell's ManageWise.

Additionally, Bay Networks has established itself as the market leader in embedded RMON. In a report issued earlier this year, IDC named Bay Networks the 1995 market leader among network hardware vendors supporting RMON-based management through embedded hardware probes. The company captured a leading 41 percent worldwide market share.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' web site at http://www.baynetworks.com or via CompuServe using GO BAYNET. Bay Networks' web site also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Bay Networks Interopnet Infrastructure
Bay Networks Provides Network Infrastructure For Interopnet at Networld + Interop '96 Las Vegas

Delivers Equipment and Network Engineering to InteropNET -- Only Vendor Awarded NetWorld+Interop's Diamond Contributor Status

BILLERICA, Mass., March 28, 1996 -- Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE: BAY) today announced that its multiprotocol routers, intelligent hubs, high-speed switches, and network management products are providing the network infrastructure for the InteropNET network on view at the three-day NetWorld+Interop Las Vegas '96 Conference and Exhibition. In contributing internetworking equipment to the high-speed local area and wide area network, Bay Networks is the only vendor to have earned NetWorld+Interop's Diamond Contributor status. Additionally, the company has provided two senior engineers to the network operations center to assist in the architecture design and deployment of the InteropNET.

As the largest portable architecture network in the world, the InteropNET is designed by industry experts to reflect today's complex networks found in the largest corporate enterprises. This massive production network connects over 600 major networking exhibitors and supports local and remote site connectivity, multiple media and protocols, as well as adopted and emerging enterprise applications.

In addition to connecting networking vendors on the show floor, the InteropNET provides multiple network connections to both the global Internet and the Multicast backbone (Mbone) via PPP, as well as external connectivity to local hotels hosting conference sessions, workshops and tutorials.

Bay Networks' internetworking products support the entire exhibit and conference area, delivering 100BASE-TX and 100BASE-FX Fast Ethernet, ATM SONET OC3, FDDI, Ethernet, Token Ring, HSSI and synchronous connectivity, while providing the infrastructure for several emerging technology demonstrations, remote site network services and wide area connectivity.

"Exhibiting a range of networking solutions as well as stable and widely installed technologies, InteropNET allows over 100 different vendors to demonstrate their products' multiprotocol connectivity and multivendor interoperability capabilities within a complex, multi-tiered, real-time network," stated Robin Littlefield, Bay Networks' principal engineer on the network operations center team. "Bay Networks' full suite of high-speed routing and switching equipment and network management products provide the InteropNET with a fully standardized, end-to-end total solution while demonstrating our multivendor interoperability."

Supporting the show's dual ATM and FDDI backbone networks, Bay Networks has installed 7 Backbone Concentrator Node (BCN) routers, 2 Backbone Link Node (BLN) routers, and 2 Access Stack Node (ASN) routers throughout InteropNET. The company also has deployed 6 LattisCell ATM switches, 8 System 5000 switching hubs, 8 Model 28115 100 Mbps LattisSwitches, 4 Model 28104 100 Mbps LattisSwitches, 5 Model 100BASE-T hubs, 15 Model 2814SA Ethernet LattisHubs, 8 Model 2715SA LattisRing Token Ring concentrators, and 8 EtherCell ATM edge devices.

Additionally, Bay Networks' network management applications have been integrated into the show's network operations center. The company's Optivity Internetwork 6.1 ATM Network Management application and ATM Connection Management System are the core applications used for the configuration and management of the Bay Networks network devices.

In compliance with industry-defined standards, InteropNET's protocols include IP, IPX, and AppleTalk Phase 2. Routing protocols for IP include BGP-4, OSPF and RIP, and NLSP and RIP for IPX. In addition, Bay Networks' products support IP multicasting using IGMP/DVMRP for the InteropNET. Bay Networks is also providing Virtual Network Routing functions with ATM Forum LAN Emulation (LANE) technology, as well as IP over ATM (RFC 1577).

Bay Networks will be demonstrating its internetworking and management solutions in booth #2204 at Interop Las Vegas, April 2-4, 1996.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' website at http://www.baynetworks.com or via Compuserve using GO BAYNET. Bay Networks' website also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Boole & Babbage Ensign Client/Server Backup
Boole & Babbage Extends Ensign Client/Server Backup to Enterprise with Stage3

San Jose, California -- April 2, 1996 -- Boole & Babbage, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOOL) today announced new capabilities that combine the command and control functions of its Ensign product with its Stage3 solution for direct backup of client/server and networked storage to an MVS mainframe. With this new integration, Ensign can now work seamlessly with Stage3 to back up distributed server data to lower-cost, more-secure, mainframe storage. This complements Ensign's existing ability to perform backups on UNIX network servers to locally attached storage devices.

Ensign is an event management and systems administration solution for heterogeneous client/server environments. From a customizable console, Ensign monitors and responds to system problems, pre-set thresholds and more than 100 other OS events. Through distributed, customizable intelligent agents, Ensign lets central and local administrators monitor, administer, automate and manage complex multiplatform, multisite environments from a distributed control console.

Stage3 is a high-performance LAN-to-mainframe backup solution that takes advantage of mature server-based software and redirects the LAN-based backup to more secure, economical mainframe storage.

As a virtual tape device, Stage3 is an optional destination for backup. Stage3 works cooperatively with Ensign, similar to how it extends the capabilities of local LAN backup software for NetWare, Windows NT and OS/2 environments. Once backed up to the safe haven of the mainframe, files are stored on disk in VSAM files or written directly onto tape as sequential files.

On the mainframe, Stage3 integrates with existing hierarchical storage management systems such as DFSMS, DFHSM, SAMS:DISK, FDR/ABR or CA-ASM2, and takes advantage of the security features provided by packages such as RACF or ACF-2. Stage3 backups are monitored by and backup jobs can be tracked using the customizable Ensign console.

"Extending the local backup capabilities of Ensign to the enterprise gives customers a highly flexible and scalable solution," said Jack Brown, senior marketing director of distributed systems at Boole & Babbage. "Customers can now directly back up local distributed data to a more secure and economical mainframe tape or DASD."

Intelligent Ensign agents perform event management and system administration functions for an expansive array of environments. Ensign currently supports 15 UNIX platforms, Novell NetWare 3.12 and 4.1, and Microsoft Windows NT. Options include integration with Boole & Babbage COMMAND/POST and leading enterprise frameworks, such as HP OpenView.

Pricing and Availability

The new product integration capabilities will be available in Q2 1996 for SPARC machines running the SunSoft Solaris operating system and for HP-9000 machines running the HP-UX operating system. Future plans call for support of additional platforms, including RISC 6000/AIX and SCO UNIX.

Pricing for Stage3, Release 3.0, containing the new Ensign integration, will begin at $7,500 for the mainframe component and $2,900 per backup server.

Ensign Release 3.0, containing the new capabilities for integration with Stage3, is priced from $5,000. For further information, call 800-544-2152.

Boole & Babbage is the worldwide leader in Enterprise Automation solutions for managing distributed systems. The company works in partnership with customers to boost systems availability, reduce overall computing costs and strategically automate the entire IT enterprise. Through advanced interoperability, its proven solutions let customers gain proactive control of their distributed computing environments - from mainframe to desktop and legacy to client/server. Boole & Babbage products complement Help Desk, data center operations, network and system administration and storage management.

Boole & Babbage has 42 offices in 26 countries, including three data centers and four development labs. The company's products are available through direct channels and a worldwide network of distributors and resellers. Stage3 is developed by Emprise Technologies and marketed by Boole & Babbage Storage Division, Conyers, Georgia.

 Contact:

 Shelly Gordon

 Boole & Babbage, Inc.

 (408) 526-3430

 sgordon@boole.com

 http://www.boole.com


Borland ReportSmith 3.0 Reporting/Query Tool
BORLAND SHIPS REPORTSMITH 3.0

NEW REPORTING AND QUERY TOOL FOR WINDOWS 95 AND WINDOWS NT

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. -- April 1, 1996 -- Borland International Inc. today announced it has begun shipping ReportSmith 3.0, a new release of its high volume, client/server reporting and query tool for Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. ReportSmith 3.0 includes a set of tools for creating sophisticated columnar, crosstab, and form reports using "live" data, while working with local tables or large corporate client/server databases.

"ReportSmith 3.0 enables users of all levels to work more effectively and efficiently," said Michael Greenbaum, vice president and general manager of Borland's Client/Server Development Tools Group. "Customers want tools that help them to stay on top of their workload without requiring continuous MIS assistance. ReportSmith meets this customer requirement through a set of powerful yet easy-to-use tools that enable users to quickly create professional and sophisticated reports, regardless of their experience level."

Some of the new features in ReportSmith 3.0 include:

- Full 32-bit functionality and support for all new operating system

  features of Windows 95 and Windows NT

- Updated native drivers for accessing 32-bit client libraries from

  Sybase, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server and Gupta SQLBase,

  as well as 32-bit ODBC drivers for accessing other databases

- True multitasking so that users can get other work done while

  ReportSmith processes and prints reports

- Support for PC and SQL databases in one version

- A new API layer for controlling ReportSmith from other applications

- Tight integration with Delphi 2.0 through data source sharing and

  simple parameter passing

"ReportSmith 3.0 is the only tool we found that could easily accomodate the reporting portion of a data warehouse we built for Promina Health Systems," said Robert McEwin, Managing Director of Technology for Systems Techniques, Inc. based in Atlanta. "ReportSmith's unique ability to seamlessly integrate into front-end applications will enable us to develop a tool set for dramatically reducing the time it takes to build data warehouses."

SUMMARY OF REPORTSMITH FEATURES

First introduced in December 1992, ReportSmith was the first report writer to use actual data during report layout. ReportSmith's popular features include:

 "LIVE" DATA REPORTING throughout the report creation

 process allows users to see their data while they design reports

 PREBUILT TEMPLATES AND PREDEFINED REPORT STYLES let users create

 sophisticated reports instantly

 POWERFUL CROSSTAB TOOLS display summary information clearly. Users

 can layer multiple rows and columns and directly edit or pivot

 the data as needed

 DRAG-AND-DROP END-USER QUERY CAPABILITIES eliminates the need to

 know SQL

 SUPPORT FOR OBJECT LINKING AND EMBEDDING (OLE) 2.0, DYNAMIC DATA

 EXCHANGE, and an EMBEDDED MACRO LANGUAGE provide seamless integration

 and customization for building advanced reports

 VIEW AND PRINT RUNTIME ENGINE, included free, for distributing

 prebuilt reports throughout an organization.

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICES AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

ReportSmith 3.0 is included in Developer and Client/Server Suite versions of Delphi 2.0. The standalone package of ReportSmith 3.0 is available for an estimated street price of $179.95. Previous owners of ReportSmith may upgrade to ReportSmith 3.0 for an estimated street price of $129.95. All prices are in U.S. dollars and apply to the U.S. and Canada only. Dealer prices may vary.

ReportSmith requires a 386DX-based PC or higher, and Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 3.51 or later. Customers are recommended to have 16 megabtyes of memory for Windows 95 and Windows NT, and at least 9Mb of hard disk or LAN file server space.

For more information, customers can call (800) 233-2444

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Borland Demos Delphi 2.0 Internet Support
BORLAND DEMONSTRATES DELPHI 2.0 INTERNET SUPPORT

DELPHI WINS "JOLT COLA AWARD" FOR BEST DEVELOPMENT TOOL

SAN FRANCISCO -- March 29, 1996 -- At a customer event held this week at the Software Development '96 conference and exhibition, Borland International Inc. demonstrated how developers can seamlessly integrate Internet technologies on both the client and the server side of applications created using Delphi 2.0. Also at the conference, Delphi received the "Jolt Cola" award for Technical Excellence in a field which included Microsoft Corporation's Visual C++ and Visual Basic, and SunSoft's Java.

Delphi is Borland's high-performance client/server and Windows application development tool. Delphi 2.0, which was introduced earlier this month, is rapidly gaining customer acceptance due to its suite of powerful client and server development tools that provide large corporations and government organizations with a competitive advantage through the ability to build more robust applications in shorter amounts of time.

Borland's presentation demonstrated how Delphi can use Microsoft's recently announced Internet technologies, including the Internet Control Pack, ActiveX controls, and WinInet and ISAPI application programming interfaces (APIs), to create a Delphi web browser client application running on Windows 95, and a Delphi web server application running on Windows NT. Delphi components that support these new Microsoft technologies are now available to customers electronically on Borland's CompuServe forums and World Wide Web site Tech Info Page. Borland also announced plans to add server support for Netscape's NSAPI as well as other popular web server APIs.

"By supporting emerging Internet technologies, Delphi gives developers a competitive advantage in creating high-performance Internet applications," said Michael Greenbaum, vice president and general manager of Borland's Client/Server Development Tools Group. "Delphi's object-oriented architecture allows customers to extend applications to take advantage of powerful technologies for client/server and Internet development."

The Delphi 2.0 product line is now available in three versions designed for specific types of developers. Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 for corporate client/server developers; Delphi Developer 2.0 for professional developers doing local and LAN-based development; and Delphi Desktop 2.0 for individual programmers. Delphi is the only completely object-oriented development tool for Windows and client/server development that combines a two-way visual programming environment, a high-performance optimizing native code compiler and scalable database tools. Delphi 2.0 features a 32-bit optimized native code compiler that is 15 to 50 times faster than P-code interpreters, such as Powersoft's Powerbuilder and Microsoft's Visual Basic.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include, Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Borland C++ 5.0 Wins Swr Dev'96 Superbowl
BORLAND C++ 5.0 WINS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT '96 WINDOWS/C++ SUPERBOWL

BEATS MICROSOFT'S VISUAL C++ 4.0

SAN FRANCISCO -- March 29, 1996 -- Borland International Inc. announced today that Borland C++ 5.0, the new version of its award-winning C and C++ development system, won the C++ Superbowl at the Software Development '96 conference and exhibition. Borland C++ 5.0 was chosen as the overall winner over Microsoft's Visual C++ by a team of five judges. The judges selected Borland C++ as the winner based on the total number of development problems Borland C++ programmers solved in an hour using the product.

"We designed Borland C++ 5.0 for software developers who want the best tools available to be more productive in their jobs," said Richard Gorman, vice president of products at Borland. "This important win validates our mission in providing software developers with the best tools for solving the challenges and problems they face everyday in their jobs."

BORLAND C++ DEVELOPMENT SUITE 5.0 AND BORLAND C++ 5.0

Borland recently announced two new versions of its award-winning C++ products: Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 and Borland C++ 5.0. Borland C++ Development Suite includes all of Borland C++ 5.0; CodeGuard 32/16; PVCS Version Manager; InstallShield Express; and the AppAccelerator for Java, a just-in-time compiler which makes Java applications run five to ten times faster. Borland C++ 5.0 includes a native 32-bit hosted environment, which lets developers target multiple platforms, including Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, and DOS. Borland C++ 5.0 also includes a new version of Borland's award-winning application framework, ObjectWindows Library (OWL) 5.0, Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) compilation support; Visual Database Tools (VDBT); ObjectScripting; and Java-compatible development tools.

BORLAND C++ OBJECTSCRIPTING CONTEST

Earlier this week, Borland announced an ObjectScripting contest in which the grand prize winner is eligible to win a new laptop computer. ObjectScripting is a new fully programmable an flexible system that allows developers to easily modify and configure Borland's award-winning Borland C++ integrated development environment. Customers can submit scripts directly to Borland or on Borland's World Wide Web BC++ 5.0 OBJECT SCRIPTING CONTEST Win a Free Lap-Top Computer!

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 has an estimated street price of $499.95.

Borland C++ 5.0 has an estimated street price of $349.95. All prices, including upgrades and special offers, are in U.S. dollars and apply only in the U.S. and Canada. Dealer prices may vary. Borland C++ 5.0 Development Suite and Borland C++ 5.0 are both available now through major resellers or directly from Borland. For more information, customers can call (800) 645-4559.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services for software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Delphi, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- to large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and system integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0
BORLAND ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF BORLAND C++ DEVELOPMENT SUITE 5.0 AND BORLAND C++ 5.0

ALSO ANNOUNCES BC++ 5.0 OBJECT SCRIPTING CONTESTWIN A FREE LAP-TOP COMPUTER!

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- March 26, 1996 -- Borland International Inc. announced today the availability of Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0, the first comprehensive, integrated C++ development suite that combines five essential tools to speed software development, and Borland C++ 5.0, the latest version of its award-winning C and C++ development system.

The company also announced a new ObjectScripting contest, in which the grand prize winner is eligible to win a new laptop computer. ObjectScripting, a new fully programmable and flexible system that allows developers to easily modify and configure Borland's award-winning integrated development environment (IDE), is included in both Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 and Borland C++ 5.0. ObjectScripting allows developers to easily modify functionality, automate tedious common tasks, integrate tools and utilities, and add new custom features to tailor the IDE to precisely match their own specific needs.

"We have designed both the Borland C++ Development Suite and Borland C++ 5.0 to be the fastest and most flexible development environments for software developers to build both 32- and 16-bit applications," said Richard Gorman, vice president of Product Marketing and Product Management for Borland. "Our ObjectScripting contest was created so all Borland C++ Development Suite and Borland C++ 5.0 customers can use and leverage the large number of scripts other software programmers have already designed. These ready-made scripts will further increase programmer productivity for our wide legion of Borland C++ developers."

BORLAND C++ DEVELOPMENT SUITE 5.0

Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 includes all of Borland C++ 5.0; CodeGuard 32/16, a new version of Borland's best-selling automated bug detection and diagnosis tool; PVCS Version Manager, a special version of the industry leader in version control, which oversees changes to all elements that comprise a software system; and InstallShield Express, which visually creates install programs for deploying applications with point-and-click ease using pre-built components. Borland C++ Development Suite also includes the new AppAccelerator for Java, a just-in-time compiler which makes Java applications run five to ten times faster.

BORLAND C++ 5.0

Borland C++ 5.0 includes a native 32-bit hosted environment, which lets developers target multiple platforms, including Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, and DOS. Borland C++ 5.0 also includes a new version of Borland's award-winning application framework, ObjectWindows Library (OWL) 5.0, which includes support for the Windows 95-based common controls and 16-bit emulation of most of the Windows 95 common controls; Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) compilation support; and Visual Database Tools (VDBT), which let programmers visually create high-performance database applications faster and easier. Borland C++ also includes support for namespaces; the standard C++ library; OCX support; integrated 32-bit resource editing; and integrated 32-bit debugging. Borland C++ 5.0 also includes free Java-compatible development tools, including Sun's Java Development Kit (JDK); the Borland Debugger for Java; a new AppExpert for Java-specific applications and applets; and color syntax highlighting for Java code.

OBJECTSCRIPTING CONTEST

In Borland's ObjectScripting contest, which begins today, customers can submit scripts directly to Borland or on Borland's WorldWideWeb site, http://www.borland.com. The contestant whose script is selected as the best script will be awarded the prize of a laptop computer with an estimated value of $4,000.00 (U.S. Dollars). The Grand Prize winner will also be offered a speaking engagement at the 1996 Borland Developers Conference (BDC), to be held in Anaheim, California in July 1996. All entrants whose scripts are chosen as Honorable Mentions will have their scripts or script derivations placed on a CD (or diskette) and will receive a free copy of that CD/diskette. Customers can also consult Borland's WWW site for full contest description, rules, and submission instructions. The contest is available to all Borland C++ 5.0 Development Suite and Borland C++ 5.0 customers and scripts must be submitted by June 15, 1996. All entries are subject to contest rules, which are available on Borland's WWW site. Contest is void where prohibited.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 carries an estimated street price of $499.95. Current owners of any other Borland products and owners of Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, Watcom or Symantec C or C++ products can purchase a special upgrade at an estimated street price of $349.95. Owners of previous versions of Borland C++ receive an additional $50 off this special upgrade price.

Borland C++ 5.0 carries an estimated street price of $349.95. Current owners of any other Borland products and owners of Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, Watcom or Symantec C or C++ products can purchase a special upgrade at an estimated street price of $249.95. Owners of previous versions of Borland C++ receive an additional $50 off this special upgrade price.

Upgrades will be provided on CD-ROM which will include complete on-line documentation; diskettes and complete printed documentation are available separately at an additional charge. All prices, including upgrades and special offers, are in U.S. dollars and apply only in the U.S. and Canada. Dealer prices may vary. Borland C++ 5.0 Development Suite and Borland C++ 5.0 are both available now through major resellers or directly from Borland. For more information, customers can call (800) 645-4559.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services for software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Delphi, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- to large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and system integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Willows & Borland Deliver OWL Cross-Platform
WILLOWS AND BORLAND PARTNER TO DELIVER OWL CROSS-PLATFORM WITH TWIN APIW

WILLOWS NOW OFFERS OWL FOR UNIX, MACINTOSH, NETWARE AND OTHER PLATFORMS TO PROVIDE SIMPLE, ELEGANT FRAMEWORK FOR CROSS-PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT

SAN FRANCISCO -- March 26, 1996 -- Software Development '96 -- Willows Software, the company who standardized the Windows API for cross-platform development, and Borland International Inc., the premier provider of software development tools and services, today announced a strategic technology alliance to provide Borland's ObjectWindows Library (OWL) as a cross-platform development solution.

"OWL is an excellent object framework for Windows development, and we are excited to be able to provide it with truly cross-platform capabilities," said Steve Champion, director of business development for Willows Software, Inc. "The combination of OWL's sophisticated level of abstraction with our cross-platform TWIN APIW will provide the easy, low-cost solutions that developers are looking for to build the kind of applications their customers want, and deploy them on the platform that best meets their business needs."

Willows's product, TWIN APIW, enables developers to build applications to the Windows API and deploy those applications on Macintosh, UNIX, NetWare and other platforms. Through its alliance with Borland, Willows will deliver OWL for the TWIN APIW, offering developers the elegance and simplicity of OWL's development environment on an API that allows cross-platform deployment of their applications.

"Willows's TWIN APIW is established as the standard cross-platform development tool for Windows," said Bill Jordan, vice president of business development at Borland International. "Partnering with Willows is a natural evolution of Borland's business model of expanding our developers' reach through standard APIs. This alliance now allows our customers to build and deploy applications cross-platform through Willows' technology. Willows provides a superior and low-cost solution to the problem of cross-platform development. We look forward to collaborating with Willows on other cross-platform development projects."

TWIN/OWL TECHNOLOGY

Designed to create a seamless migration path from Windows applications to other platforms, TWIN APIW provides a library based on Windows, with added features such as header files and standard development tools. Based on a single set of source code that can be compiled and linked for any target environment, TWIN APIW allows developers to deliver cross-platform, full-featured applications, that run at native execution speed. Because the application code remains completely compatible with Windows, developers are able to take advantage of the pervasive Windows market, while reaching other target markets with the same application.

Implemented on top of the TWIN APIW, OWL now provides the application framework necessary to easily build cross-platform applications. OWL 5.0 provides splash screens, dockable toolbars, splitter windows, and several new gadgets to speed up the development process. Additionally, OWL provides synchronization objects for multi-threaded development and eases the transition to 32-bit development by supporting both 32- and 16-bit development, including 16-bit emulation of most Windows 95-based common controls.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

TWIN APIW has been available since December of 1995 and has been adopted by thousands of developers worldwide. Borland's OWL is available in the recently released Borland C++ Development Suite 5.0 and Borland C++ 5.0.

TWIN APIW and OWL will be distributed by Willows on its TWIN APIW CD beginning in Q2 1996 for an annual subscription fee of $250. Customers can contact Willows at (408) 777-1820for more information or visit their web site t

Willows Software, Saratoga, California, is unique in its mission to be the leading supplier of products and services based on an open and standard Windows API. Willow's technology allows developers to focus on building the best possible applications, independent of platform, and deploy them on Windows, OS/2, Macintosh and UNIX platforms with little or no development effort.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Boxer Software Marks 5 Year Anniversary
Boxer Software Marks 5-Year Anniversary

Text Editor Vendor Delivers Old-Fashioned Value, Service

PETERBOROUGH, NH - APRIL 3, 1996 - There will be no press conferences or parades when Boxer Software celebrates its 5-year anniversary on the sixth of this month. But in today's fast-paced software market, that's more of a feat than some realize. In a market where many firms won't see their first anniversary, and others are consumed by their competitors, this developer of award-winning text editors has gained a foothold by dedicating itself to a pair of old-fashioned principles: Boxer Software strives to provide exceptional value and superior customer service. That dedication appears to be paying off... Boxer Software enjoys support from customers in all 50 states and 48 foreign countries, including many Fortune 500 clients.

Despite the popularity of today's high-powered (some say over-powered) word processors, and programmer's editors that are shackled to a development environment, the Boxer Text Editors still find favor among writers and programmers who appreciate their efficient and powerful approach to text editing. According to founder David Hamel: "Some of today's new programs are beautiful to look at, but deliver only basic functionality. Others are so feature-packed that they've become cumbersome to use. Boxer strikes a balance by implementing a meaningful and diverse feature set in a manner that's both consistent and intuitive."

Boxer Software markets its products primarily by distributing a "try-before-you-buy" evaluation version on computer bulletin boards, online services and the Internet. Once users experience the trial version, many are anxious to order a full copy. Universities and corporate sites will frequently standardize on a single text editor for computer labs or work groups in order to reduce software maintenance and boost productivity. Boxer Software accommodates such customers with attractive site license pricing.

The Boxer Text Editors are presently available for the DOS, Extended-DOS and OS/2 platforms. BOXER/DOS is priced at $56.00. BOXER/TKO and BOXER/OS2 are each priced at $95.00 and include BOXER/DOS. The BOXER/SET product suite includes all three of the editors, at $135.00. All packages include printed reference manual, quick reference card, technical support, user newsletters and discounted upgrades.

For more information contact: Boxer Software, P.O. Box 3230, Peterborough, NH 03458; 800-982-6937 or 603-924-6602; Internet: dhamel@boxersoftware.com; WWW: http://www.boxersoftware.com/users/dhamel.


Boardtown Webshopper Online Shopping Site
Boardtown Webshopper is a new online shopping site, featuring computer accessories such as cables, printer ribbons and cartridges and other computer supplies. Products ordered online are shipped overnight via Federal Express, and no credit card surchages are applied. This web site is friendly and easy to use, and casual browsers are welcome. The URL for Boardtown Webshopper is:

http://www.boardtown.com/webshop/

Boardtown Networking

116 East Main Street

Starkville, MS 39759

(601)324-7272


Caere Establishes New Products Divisions
CAERE CORP. ESTABLISHES NEW IMAGING AND DESKTOP PRODUCTS DIVISIONS

New Dedicated Groups To Focus On Commercial Imaging And Mainstream PC Software Markets

CHICAGO, Ill., April 1, 1996 -- To best serve the distinctly different needs of two key segments of the information management and optical character recognition marketplace, Caere Corporation (NASDAQ:CAER) today announced the establishment of the Imaging Products and Desktop Products divisions. The Imaging Products Division, under the direction of Vice President and General Manger Dean Hovey, will concentrate on imaging, OCR and recognition solutions for the commercial market. The Desktop Products Division, under the direction of Vice President and General Manager Larry Lunetta, will spearhead Caere's well respected line of retail software offerings.

In conjunction with the announcement of the new divisional structure comes the introduction of Caere's new family of high-end OCR products, the M/Series II, at the AIIM show in Chicago. Under the umbrella of the Imaging Products Division, these new products represent the highest performance system available from Caere. The new M/Series II line is on display in BOOTH # 2235.

Caere has long been recognized as the industry leader in OCR and information management technology for the desktop via award-winning software offerings such as OmniPage, PageKeeper and OmniForm. The company's merger with technology OCR imaging products leader Calera created the opportunity to streamline internal business functions into separate divisions and best serve the diverse needs of imaging and desktop product customers.

"Market requirements for workflow, production imaging, networking solutions and the Internet are all driving the demand for high-end, scanned imaging products," said Dean Hovey, Caere's vice president and general manger of the Imaging Products Division. "Customers request for new solutions and even higher performance OCR solutions give us first hand evidence of increasing market demand. From around the globe we have customers asking us to turn paper based images into computer understandable form. We gained a true technological advantage in the high-end market through the acquisition of Calera and we have already capitalized on that with our new M/Series II line."

IMAGING PRODUCTS DIVISION

The Imaging Products Division will target its high-end product line, including the new M/Series II, at enterprise solutions providers, system integrators, developers and value-added-resellers who seek the industry's highest OCR performance. The Division is ideally situated to provide targeted products for full text and forms processing markets including the legal, litigation support, tax form processing, government, service bureaus and high-speed document capture which require accurate, high-end OCR solutions. Developer's Kits from the new Division will be targeted to ISVs and will enable Caere's superior OCR technology to be embedded into specific applications.

"Demand isn't just coming from well heeled Fortune 1000 customers trying to get control of their mounds of documents," said Serge Blanc, Imaging Products Divisions vice president of engineering. "We are receiving requests for our transaction based recognition products as well. Demand for our new passport readers, batch document processors, and barcode products are coming form the four corners of the planet; Slovenia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. Everyone is going digital."

Caere's broad array of OCR and bar code readers designed to accelerate transaction processing will also be offered by the Imaging Products Division.

DESKTOP PRODUCTS DIVISION

The Desktop Products will focus on the retail channel with offerings such as OmniPage, PageKeeper and shrink-wrapped versions of OmniForm electronic forms software. The Desktop Products division will continue to follow Caere's long-term strategy of providing complete information management solutions to mainstream desktop users.

"Caere's ability to bring the industry's leading OCR technology to these distinct market segments distinguishes Caere as the worldwide leader in imaging and desktop OCR products," added Larry Lunetta, Caere's vice president and general manager of Desktop Products. "We have listened to our customers both from the retail and reseller channels and we believe the newly established Caere divisions will give our customers the benefits of our focused corporate mission in the imaging, recognition and retail markets."

THE COMPANY

Caere Corporation, with US headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. and European headquarters, Caere GmbH., in Munich, Germany, is a leader in OCR technology and desktop document management products. The company's products include the OmniPage and WordScan lines of OCR software that convert printed and faxed documents into electronic text; the PageKeeper line of Windows document management software that reads, remembers, and retrieves a wide range of information for personal computer users; the M/Series high-speed, high volume OCR hardware and software for commercial applications; OmniForm forms conversion software, and a broad array of OCR-A, OCR-B and bar code products that accelerate transaction processing.


CAI Partners with Suny Stony Brook
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES PARTNERS WITH SUNY STONY BROOK TO GIVE STUDENTS REAL-WORLD SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE

CA Donates Software And Hardware For Two State-Of-The-Art Computer Learning Laboratories

ISLANDIA, N.Y., March 29, 1996--A partnership between Computer Associates, the world's leading provider of business software, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook brings state-of-the-art software development to the classroom, where students evaluate mission- critical business solutions. This is an example of how progressive universities are continually searching innovative ways to bridge the gap between academic labs and the practical world.

Under the New York State Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR), CA has donated a complete quality assurance learning laboratory and the software for a transaction and database lab to the Stony Brook Computer Science Department at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. CA has equipped them with servers, desktop computers, networks and CA business software. Students taking four new courses will review the latest updates in CA software along with technology from other industry leaders. Also, students will have the opportunity to participate in two vital software research projects.

"Engineering and computer science are enriched with real-world models because challenges can be oversimplified in the laboratory," said Dr. Yacov Shamash, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, SUNY at Stony Brook. "CA's real-world challenges, cutting edge technologies and employee expertise will provide our students with an industry orientation and sharpen their key skills."

The program establishes a Quality Assurance Lab and a Transaction Lab provided by Computer Associates. The partnership stems from SPIR, which pools engineering resources at SUNY campuses in Binghamton, Buffalo, New Paltz and Stony Brook with support from private industry.

"Many Stony Brook graduates have gone on to professional careers with Computer Associates," said Mark Combs, CA senior vice president of research and development. "This program makes Long Island's new computer scientists even more appealing to the industry by making them more attuned to market needs and the latest programming techniques. CA, in turn, benefits through a steady stream of qualified professionals."

"Long Island's strongest business resource has always been its highly educated population," said Dr. Philip Lewis, Stony Brook Computer Science department chairman. "By furthering that process, visionary businesses such as CA will ensure the region's long-term economic vitality and the leadership potential of its software industry. A strong computer science department can help benefit the software industry on Long Island, including CA."

The labs will support four new courses:

 Quality Assurance of Mission-Critical Software,

 Graduate Database Systems,

 Undergraduate Database Systems,

 Transaction Processing.

These key courses will prepare today's students for a wide variety of professional positions by familiarizing them on the CA-Unicenter systems and network management solution and CA-OpenIngres information management solutions, both used by thousands of corporations worldwide. In addition to the labs, the partnership establishes two major SUNY software research projects at Stony Brook:

* HIGH PERFORMANCE TRANSACTION PROCESSING-- Developed by Dr. Arthur Bernstein and Dr. Lewis, the project will develop a new database concurrency control that will allow databases to process more transactions per second. CA has donated a source code version of CA-OpenIngres, which two Ph.D. candidates will update with the concurrency control method as a means to evaluate the control's performance.

* INTERNET 2000-- Dr. Michael Kifer and a Ph.D. candidate will develop a language and protocols to support workflow applications over the Internet using the Jasmine and CA-OpenIngres database.

THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES AT STONY BROOK IS HOME TO 120 INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN SIX ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS: APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INCLUDING THE PROGRAM IN TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND THE W. AVERRELL HARRIMAN SCHOOL FOR MANAGEMENT AND POLICY. FOR THE 1995-96 FISCAL YEAR, THE COLLEGE HAD EXTERNAL RESEARCH EXPENDITURES OF $7.9 MILLION. THE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT STONY BROOK CAN BE REACHED BY VISITING HTTP://WWW.CS.SUNYSB.EDU ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB OR BY EMAILING PML@CS.SUNYSB.EDU.

COMPUTER ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: CA), WITH HEADQUARTERS IN ISLANDIA, N.Y., IS THE WORLD LEADER IN MISSION-CRITICAL BUSINESS SOFTWARE. THE COMPANY DEVELOPS, LICENSES AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 500 INTEGRATED PRODUCTS THAT INCLUDE SYSTEMS AND DATABASE MANAGEMENT, APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT, MANUFACTURING AND FINANCIAL APPLICATIONS. CA HAS 9,000 PEOPLE IN 130 OFFICES IN 36 COUNTRIES AND HAD REVENUE OF $3.2 BILLION IN CALENDAR YEAR 1995. CA CAN BE REACHED BY VISITING HTTP://WWW.CAI.COM ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB OR EMAILING INFO@CAI.COM.


Candle Command Center & OMEGAMON/OMEGAVIEW
SANTA MONICA, CALIF., MARCH 29, 1996 -- Candle Corporation, a leading supplier of solutions for systems, network, and console management across the enterprise, today announced general availability of the six new components of its Candle Command Center solutions. The Candle Command Center for Distributed Systems now offers:

 OMEGAMON Monitoring Agents for Microsoft Windows NT

 OMEGAMON Monitoring Agents for Oracle

 OMEGAMON Monitoring Agents for Sybase

 Alert Adapter for NetView for AIX

 Command & Control facilities

 OMEGAVIEW II for the Enterprise

Leveraging the power of OMEGAMON, Candle Command Center solutions provide users with the reliability, flexibility, and scalability required in a distributed enterprise. As Microsoft Windows NT becomes a significant resource in new client/server applications, Candle's new OMEGAMON Monitoring Agents for Microsoft Windows NT allow users to manage their Windows NT environments proactively for performance and availability.

The new OMEGAMON Monitoring Agents for Oracle and Sybase effectively monitor the health and performance of two of the most popular distributed database management systems. Candle's Alert Adapter for NetView for AIX enables users to monitor TCP/IP and SNA from one workstation, and to build alert rules with key SNMP performance messages. Candle's Command & Control facilities let users filter and concentrate messages and performance information from a wide variety of systems.

OMEGAVIEW II for the Enterprise integrates all of Candle's solutions, enabling users to manage across platforms, applications, and resources anywhere in the enterprise. This solution provides a centralized view of all system and application events, which gives users complete control in managing every level of systems availability and performance. It also lets users build alert rules that cross multiple platforms for true end-to-end application management.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING

The six new components of the Candle Command Center for Distributed Systems are available immediately. Pricing varies depending on user configuration.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Candle Corporation is the world's leading independent developer and supplier of software solutions that manage the availability and performance of critical systems, network and console resources, as well as business applications, spanning across the enterprise. Since its founding in 1976, Candle has developed a complete line of solutions for enterprise availability management, including automation, status management, application integration, and database management. The company is in the process of delivering its Candle Command Center solutions, which are essential in helping customers make the transition to large, multi-vendor, enterprise production environments composed of both mainframe and client/server applications.

More information about Candle Corporation, visit the company's home page on the World Wide Web (HTTP://WWW.CANDLE.COM).


Cirrus & Intel Accelerated Graphics Port
Cirrus Logic Announces Support for Intel's Accelerated Graphics Port

New Port Addresses Emerging 3D and Videoconferencing Performance Issues

WINHEC, SAN JOSE, CALIF., APRIL 2, 1996 -- Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ: CRUS) today announced support for Intel Corporation's Accelerated Graphics Port, a high-performance graphics port that will provide future graphics controllers with a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection to the system memory. Having worked closely with Intel on the Accelerated Graphics Port, Cirrus Logic is well positioned to support the new technology in future products optimized to bring high-performance 3D and videoconferencing to the mainstream PC market during 1997.

As announced by Intel today, the Accelerated Graphics Port will provide a significantly higher-speed bus that will facilitate moving data back and forth between the host memory and frame buffer memory. These high-speed transfers will allow the use of main memory for z-buffering, alpha blending, texturing and other image data processing functions in the system, reducing the amount of additional graphics memory that might be required.

"We have been working very closely with Intel on this Accelerated Graphics Port because it maps directly into Cirrus Logic's multimedia strategy: bringing high-performance video/graphics products to the mainstream market," said Douglas Bartek, president of Cirrus Logic's Visual & Systems Interface company. "By utilizing the Accelerated Graphics Port, we believe the cost of implementing 3D graphics or videoconferencing subsystems will be significantly reduced, fueling the market for these new capabilities in 1997."

Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., Cirrus Logic is a leading manufacturer of advanced integrated circuits for the desktop and portable computing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics markets. The company applies its system-level expertise in analog and digital design to innovate highly integrated, software-rich solutions. Cirrus Logic has developed a broad portfolio of products and technologies for applications spanning multimedia, graphics, communications, system logic, mass storage, and data acquisition.

Additional information about Cirrus Logic and its subsidiaries is available on the world wide web at http://www.cirrus.com or via fax-on-demand at 800-594-6414 (dial 510-249-4200 from outside the United States).


CLARiiON Intros World Wide Web Page
CLARiiON ADVANCED STORAGE SOLUTIONS INTRODUCES WORLD WIDE WEB PAGE

CLARIION TO OFFER DISK ARRAY, SOFTWARE, SUPPORT AND SERVICES INFORMATION ON-LINE

Southboro, Mass., April 1, 1996 -- The CLARiiON Business Unit of Data General, the leader in open RAID-based disk array storage technology, today announced that it has officially launched into the world of cyberspace with its own World Wide Home Page on the Internet (http://www.clariion.com). The CLARiiON Home Page will provide to channel partners, potential channel partners, potential users of CLARiiON technology, and prospective employees, a single source of current and useful information regarding its disk arrays, software, support and services, as well as job opportunities, in a visually exciting environment.

The CLARiiON Home Page's primary focus sections are entitled: "What's New At CLARiiON", "Disk Arrays", "Software", "Support & Services", and "Company Information".

The "What's New At CLARiiON" section will detail all press releases and announcements, regardless of whether they are related to disk arrays, software, or support and services. Furthermore, throughout the year, as CLARiiON participates in special events (i.e., product test-to-scales, trade shows, etc.), designated links will also be added to bring the visitor to supplementary information such as location, contacts, sponsors, and related resources.

The "Disk Arrays" section will also be divided into subsets of information: "The CLARiiON Disk Array Family", "Application Notes: CLARiiON Supported Environments", "How Do I Buy A CLARiiON Array?", and "CLARiiON White Papers". It is in this section that each CLARiiON disk array's (Series 100, 1000, and 2000) features, benefits, and specifications will be detailed. The "How Do I Buy A CLARiiON Array?" section will furnish visitors with a listing of CLARiiON channel partners (with links to many of the partners' home pages), and complete information with respect to the new CLARiiON Leasing Program.

The "Software" area on the site will include detailed information about CLARiiON ArrayGUIde, disk array management software; GuardWare, multi-server failover software; Applications Transparent Failover (ATF), redundant SCSI I/O path management; and the Application Notes of CLARiiON supported environments.

The fourth section of the CLARiiON Home Page is entitled "Support & Services" It will provide information regarding the level of support and services channel partners can depend-on from CLARiiON. This section will be a primary vehicle for the distribution of CLARiiON technical information.

The final primary section of the CLARiiON web site is entitled "Company Information". This section is divided into five subsets of information: "The CLARiiON Company Backgrounder", "CLARiiON Career Opportunities", "Press Releases", "Customer Profiles", and "Editorial Coverage".

"This announcement demonstrates the commitment CLARiiON has made, and continues to make, to maintain its leadership position in the open storage market", commented Larry Hemmerich, Vice President and General Manager of CLARiiON. "Investment not only in our products, software, and services, but in the effective delivery of information pertaining to these areas will continue to propel this mission forward."

"The World Wide Web is shaping the way we access and exchange information, market products and services, and even entertain ourselves during and after the work day," added Peter Gibbs, Director of Marketing for CLARiiON. "Our utilization of the Web will provide another level of service to our exisiting channel partners, while providing an exciting medium in which to market to possible new ones."

Today, CLARiiON, with over 500 combined manpower years of array experience, over 50 million hours of customer satisfaction, and over 25,000 systems running in over 25 countries worldwide, is the leader in open RAID- based disk array storage technology.

The CLARiiON business unit is a part of Data General Corporation (NYSE:DGN). CLARiiON leading disk array technology has been protecting customer data and information for more than four years. Data General, headquartered in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems, and related software and services for customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1995. Additional information on Data General Corp., its products, and its services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.


PeopleSoft to Bundle Cognos Powerplay w/Apps
PEOPLESOFT, INC., TO BUNDLE COGNOS POWERPLAY WITH PEOPLESOFT APPLICATIONS

COGNOS WILL ALSO INTEGRATE ITS IMPROMPTU DATABASE REPORTING TOOL WITH PEOPLESOFT APPLICATIONS

BURLINGTON, MASS., APRIL 1, 1996 -- Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF;TSE:CSN) today announced an agreement with PeopleSoft, Inc., under which PeopleSoft will bundle Cognos' industry-leading online analytical processing (OLAP) tool, PowerPlay, with PeopleSoft applications. Under the agreement, PeopleSoft will deliver the world's most popular tool for analyzing complex, multidimensional corporate data to every PeopleSoft customer. This will enable managers to make better business decisions, faster, with PeopleSoft applications, by giving them the ability to easily analyze and understand the data that is collected and managed by those applications. Financial terms of the relationship were not disclosed.

PeopleSoft selected PowerPlay after extensive, worldwide competitive evaluation. With more than 140,000 seats installed worldwide, PowerPlay is the leading OLAP, or multi-dimensional analysis, tool on the desktops of managers in Global 2000 companies. PowerPlay delivers a rich, Windows 95-compliant graphical environment that allows users to drill up or down and "slice-and-dice" through data, allowing decision makers to understand what drives their business.

As a complement to the PowerPlay/PeopleSoft bundle, Cognos will integrate its award-winning Impromptu query and reporting software with PeopleSoft's applications. This will be accomplished through pre-defined Impromptu HeadStarts catalogs that will give PeopleSoft users the ability to quickly implement Impromptu, InfoWorld's "Product of the Year," as their enterprise database reporting tool.

"After a rigorous competitive evaluation, PeopleSoft chose to deliver PowerPlay as its desktop OLAP solution, reinforcing Cognos' status as the leader in the business intelligence market," said Alan Rottenberg, senior vice president, Cognos Business Intelligence Products. "Our partnership with PeopleSoft, one of the leading providers of enterprise client/server business applications, advances our strategy to make business intelligence software an integral part of every manager's daily activity."

"PowerPlay is a robust, proven product from a recognized leader in business intelligence tools, and PeopleSoft customers will benefit by the integration of this leading desktop OLAP tool into PeopleSoft applications," said Rick Bergquist, Peoplesoft's vice president of technology. "We are also delighted that Cognos will integrate its Impromptu query and reporting software with our applications."

With PowerPlay, PeopleSoft users will have powerful tools to analyze enterprise-wide business-critical information by looking at data in multiple dimensions. For example, a purchasing agent could evaluate vendor performance in terms of pricing, delivery times, return rates and quality to make informed procurement decisions. With Impromptu, reports can be automatically delivered each day to managers, or managers can instantly obtain data they are authorized to see in the format they require.

PEOPLESOFT

PeopleSoft Inc. (NASDAQ: PSFT) was established in 1987 to provide innovative software solutions that meet the changing business needs of enterprises worldwide. A client/server applications pioneer and market share leader, PeopleSoft develops, markets, and supports a complete suite of enterprise solutions for accounting, materials management, distribution, manufacturing, and human resources. PeopleSoft's innovative use of technology empowers individuals to make informed decisions and manage constant change. With several hundred Fortune 1000 customers around the world, the company has been recognized for both its award-winning customer service and remarkable growth. PeopleSoft was listed by Fortune Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America in 1994 and 1995, and by Forbes Magazine as one of the best small companies in America in 1994. PeopleSoft product and service information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.peoplesoft.com, via fax-on-demand at 1-800/296-0937, or by calling 1-800/947-7753.

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos Business Intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


Cognos Impromptu Integrated With Sybase IQ
COGNOS' IMPROMPTU INTEGRATED WITH SYBASE IQ TO SPEED QUERIES

BOSTON, MASS., MARCH 26, 1996 -- Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF; TSE:CSN) today announced the integration of its industry leading query and reporting tool, Impromptu, with Sybase IQ, the new data warehouse server optimized for flexible, interactive analysis and ad-hoc queries. Cognos' participation in Sybase's Warehouse WORKS Alliance Program, the industry's leading data warehouse alliance, ensures that Cognos and Sybase data warehouse customers will be able to seamlessly leverage the combined power of Sybase's database engine and Cognos' interactive query tool.

Sybase IQ dramatically reduces the costs associated with data warehousing by using intelligent data storage and retrieval software that maximizes existing enterprise hardware. Cognos' Impromptu maximizes the benefits found in a data warehouse by allowing end-users to quickly get at and understand corporate data. Impromptu, the award-winning, industry- leading data access tool, brings data to the desktop for reports and an interactive view.

"The combination of Impromptu, InfoWorld's Product of the Year, and Sybase IQ, with its optimized environment, delivers fast access to corporate data for every decision maker in the enterprise," said Alan Rottenberg, Cognos' senior vice president, business intelligence products. "This integration guarantees Cognos can provide optimal access to sophisticated corporate data, many times faster than standard relational database management systems."

"Fast, interactive access across an enterprise, large or small, is a necessity in today's competitive business environment," said Bruce Armstrong, Sybase vice president of server products. "The addition of Impromptu to our solution offers Sybase customers the ability to maximize their use of corporate data to the best overall competitive advantage."

SYBASE

Sybase, Inc. is a worldwide leader in client/server software. Sybase and its PowerSoft division are focused on four major market segments: on-line transaction processing, data warehousing, mass deployment and electronic commerce. Sybase's software products -- database, middleware and tools -- provide customers with desktop to enterprise solution. The company's mission is to provide its customers with an open, adaptable information systems architecture that enables them to develop and deliver complete information solution to facilitate rapid business change. Headquartered in Emeryville, CA, Sybase is the sixth largest independent software company in the world. The company's Internet addresses are www.sybase.com and www.powersoft.com.

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 200,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos Business Intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 350 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


Comshare BOOST Sales & Margin Planning
Comshare Boosts Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

New Application Suite To Bring Integration and Optimization to CPG Decision-Making

ANN ARBOR, MI, APRIL 2, 1996 -- Comshare, Inc., The Decision Support Company, is reinforcing its position in decision support for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry with the introduction of BOOST, a new application suite for CPG. BOOST Sales and Margin Planning, the first component of the suite to be released, is a brand and customer planning system for CPG manufacturers that uses proven technology built on Comshare's successful merchandise and store planning application for retailers, known as Arthur.

"Comshare has always had a strong presence across the total CPG supply chain," says Luke Alvarez, BOOST Whole Product Director. "Our Arthur suite of pre-built applications is the dominant decision support solution for large retailers, and is used by Wal-Mart, Neiman-Marcus Direct, Disney Stores and many others. In the CPG manufacturing sector, we previously have delivered custom decision support solutions to many hundreds of blue-chip companies including Pepsi, Philip Morris, Kraft Foods and Johnson & Johnson. Now we feel that the worldwide rollout of Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) best practice gives us an opportunity to provide a suite of pre-built applications to the manufacturing sector, focused on ECR. Our BOOST suite for CPG manufacturing compliments our Arthur suite for retail, and will reinforce Comshare's position as the premier provider of decision support to the CPG supply chain.

"The common themes of the BOOST suite of applications are integration and optimization," continues Alvarez. "In many of the CPG companies that we've worked with, we found that operational processes such as order processing and replenishment were becoming well integrated and optimized across the business functions. But decision support was not."

"Often," he adds, "the account plans, brand volume forecasts, promotions plans, financial budgets and inventory plans were all in separate systems -- a variety of spreadsheets, forecasting tools, mainframes and so on. This means a huge effort to share plans; long, painful planning cycles, and inaccurate plans with little real operational buy-in."

"Another example is that external and internal data were often not brought together," says Alvarez. "So the effects of competitor pricing and promotional initiatives could not easily be correlated with internal shipments and profits. This could make it hard for CPG manufacturers to respond to competition in a way that both improves internal brand performance and boosts customer/account satisfaction."

"There is a need to bring integration and optimization to all these decision processes," suggests Alvarez. "This is what the BOOST suite does. With BOOST Sales and Margin Planning, we've addressed the planning problems by developing a system that allows finance, marketing, sales and operations to plan in harmony," he continued. "It enables decision-makers to build more targeted plans that match the right assortment, promotional and pricing strategies to the right customers. It also instantly illuminates the effects of alternative plan scenarios on product, customer and consolidated margins, leading to enhanced efficiency at all levels of the business. It is a truly cross-functional system."

"If BOOST Sales and Margin Planning can be seen as providing horizontal integration of planning across the functions," concludes Alvarez, "further additions to the BOOST product line will provide greater vertical integration of analysis within each function. Improving the integration of internal and external data for sales and for marketing is one example of this."

Comshare's mission is to be the premier provider to consumer packaged goods manufacturers of integrated DSS applications that improve the quality and speed of decisions, which increase their market share, growth and profitability.

Comshare is The Decision Support Company. One of the top 50 software companies in the world, Comshare develops, markets and supports complete decision support applications designed to improve business analysis, planning, reporting and decision making. Comshare decision support applications result in better decisions, improved profits, and enhanced competitiveness for its more than 3,000 customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

For more information about Comshare products and services, call 1- 800-922-7979 or see our home page on the world wide web at http://www.comshare.com


Compuware XPEDITER+ 2.0 for Date-Change Proj
Compuware's XPEDITER+ 2.0 Provides Productivity Workbench For Full Range of Year 2000 Tasks

Cooperative Toolset Eases Analysis and Testing in Date-change Projects for Mainframe Programmers Working on OS/2 and Windows

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH., APRIL 1, 1996--Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) today announced Release 2.0 of its XPEDITER+ product, a multi-platform maintenance and development workbench that improves the way mainframe programmers work. The combination of analysis, editing, testing and code improvement in a single tool makes XPEDITER+ a comprehensive solution for helping organizations reduce the time and expense of maintenance projects such as Year 2000 date-change conversions.

"Year 2000 maintenance efforts cover the entire spectrum of programming tasks," said David Lagermeier, product manager for XPEDITER+. "XPEDITER+ effectively addresses these tasks by enabling programmers to access source code on multiple platforms and perform on-demand impact analysis to determine the extent of changes. Furthermore, they can use XPEDITER+ to simplify the changing of source code, identify coding errors, access mainframe compile resources, and perform comprehensive testing after changes are made. For Year 2000 or any other maintenance projects, no other product provides the broad, cooperative coverage of XPEDITER+."

Release 2.0 builds on the sophisticated analysis and testing capabilities of XPEDITER+ with capabilities that enable programmers to:

 perform complex text searches across multiple programs

 identify date fields by PICTURE clause

 trace data flows between variables

 test application logic on a production platform

"Tools are an important part of the Year 2000 compliance effort, whether used by internal staff or outside service providers," said Bruce Hall, research director for Gartner Group. "Application development organizations should seek tools that leverage knowledge gained during the Year 2000 effort into maintenance and development productivity gains after the compliance project has been completed."

XPEDITER+ includes early support for Windows 95 and Windows NT, in addition to OS/2 support already available.

Pricing and availability

XPEDITER+ Release 2.0 is now generally available. Initial 10-copy minimum purchase price ranges from $2,500 to $3,250 per copy. Additional copies may be purchased on a per-user basis at volume discounts.

Compuware's Production 2000 Solution

XPEDITER+ is part of PRODUCTION 2000, Compuware's start-to-finish strategy for helping companies manage Year 2000 conversions. Production 2000 integrates Compuware's time-tested products and professional services with an automated conversion and implementation process specifically designed to reduce the time and expense of century-date-change projects.

Compuware Corporation

Founded in 1973, Compuware develops, markets and supports an integrated set of systems software products designed to improve the productivity of information technology professionals in application development, implementation and maintenance. The Company's products are used by more than 8,800 customers worldwide. Working across a broad spectrum of technologies, including mainframe, mid-range and client/server platforms, more than 2,400 people in Compuware's Professional Services Division offer business systems analysis, design, programming and implementation as well as software conversion and systems planning and consulting. For more information about XPEDITER+ and other Compuware products, call 1-800-535-8707 or visit our Web site at http://www.compuware.com.


Creative SoundFont 2.0 Sound Sample Format
Creative Introduces SoundFont 2.0 Sound Sample Format

New Downloadable Sample Format For Developers, Musicians, and Creative End-Users

SANTA CLARA, CA, AT THE COMPUTER GAME DEVELOPERS' CONFERENCE --APRIL 2, 1996--Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF) today introduced SoundFont 2.0, a downloadable sample format developed by the Joint E-mu/Creative Technology Center. The new SoundFont format is a revision of the SoundFont 1.0 downloadable sample specification originally introduced with Sound Blaster AWE32. The SoundFont 2.0 format lets developers, musicians and customers using either Sound Blaster AWE32, or Sound Blaster 32 with added memory, customize their special effects and musical synthesis much like changing the character font in their word processor.

With SoundFonts, users are not limited to using the sounds supplied with their sound cards. By simply loading new SoundFont banks, users can replace any and all instrument sounds in order to tailor their sound cards to their individual needs and preferences. These enhancements range from replacing the stock piano sample with a preferred sample such as a Steinway piano SoundFont bank, to creating one's own instruments by recording and modifying the samples.

"At Micron, we include Creative's wave-table sound cards with the option for SoundFont technology in our award-winning Micron Home Pro MPC multimedia PCs," said Jeff Moeser, director of desktop product marketing at Micron Electronics, Inc. "We value having the ability to market a customizable sound solution to our customers. SoundFont technology allows us to do precisely that."

"Team Fat is looking forward to kicking some musical butt with SoundFont 2.0!" said George Sanger, a.k.a. the Fat Man, an industry leading authority on PC audio.

"SoundFont technology and SSEYO's Koan Pro makes the promise of computer-aided music composition a reality," said Tim Cole, president of SSEYO Limited, a developer of musical compositon programs for the PC user.

For The Developer / Musician

SoundFont technology provides developers and musicians the ability to incorporate preferred instruments and effects in their scores. New sounds can be created and existing instrument sounds can be augmented with special effects. These changes result in games and entertainment titles with musical scores that are much more expressive and stimulating. Currently available from E-mu Systems are SoundFont banks: compilations of pre-recorded instrument collections such as World Instruments, 9 Foot Grand Piano, Woodwinds, Arco Strings, Haunt Fonts and more.

"SoundFonts give me the unique ability to add custom instruments and sound effects to our games," said Russel Shaw, musicial and lead audio programmer at Bullfrog Productions. " For example, on 'Dungeon Keeper' I have a range of special SoundFont banks which I use to add atmospheric sounds to enhance the musical score -- if you don't have SoundFonts you don't get it!"

For The End-User

The end-user can expect to alter or entirely change the instrument sounds that come with their sound card using SoundFonts. Games and entertainment titles that are developed utilizing SoundFont technology are more compelling. SoundFont technology provides a more immersive sound experience.

Features of SoundFont 2.0

 PORTABLE: It can be supported on many wave-table synthesis-based

 platforms.

 EXCHANGEABLE: It can easily be transferred from one platform to

 another.

 EXPRESSIVE: The format allows professional sound designers

 to develop high-quality sounds with tremendous multiple layering

 and effects.

 EASILY CUSTOMIZABLE: The format makes it very easy to customize

 professionally developed sounds without having to modify the

 original content.

"The Joint E-mu/Creative Technology Center has done a tremendous job with the SoundFont 2.0 format," said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer at Creative Technology Ltd. "It truly fulfills our goal to provide developers and Creative's customers with the flexibility needed to excercise their creativity."

"We designed SoundFont 2.0 to provide the ultimate in sound creation tools for truly extraordinary sounds," said Dave Rossum, Chief Wizard and founder of E-mu Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SOUNDFONT 2.0 VISIT CREATIVE'S WEBSITE:

Public specification for SoundFont 2.0: HTTP://WWW.CREAF.COM/EMU

For pricing and availability of Sound Font banks contact E-mu Systems, Inc., at: SOUNDFONT@EMU.COM

Creative Technology Ltd., is the world's leading provider of advanced multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics, communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster technology is accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the mass market.


Cabletron SecureFast Virtual Networking
CABLETRON UNVEILS SECUREFAST VIRTUAL NETWORKING

Industry's Most Advanced Intranet Management System

LAS VEGAS -- NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 3, 1996 -- Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS) today unveiled SecureFast Virtual Networking, the industry's most comprehensive product set for implementing and managing switched virtual intranetworks. The next-generation line of products make enterprise networks easier to administer, providing key tools for managing and defining policy for user access to essential resources on corporate intranets and the Internet. SecureFast provides increased performance and an unmatched level of network control.

The new SecureFast offerings include VLAN Manager and VNET Manager -- the first connection-oriented virtual network management applications.

"Surging commercial use of corporate intranets has placed new demands on network managers in their efforts to maintain the control and reliability of their corporate networks," said John Morency, principal at the Registry, a Stratham, N.H.-based consultancy. "Cabletron is strategically positioned with its SecureFast technology to not only address customers increased bandwidth requirements, but can also provide critical management tools that put network control back in the hands of the network manager responsible for intranet success."

"VLAN Ready" Switches - The Core

SecureFast combines the best elements of bridging and routing technologies with connection-oriented switching. Essential to Cabletron's SecureFast architecture is the ability to embed layer 3 virtual routing services directly into its high-performance switches. Through a simple firmware upgrade, customers can add "intranet management" software to a broad line of Cabletron switches, including an installed base of over 1 million ports.

Cabletron's "connection-oriented" technology refers to the ability to route the first packet and switch all successive packets, unlike competitors' products which must route every packet when communicating between two VLANs. Once SecureFast programs a connection, all subsequent packets over the same path are transmitted without additional routing -- similar to technology used in the world's largest and most reliable networks, including telephony, SNA, Frame Relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. With this architecture, users avoid latency and performance problems and build intranetworks that more closely mirror the organizational structure of their business.

Since SecureFast implements the same connection-oriented concepts as ATM, customers are guaranteed a smooth migration from packet-based LANs to rapidly evolving cell-based technologies. SecureFast Switching allows customers to receive many of the benefits of ATM such as security and accountability within their existing network infrastructures.

An equally important SecureFast feature is a broadcast interception service which resolves issues such as security, broadcasts, multi- casts and network flooding. Broadcast interception allows customers to cost-effectively control broadcast traffic in a switched network without requiring a router. When compared to routers, the purchase price for a multi-port SecureFast Switch is significantly less than the price of a traditional router, with greater performance.

Cabletron "VLAN Ready" products immediately supporting SecureFast include the Multi Media Access Center" (MMAC"), MMAC-Plus" and the new SmartSwitch family. Cabletron switches shipping as early as 1993 support SecureFast, enabling customers to preserve hardware investments.

VLAN Manger and VNET Manager -- Managing Virtual Networks

In conjunction with its SecureFast announcement, Cabletron is unveiling VLAN Manager, the industry's only connection-oriented VLAN solution. Designed to provide a cost-effective, simple-to-use interface for assigning users to a VLAN, the new switch management application provides graphical VLAN management capabilities for Cabletron switches.

Initially available as an application for Cabletron's SPECTRUM" enterprise management platform, VLAN Manager addresses critical management requirements in logically defining, managing and configuring virtual LANs. Cabletron will also develop versions to run on SNMP-based management platforms including HP's OpenView, Sun's SunNet Manager and IBM's NetView for AIX, as well as a standalone version for Windows NT.

VNET Manger -- Advanced Management Services

Cabletron has also unveiled VNET Manager for customers requiring value-added services such as policy management, call management and call accounting.

Designed to provide advanced virtual networking capabilities, the new VNET Manager platform provides network managers with more extensive control over user access to key network resources. VNET Manager's automated connection-management services provide users with powerful network management capabilities such as network security, resource allocation, call accounting and monitoring.

The core components of VNET Manager include the SecureFast Switch Client software, the SecureFast Management Suite and a SecureFast Virtual Network

SERVER (SFVNS). Available as a rack-mountable server, the SFVNS enforces all user-defined rules of the switched network. The company will also develop an SFVNS module for its MMAC-Plus enterprise switch platform.

Products are competitively priced. Volume discounts are available. Contact local sales representatives for specifics. Cabletron Systems is the recognized leader in providing high-performance intranetworking solutions, including LAN and ATM switches and advanced network and systems management software. Under its Synthesis product framework, Cabletron markets products throughout the world for linking and managing enterprise-wide networks.

With corporate headquarters in Rochester, NH, Cabletron employs over 5,700 people worldwide. Cabletron's common stock is traded over the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CS. Over the last four quarters, the company has reported record revenue of $1.1 billion.


Cabletron SPECTRUM VLAN/VNET Manager
SPECTRUM Helps Customers Integrate Management for Switched and Non-Switched Nets

Offers Industry's Most Complete Approach for Managing Migration to Virtual Nets

LAS VEGAS - NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 3, 1996 -- With the introduction of SecureFast VLAN Manager and VNET Manager -- SPECTRUM extends its reach to provide integrated management solutions for customers seeking to exploit the bandwidth advantages of switching across their intranets and other computing investments. Cabletron Systems' (NYSE:CS) SPECTRUM can now bring customers policy-based access control of network resources, cost accounting for network utilization, as well as integrated systems and network management -- for both the switched and non-switched environments.

"Cabletron is offering a robust solution which builds on their SecureFast vision and leading management technology," said John McConnell of McConnell Consulting. "The VLAN Manager offers a robust virtual LAN manager on NT while the Virtual Network Manager allows customers to deliver business value and not just technology management. These products make the transition from managing just devices to managing key networking activities that are essential for any organization."

Cabletron is unique among the internetworking vendors in offering customers a full-service management platform, SPECTRUM Enterprise Manager, which is now the fastest growing platform in the industry today. While the new software products - SecureFast VLAN Manager and SecureFast VNET Manager -- will be able to work with other management platforms besides SPECTRUM, they leverage SPECTRUM's industry-leading technology.

"The announcements today are part of a total management vision that will allow our customers automated, policy-based control of their full computing investments -- with increased flexibiliity and dramatic savings in administrative costs," said Mike Skubisz, Cabletron's director of product marketing. "None of our competitors can claim this breadth of vision, or such rich solutions."

This broader vision includes policy-driven management of all types of networks and computer hardware and software, as well as applications, databases and business processes -- all from a single console. It will enable customers to monitor voice, data and multimedia transmissions, while providing access control for resources such as servers and applications among both switched and non-switched networks.

Cabletron-developed applications such as Configuration Manager, SPECTRUM Scheduler, SPECTRUM Policy Manager and Web-based Reporting are among the features that help to integrate SecureFast management applications within a broader management context.

When running with SPECTRUM, data from SecureFast VNET Manager will go to SPECTRUM's Distributed Data Warehouse, where it will provide network managers with an integrated view of network events. Through this, reports on network utilization, network alarms, or network business process dynamics can be produced -- integrating both switched and non-switched environments. For instance, using SPECTRUM's Web- based reporting tool, an IS professional can view integrated reports at leisure from remote locations. Finally, VNET Manager can exploit SPECTRUM's Scheduler for scheduling automated changes in departmental access to network resources.

In the future, SPECTRUM's Enterprise Configuration Manager will provide automated configuration support for the switched environment through the SecureFast Management applications.

Partner applications such as Atrium EMS from Calypso Software Systems, WinWatch from Metrix, and business process management from Intelligent Communications Software will help extend many of the policy-based features for accounting and resource allocation available in SecureFast into the non-switched environment. Fore System's ForeView coupled with SPECTRUM's ATM management modules provide customers with integrated management of ATM switches, access products and network adapters. Seagate's NerveCenter Pro will offer customers customizable and cross-domain event correlation for handling alarms driven from emerging technologies and advanced applications. Finally, problem-solving applications, such as SpectroRX Resolution Expert, will recommend solutions for complex management tasks and even automatically resolve routine management problems across the full breadth of both switched and non-switched environments.

"Cabletron's strategy for managing virtual LANs and virtual networks offers us the breadth we need to aggressively pursue the bandwidth and application advantages of new switching technologies," said Phil Thornson, Network Systems Analyst at University in Minnesota. "Cabletron's willingness to simply broad network complexity is a welcome addition to our current networks."

Cabletron Systems is the recognized leader in providing high-performance intranetworking solutions, including LAN and ATM switches and advanced network and systems management software. Under its Synthesis product framework, Cabletron markets products throughout the world for linking and managing enterprise-wide networks.

With corporate headquarters in Rochester, NH, Cabletron employs over 5,700 people worldwide. Cabletron's common stock is traded over the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CS. Over the last four quarters, the company has reported record revenue of #1.1 billion.


Cabletron SecureFast VLAN Manager
Cabletron Unveils SecureFast VLAN Manager

Industry's Only Connection-Oriented VLAN Solution

LAS VEGAS -- NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 3, 1996 -- Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS), the leading provider of intranet management solutions, today unveiled SecureFast VLAN Manager -- the industry's first connection-oriented virtual LAN (VLAN) solution. Designed to provide a cost-effective, simple-to-use interface for assigning users to a VLAN, the new switch management application provides graphical VLAN management capabilities for Cabletron switches.

In conjunction with this announcement, Cabletron unveiled SecureFast Virtual Networking, a comprehensive product set for implementing and managing switched intranetworks.

"As customers move to implement intranet-based networking infrastructures, virtually every aspect of enterprise networking is going to be profoundly influenced," said Craig Benson, Cabletron's chairman, treasurer and COO. "VLAN Manager, coupled with the management software embedded in our switches, provides a reliable, cost-effective solution for implementing full-scale switched networks."

Initially available as an application for Cabletron's SPECTRUM enterprise management platform, VLAN Manager addresses critical management requirements in logically defining, managing and configuring virtual LANs. Cabletron will also develop versions to run on SNMP-based management platforms including HP's OpenView, Sun's SunNet Manager and IBM's NetView for AIX, as well as a standalone version for Windows NT.

Through an auto-register function called "Wizard," network administrators can automatically create VLAN groups according to the types of protocols being run on the network (IP, IPX, AppleTalk, NetBios, DecNet, Vines IP). By grouping users and devices according to protocol, network managers can significantly increase overall network performance and simplify the administration of virtual LANs. This feature also saves configuration set-up time and does not require users to type in user addresses.

"VLAN Ready" Switches - The Core

When coupled with Cabletron's powerful SecureFast Switch Client software, users are able to easily implement virtual workgroups that offer features such as layer 3 routing and broadcast containment. VLAN Manager can be used to implement these services on a Cabletron installed base of over 1 million ports.

By combining VLAN Manager with Cabletron's SecureFast Switch Client software, customers receive the following capabilities:

- Automatic VLAN membership based on any criteria.

- User membership in multiple VLANs.

- Automatic discovery of switch fabric and best path determination

  for ease of installation and support.

- Virtual Routing Services - allows for load balancing and redundant

  connection management.

- Ability to run in both highly routed or switched networking

  environments.

Cabletron "VLAN Ready" products immediately supporting SecureFast include the Multi Media Access Center (MMAC), MMAC-Plus and the new SmartSwitch family. Cabletron switches shipping as early as 1993 support SecureFast, enabling customers to preserve hardware investments.

An additional key feature of Cabletron's VLAN Manager technology is it allows customers to easily migrate to the company's more-extensive policy-based VNET Manager. Cabletron's two-tiered virtual networking approach allows customers to preserve their initial investment, adding VNET Manager functionality as it is required. VNET Manager has been engineered for customers requiring the full value-added services of the SecureFast Management Suite, including policy management, call management, call accounting and virtual routing.

Products are competitively priced. Volume discounts are available. Contact local sales representatives for specifics.

Cabletron Systems is the recognized leader in providing high-performance intranetworking solutions, including LAN and ATM switches and advanced network and systems management software. Under its Synthesis product framework, Cabletron markets products throughout the world for linking and managing enterprise-wide networks.

With corporate headquarters in Rochester, NH, Cabletron employs over 5,700 people worldwide. Cabletron's common stock is traded over the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CS. Over the last four quarters, the company has reported record revenue of $1.1 billion.

Cabletron's World Wide Web site can be reached on the Internet at http://www.cabletron.com/.


CABLETRON DELIVERS SECUREFAST VNET MANAGER

Industry's Most Advanced Management System For Connection-Oriented Switching

LAS VEGAS -- NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 3, 1996 -- Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS), the leading provider of intranet management solutions, today unveiled SecureFast VNET Manager -- the industry's most advanced management system for implementing automated, policy-based virtual networking capabilities. Engineered for customers requiring advanced management services such as policy management, call accounting and call management, VNET Manager allows users to implement policies and procedures defining user access to essential resources on corporate intranets and the Internet.

"VNET Manager brings command and control back to the network manager, without sacrificing performance or security," said Chris Oliver, Cabletron's director of engineering and manufacturing. "Companies can now manage their computer networks in similar ways that they manage their telecommunications networks, controlling user access and generating account reports for actual network usage."

"VNET Ready" Switches - The Core

When coupled with Cabletron's powerful SecureFast Switch Client software, users are able to easily implement virtual workgroups that offer features such as layer 3 routing and broadcast containment. VNET Manager can be used to implement these services on a Cabletron installed base of over 1 million ports.

Cabletron "VNET Ready" products immediately supporting SecureFast include the Multi Media Access Center (MMAC), MMAC-Plus and the new SmartSwitch family. Cabletron switches shipping as early as 1993 support SecureFast, enabling customers to preserve hardware investments.

VNET MANAGER -- Advanced Management Services

Designed for customers requiring advanced virtual networking capabilities, the new VNET Manager platform provides extensive control over user access to key network resources. VNET Manager's automated connection-management services provide users with powerful network management capabilities such as network security, resource allocation, call accounting and monitoring.

The key components of VNET Manager include the SecureFast Switch Client software, the SecureFast Management Suite and a SecureFast Virtual Network Server (SFVNS). Available as rack-mountable server, the SFVNS enforces all user-defined rules of the switched network. The company will also develop an SFVNS module for its MMAC-Plus enterprise switch platform.

By maintaining a comprehensive database of user access rights and privileges, the SFVNS can simultaneously process requests, determining which users can talk, how much bandwidth they can use, the time of day they can access network resources and the best path to establish the connection.

At the core of VNET Manager is the SecureFast Management Suite -- a group of applications for managing switched virtual intranetworks and internetworks. Available management applications include Policy Manager, Accounting Manager, Connection Manager and Virtual Routing Services.

POLICY MANAGER - Allows network managers to apply policies (rules) to workgroups on the network. Policies can be established to define resource usage limits, establish network security and optimize call overhead.

ACCOUNTING MANAGER - Provides call recording for billing and management purposes. Generates network usage reports, similar to a phone bill, with a breakdown of who is using the network, what services they are using and the amount of time they are using the network.

CONNECTION MANAGER - Enables the control of end-to-end connections between network devices (connection establishment, call maintenance, network monitoring, path control).

VIRTUAL ROUTING SERVICES -

1. Directory Services - Allows registration and mapping of end point and switch addresses.

2. Topology Services - Determines connection path and programs switch connection tables.

Under VNET Manager, the network management system becomes a proactive tool for the network manager. Operational policy defined by the network manager is enforced through real-time configuration changes made by the system, ensuring that network operation is always reliable and predictable. Each user's network privileges are defined and managed as a policy, regardless of where the user connects to the network.

Policy management allows very complex network configurations to be easily managed and most importantly -- enables accounting of network usage on a "per-call" basis. When combined with a powerful network management system, such as SPECTRUM, network bandwidth can be allocated per-user, ensuring that all users receive adequate network resources.

Products are competitively priced. Volume discounts are available. Contact local sales representatives for specifics. Cabletron Systems is the recognized leader in providing high-performance intranetworking solutions, including LAN and ATM switches and advanced network and systems management software. Under its Synthesis product framework, Cabletron markets products throughout the world for linking and managing enterprise-wide networks.

With corporate headquarters in Rochester, NH, Cabletron employs over 5,700 people worldwide. Cabletron's common stock is traded over the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CS. Over the last four quarters, the company has reported record revenue of $1.1 billion.

Cabletron's World Wide Web site can be reached on the Internet at http://www.cabletron.com/


ARCserve Online Backup of MS Exchange Server
CHEYENNE ANNOUNCES ON-LINE BACKUP OF MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER

Database Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server Joins Other Cheyenne Exclusives to Provide Complete Protection for Microsoft BackOffice.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (April 2, 1996) - Cheyenne Software, Inc. (AMEX:CYE), the leading provider of storage management software worldwide, announced today the expansion of its Microsoft BackOffice support with a database agent that provides "hot" back up of Microsoft Exchange Server. The agent, combined with Cheyenne ARCserve for Windows NT, allows system administrators to perform backup and restore operations while the Microsoft Exchange Server is open and in use.

"Cheyenne's backup solution meets our customer's need to protect data stored in Microsoft Exchange Server," said Rob Shurtleff, General Manager, Microsoft Exchange Server Connectivity at Microsoft. "Cheyenne's agent technology for Microsoft Exchange Server enables customers to quickly and reliably restore any lost or damaged data. It meets customer's demanding requirements for data protection."

The ARCserve database agent acts as a liaison between ARCserve and the active Microsoft Exchange Server to back up the directory and information stores with integrity. ARCserve provides advanced scheduling capabilities, as well as four backup methods allowing the administrator to create customized backup strategies. These methods include two choices for full backup -- with or without setting the archive bit; incremental backup; and differential backup. In addition to single tape devices and tape autochangers, ARCserve will support optical jukeboxes and copy to hard disk drives.

Restoring Microsoft Exchange Server data is facilitated by ARCserve's database, which graphically displays detailed session information so the administrator can quickly and easily identify the desired data to restore. Additionally, ARCserve allows the administrator to either erase or preserve existing data. ARCserve also supports the selective restore of both private and public information stores, and will allow the user to direct the restore to a different server.

"Cheyenne is fully committed to providing world-class, industrial strength data protection solutions to complement the Microsoft BackOffice environment," said ReiJane Huai, Cheyenne's president and CEO. "We are delivering on our promise to provide the best storage management solutions for critical corporate databases, applications and messaging systems."

CHEYENNE'S BACKOFFICE STRATEGY

The database agent for Microsoft Exchange Server further enhances Cheyenne's comprehensive support of Microsoft BackOffice, which began with the debut of ARCserve for Windows NT in 1995. ARCserve, the first network backup product granted the "Designed for Microsoft BackOffice" logo, was also the first to perform backup as a Windows NT system service; deliver full backup of NetWare servers (including Bindery and NDS) from Windows NT; deliver on-line backup of Microsoft SQL Server; and incorporate virus scanning during backup. ARCserve provides backup of Windows NT Servers and Workstations, including local and remote registries.

The Database Agent for Microsoft SQL Server allows ARCserve to efficiently back up and restore Microsoft SQL Server databases while they are active. ARCserve backs up Microsoft Systems Management Server including all configuration and security information and utilizes Systems Management Server for distribution, installation, and license tracking. ARCserve's database agent for Microsoft Exchange Server delivers on-line backup and also integrates Microsoft Exchange Server features into ARCserve by distributing ARCserve information through Microsoft Exchange Server. Lastly, through Cheyenne's partnership with Boole and Babbage and its Emprise Stage3 software, ARCserve will provide links through the Microsoft SNA Server to provide reliable data transfer between the Windows NT distributed environment and the mainframe. ARCserve also backs up the configuration, security, and data stored on the SNA Server.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

                 PRICE/DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY

Product                                              Price   Avail

Database Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server          $995    April

ARCserve for Windows NT - Enterprise Edition         $1395    Now

ARCserve for Windows NT - Single Server               $795    Now

ARCserve for Windows NT - Workstation Edition         $295    Now

Client Agent for Windows NT                           Free    Now

Client Agent for Windows 95                           Free    Now

Client Agent for Windows3.1x                          Free    April

Client Agent for OS/2                                 $495    April

Client Agent for Macintosh                            $495    April

Client Agent for NetWare                              $695    Now

Client Agent for UNIX :

SCO, UnixWare                                         $695    Now

HP/UX, IBM AIX, SunOS, Solaris,

Silicon Graphics IRIX                                 $995    Now

Database Agent for Microsoft SQL Server               $995    Now

Database Agent for Oracle Server                      $995    Now

Database Agent for SAP R/3                           $2995    Now

Changer Option                                        $595    Now

InocuLAN for Windows NT - Single Server               $995    Now

InocuLAN for Windows NT - ARCserve Option             $495    Now

InocuLAN for Windows NT - Workstation Edition          $69    Now

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Distribution through a world-wide distributor/reseller network and through OEM relationships.

Cheyenne works closely with industry leaders, such as Boole & Babbage, Compaq Computer, Computer Associates, Digital Equipment Corporation, Fujitsu Ltd., Hitachi, Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, NEC and SAP, who have joined with Cheyenne in marketing Windows NT enterprise storage management solutions.

Cheyenne Software, Inc. is an international developer of essential software solutions for Windows NT, NetWare, UNIX, Macintosh, and OS/2 networks. Its enterprise-wide offerings include an array of storage management, security, and communications products, including Cheyenne HSM, JETserve, InocuLAN, FAXserve, and its flagship product line, the ARCserve family of network backup software. Cheyenne can be contacted at (800) 243-9462 (U.S. or Canada) or (516) 465-5000, or by visiting its WWW home page at: http://www.cheyenne.com.


Cheyenne CD & Optical Servers for WinNT
CHEYENNE INTRODUCES COMPREHENSIVE WINDOWS NT OPTICAL AND CD JUKEBOX MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Cheyenne Optical Server and Cheyenne CD Server Met With Praise From Industry Leaders

CHICAGO, IL (April 1, 1996) - Cheyenne Software, Inc. (AMEX:CYE) today introduced products that provide optical and CD jukebox users with 'plug and play' data management solutions that facilitate ease-of-use, transparent access, remote access and jukebox management across a Microsoft Windows NT network. The announcement of Cheyenne CD Server and Cheyenne Optical Server brings Cheyenne's long-standing expertise in storage management to the optical and CD storage market.

Cheyenne Optical Server -- which enables an optical jukebox to appear and perform as one or several hard drives -- and Cheyenne CD Server -- which makes jukeboxes and towers appear as a single drive letter -- have already generated excitement and support from several key players in the storage and imaging community.

Cheyenne's optical and CD products will support a number of vendor's devices. "Cheyenne's technology, obtained through its acquisition of Media Blitz, provides seamless integration of optical and CD jukeboxes and enables plug and play connectivity with jukeboxes," said Phil Storey, president at Plasmon Data, Inc.. "This technology gives Cheyenne a significant advantage in the Windows NT market for jukebox management software."

"The introduction of our optical and CD server products continues Cheyenne's commitment to develop innovative technologies that provide data and storage management solutions for our customers," said T.M. Ravi, Director of Marketing, NT Division, at Cheyenne Software, Inc. "The underlying technology of these products provides a seamless, plug and play integration of optical and CD jukeboxes."

CHEYENNE OPTICAL SERVER

Cheyenne Optical Server enables an optical jukebox to appear and perform as one or many hard drives, thereby providing jukebox users with large capacity near-line storage and transparent access to data. In addition, it provides users with much easier access to information stored in a jukebox through its seamless integration with applications and file systems.

"Cheyenne's optical server software provides the end-user with high performance access to data and incredible ease-of-use," said Dave Morse, Marketing Manager at Hewlett-Packard's Storage Systems Division. "With this announcement, Cheyenne is a significant player in the optical jukebox management industry."

"Customers that rely on the storage capacity of optical jukeboxes will clearly benefit from Cheyenne's Optical Server software," said Elizabeth Kim, Marketing Manager of the Integrated Storage Products Division of Sony Electronics, Inc. "Users can now store very large files in virtual disks that span multiple platters, making it an attractive storage option for users of imaging, document management, video and other applications that generate large files."

CHEYENNE CD SERVER

Cheyenne CD Server provides simultaneous access and shared use of CDs, by making a collection of CDs appear as a single drive letter and each CD platter appear as a directory with an independent file system. As a result, data on CDs can be transparently accessed from a variety of clients on a network, directly from applications or through File Manager or a DOS command prompt. When data on a CD is requested, the CD is automatically mounted in a drive and the data is accessed and returned to the requesting client.

Cheyenne Software, Inc. is an international developer of essential software solutions for Windows NT, NetWare, UNIX, Macintosh, and OS/2 networks. Its enterprise-wide offerings include an array of storage management, security, and communications products, including Cheyenne" HSM, JETserve, InocuLAN", FAXserve, and its flagship product line, the ARCserve" family of network backup software. Cheyenne can be contacted at (800) 243-9462 (U.S. or Canada) or (516) 465-4000, or by visiting its WWW home page at: http://www.cheyenne.com.


Dayna BlueStreak Fast EtherPrint 10/100
DAYNA ANNOUNCES FIRST SINGLE-PORT BRIDGE TO ALLOW INEXPENSIVE CONNECTION OF 10BASE-T-ONLY DEVICES TO 100BASE-T LANS

NETWORLD+INTEROP, APRIL 2, 1996 - Dayna Communications, Inc. once again helped users make a smooth transition to Fast Ethernet by announcing today the first single-port bridge which will allow users to inexpensively connect their 10BASE-T-only devices to Fast Ethernet LANs. Available in May, the new BlueStreak Fast EtherPrint 10/100, which will sell for less than $500, offers users a simple and affordable connection to 100BASE-T Ethernet that high-end, multiple-address bridges cannot supply.

Fast EtherPrint is based on the concept of Dayna's popular EtherPrint product which changed the Ethernet industry in 1990 by allowing users to inexpensively connect slower, LocalTalk printers to newly emerging 10 Mbps Ethernet networks. Fast EtherPrint promises to solve a similar problem common on today's Fast Ethernet networks by providing users an affordable way to connect printers and other 10BASE-T-only devices to 100BASE-T networks.

Using proprietary technology, Fast EtherPrint allows any 10BASE-T device, independent of protocol, to be connected to a 100BASE-T workgroup or network segment without a complex bridge or router. Fast EtherPrint is perfect for users demanding inexpensive 100BASE-T connections for their 10BASE-T only printers. It is also well suited for mobile notebook users who need to connect to a 100BASE-T network.

"Fast EtherPrint is a simple solution which does not force users on 100BASE-T segments to purchase an expensive, multiple-port bridge for the few 10 Mbit devices they want to connect to their Fast Ethernet network," said William Kilmer, Manager of Product Marketing at Dayna. "Many Fast Ethernet users want to connect devices such as printers to a local segment, but are forced to run them through a centralized 10/100 bridge or switch. It's more convenient for users to connect their 10 BASE-T-only devices to the 100 Mbit local segment so those devices are physically close to those users who need them. Fast EtherPrint is the easiest and least expensive way to do this."

Fast EtherPrint offers users a small, compact design, and includes an RJ-45 jack for both 100BASE-T and 10BASE-T connections. Further information on Fast EtherPrint's actual pricing and features will be announced when the product ships in May.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Editors should contact Suzanne Kimball

Voice/fax: (801) 567-1895

AOL: Suzkimball

Internet: skimball@dayna.com

For all other inquires, contact Dayna Communications, Inc., (801) 269-7200, FAX: (801) 269-7363, or visit our site on the Internet at: www.dayna.com.

Founded in 1984, Dayna Communications, Inc., based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a privately held company specializing in networking connectivity and communications products for wired and wireless local area networks. Dayna's products are distributed nationally by Ingram Micro, Merisel, Tech Data, MicroAge, and regional resellers, and are available worldwide through a network of authorized international distributors.


ODMA Cross-Repository Interoperability
DOCUMENTUM AND PC DOCS DEMONSTRATE ODMA CROSS-REPOSITORY INTEROPERABILITY

Top Document Management Firms Partner To Drive Query Extension Specification

CHICAGO, IL, March 29, 1996-Documentum Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTM) and PC DOCS, Inc., a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCSF, TSE: DXX), are jointly demonstrating a query extension to the Open Document Management API (ODMA). ODMA is a standardized, high-level interface that enables users to transparently access a document management system (DMS) from their desktop applications. The query extension advances transparent access by enabling concurrent access and query support for multiple DMSs, giving desktop application users the ability to simultaneously search repositories from different vendors. The query extension will be voted on at the ODMA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, 1996 at the AIIM show. Both Documentum and PC DOCS plan to incorporate the query extension in products planned for release this summer.

Since its inception in 1994, ODMA has been embraced by application and document management vendors alike. Almost 100 ODMA-compliant applications are currently shipping from top vendors including Wang, WordPerfect and Lotus, with a statement of intent from Microsoft. The purpose of ODMA is to make DMS services available to users of desktop applications in a seamless manner so that these services appear to the user like extensions of the applications.

The query extension is a direct response to customers' requests for searching across multiple, mixed document repositories. It is an incremental, easy-to-implement extension to the base ODMA specification, designed to strengthen interoperability between desktop applications and DMSs. The query extension provides the following functionality:

* Query. Based on the attributes described in the specification, users can query and retrieve information residing in DMS repositories from a single application query window. The system retrieves all documents meeting the specified search criteria, regardless of their location in the enterprise or the type of repository in which they are stored. The query results are then presented back to the user through a single interface. The user is spared the complexities of working with multiple applications and windows, and can be assured of getting complete, accurate results based on the document resources of the entire enterprise.

* Concurrency. The ODMA extension provides an addition to the ODMA Connection Manager that enables an ODMA-compliant application to keep track of multiple registered DMSs, to pass requests to the appropriate repositories, and to retrieve information from them. This shields the user from having to know which repositories the system is connected to, and to specify which repository contains the required information.

"We have PC DOCS installations in several of our offices in southern California as well as a joint venture with a biotech firm on the east coast which uses Documentum," stated Ruby Bishop, manager of Documentation and Publishing for the Regulatory Affairs division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation in Glendale, California. "There are vital documents in both repositories that our users must be able to access, and we want them to be able to retrieve information quickly and easily without having to know where the documents reside. We are pleased to see PC DOCS and Documentum working together to respond to a real market demand that is being driven by an industry standard."

"We are deeply committed to addressing customer requests and driving standards that expand the document management industry," said Jeffrey A. Miller, president and CEO of Documentum, Inc. "We're also committed to providing a smooth path to deployment throughout the enterprise, and that includes customers who have already deployed a mixed-vendor environment. When we evaluated the options for quickly delivering cross-repository querying to our customers, ODMA was the logical choice."

"The industry is accepting and implementing ODMA at an astoundingly rapid pace," said Larry Bohn, executive vice president and general manager of PC DOCS, Inc. "We and Documentum are both active participants in the efforts of the Documentum Management Association (DMA) and recognize its potential for establishing important interoperability directions. We see this new query extension to ODMA as providing a fast path for vendors to bring the value of interoperability to market quickly, while DMA's extensive specifications are still being developed."

"Customers are best served by the standards-based integration of imaging, workflow and document management systems. The widespread acceptance of ODMA validates the importance of the standard and the new extensions respond to key marketing requirements," said David Goulden, senior vice president of product development and marketing at Wang Laboratories. "ODMA offers both a pragmatic and customer-driven approach to integrating DMS services with imaging and workflow."

David Yockelson, AIMS research analyst for the Meta Group, added, "Clients either possessing or acquiring imaging, text, and document management systems are wary of buying into products that cannot be searched consistently or collectively by their users. The ODMA extensions will help users leverage the purchase of best-of-breed compound document management (CDM) products while making the application integration job more straightforward. PC DOCS and Documentum are pushing the standards envelope to further the CDM market and help users address document pain points today."

About Documentum

Documentum, Inc. (http://www.documentum.com) develops, markets and supports a family of object-oriented, client-server document management products that specifically address the challenges of managing intellectual capital effectively across large enterprises. Documentum is the leader in providing document management for Global 500 corporations. Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Documentum sells the Documentum EDMS through a direct sales force, systems integrators, and affiliated distributors in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Documentum has more than 150 customer sites in pharmaceutical, process and discrete manufacturing and government applications around the world.

About PC DOCS

PC DOCS, Inc. sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators, and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management systems for a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal, and other professional service organizations. PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., The Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc. and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the legal industry in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.


DEC & Open Market Secure Internet Business
DIGITAL AND OPEN MARKET TO DELIVER SECURE INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Merchant Solution and OM-Axcess Packaged With Digital's Alpha Internet Servers

NEW YORK, New York, March 26, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation and Open Market, Inc., a leading provider of electronic commerce and enterprise-wide applications for the Internet, today announced plans to incorporate Open Markets technology into Digitals Internet products. Through a technology agreement, Digital will offer Open Markets Merchant Solution and OM-Axcess software with its Alpha Internet commerce offerings, to enable merchants to securely run their businesses on the World Wide Web. The announcement was made at the Internet and Electronic Commerce Expo.

Merchant Solution is the first complete business solution that allows merchants to securely run their business on the Web. OM-Axcess is configurable software that enables a company to centrally manage secure access to content distributed across multiple servers. Merchant Solution is available immediately with Digital's Internet commercial offerings. OM-Axcess will be available at the end of April with these offerings.

"We are pleased to be able to partner with a company like Digital to further promote secure Internet commerce," said Gary Eichhorn, CEO of Open Market. "By bundling these products, we're jointly providing a mission-critical platform for companies to run their business and Intranet applications on the World Wide Web."

Premier Internet Commerce Solutions

"Combining Open Market's Internet Commerce applications with the high performance of the Digital Alpha Server platform provides a perfect solution for businesses interested in full-scale electronic commerce on the Internet," said Rose Ann Giordano, Vice President of Digital's Internet Business Group. "Customers will benefit from this partnership through our delivery of secure, robust Internet and Intranet solutions."

Founded in 1994, Open Market, Inc. offers a full spectrum of high-performance business software products on the Internet. These products are revolutionary in their architecture, breadth, and functionality and enable companies to re-invent the way they do business in the information economy. Open Market's software products bring the full range of business capability to the Internet and make enterprise-wide applications, secure electronic commerce, and industry-specific solutions possible. The company, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., can be reached at 617-621-9500 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.openmarket.com.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace. The company, headquartered in Maynard, Mass. can be reached on the World Wide Web at http://www.digital.com/info/internet/.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


DEC PCI/CardBus Fast Ehternet Chip
NEW DIGITAL PCI/CardBus FAST ETHERNET CHIP FEATURES HIGHEST INTEGRATION FOR LOWEST-COST 10/100Mbps SOLUTIONS

MAYNARD, Mass., April 2, 1996 -- A new PCI Fast Ethernet controller that enables a lower-cost, more fully integrated computer network solution for network interface card (NIC) and CardBus markets was announced today by Digital Equipment Corporation. The 21143 PCI/CardBus Fast Ethernet chip contains an integrated 10 megabit-per-second (Mbps) transceiver, with the capability to connect to a 5-bit symbol interface using new, lower-cost TX physical layer devices; and a media-independent interface (MII) for connection to 100Mbps MII physical layer devices.

"The 21143 chip raises the bar for single-chip integration in Fast Ethernet networking," said Deborah Vogt, marketing manager for Digital Semiconductor's Network Products Group. "By offering a lower total solution cost with a full 10Mbps implementation and a higher level of integration for 100BaseTX, we are moving closer to a complete single-chip solution and driving the price of 10/100Mbps capability down, closer to that of today's 10Mbps solutions."

Network Solution Savings

The 21143 PCI Fast Ethernet controller contains an integrated 10BaseT transceiver and full auto-negotiation in addition to a standard media-independent interface (MII) port. The 21143 chip has integrated the physical coding sublayer (PCS) and scrambler for 100BaseTX (Category 5) support with a 5-bit symbol interface. The 21143 can interface to a variety of lower-cost physical layer chips such as those from Silicon Systems, Quality Semiconductor, GEC-Plessey, and Micro Linear Corporation.

The combination of the 21143 controller and a physical layer chip can reduce the cost of a Fast Ethernet solution for mobile and desktop system manufacturers as much as $16.

The 21143 controller is pin-compatible with the recently announced 21142 chip, which is optimized for 100Mbps-ready CardBus and motherboard applications. Like the 21142, the 21143 controller will be available in TQFP (Thin Quad Flat Pack) and PQFP (Plastic Quad Flat Pack) form factors.

Broad Feature Support

The 3.3-volt 21143 chip is a dual-port, full-duplex, direct-memory-access (DMA) controller that supports both 3.3-volt and 5-volt signaling. Deeper, on-chip FIFO buffers support increased network traffic and avoid the need for external buffering. The new chip complies with PCI Specification V2.1 for subvendor ID and features dynamic power-saving snooze and sleep modes. It also provides boot ROM support as well as support for speed autodetection and JTAG testing. A unified set of software drivers, supporting Digital Semiconductor's entire family of PCI Ethernet and Fast Ethernet products, is available for all major operating system environments.

Pricing, Availability

The 21143 PCI Fast Ethernet controller is priced beginning at $22.70 in quantities of 5,000. Samples will be available in May, and volume production is scheduled to begin in July. Evaluation kits, including an evaluation board, sample drivers, schematics, and documentation, will be available in May.

Digital Semiconductor, a Digital Equipment Corporation business headquartered in Hudson, Massachusetts, designs, manufactures and markets industry-leading semiconductor products including Alpha microprocessors and PCI chips for networking, bridging, and multimedia, as well as low-power StrongARM microprocessors under license from Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. Mitsubishi Electric Company is a second source for Alpha microprocessors. World Wide Web site: http://www.digital.com/info/semiconductor/

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry-focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


DEC Ent. Solutions for MS Exchange Server
DIGITAL ANNOUNCES ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS FOR MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER

Digital Selects Microsoft Exchange for Internal Messaging Infrastructure Worldwide

BC Hydro Selects Digital to Implement Microsoft Exchange

MAYNARD, Mass., April 2, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation today announced complete enterprise messaging solutions and integration services for Microsoft Exchange Server, available immediately using Digital's Intel and Alpha systems. Microsoft Exchange Server is the messaging server with integrated groupware that makes it easier to communicate, whether around a workgroup or around the globe.

DIGITAL SELECTS MICROSOFT EXCHANGE

As part of Digital's commitment to business process excellence, the company selected Microsoft Exchange. Pilots initiated in August, 1995, in Digital's Multivendor Customer Services organization validated the benefits of full-scale implementation, as well as providing the division with first-hand experience that will be used to assist customers in their own deployment.

"Digital is internally embracing Microsoft Exchange and Windows NT as the core technical strategy for group connectivity, including enterprise messaging. Today, over 3,000 Digital employees from multiple divisions in five countries are fully operational on Microsoft Exchange," said Dick Fishburn, CIO at Digital. "Digital is committed to completing the corporate-wide Microsoft Exchange rollout over the next 12 months, with the goal to install over 50,000 Microsoft Exchange clients."

MICROSOFT EXCHANGE AND THE ALLIANCE FOR ENTERPRISE COMPUTING

"The Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing (AEC) delivers enterprise mail solutions based on Microsoft Exchange to our joint customers with the speed, safety and completeness they have come to expect from these two industry leaders working together," said Jim Alchin, senior vice president of Microsoft's desktop and business systems division. "Digital's investment in systems integration and services capabilities for the BackOffice Suite, coupled with its broad Intel and Alpha platform offerings, position Digital to deliver these solutions."

Robert Bismuth, Digital vice president of the AEC, stated "We will extend the worldwide reach of Microsoft Exchange through Digital's strengths in systems, services, networking connectivity and system integration. We are already seeing extensive customer demand for the combination of Microsoft Exchange and Digital products and services." A demonstration of this technology is highlighted in the Microsoft booth at networld+interop '96, where they are highlighting the robust features of Microsoft Exchange running on Digital's Intel and Alpha servers.

MICROSOFT USES DIGITAL SERVERS TO DEMONSTRATE MICROSOFT EXCHANGE AT NETWORLD+INTEROP SHOW

In Bill Gates' keynote today, he showed how Microsoft Exchange Server can scale from 1,500 (simulated) users to well over 10,000, on a single Digital server. Digital provided Microsoft with all the client and server systems including its two award-winning servers, the Digital Prioris ZX 5133 MP Server (Intel) and the Digital AlphaServer 2100, to demonstrate Microsoft Exchange Server at Networld+Interop '96.  Microsoft chose Digital to partner in their booth "Scalability Wall" demo because of scalability in the Digital Intel and Alpha product offerings.

CUSTOMER MOMENTUM CONTINUES TO GROW --- BRITISH COLUMBIA HYDRO LATEST TO SELECT MICROSOFT EXCHANGE ENVIRONMENT WITH DIGITAL ALPHA SERVERS

British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro), Canada's third largest electric utility, is beginning an internal pilot program to implement Microsoft Exchange on Digital's Alpha platform, running Windows NT. Over 4,500 PCs will be involved in the migration to Exchange Server from IBM, Microsoft, and Macintosh messaging systems.

"Choosing a vendor for Enterprise Messaging involved an extensive review of vendors on the market and their respective technical capabilities -- Digital's bid stood out because it understood our technical and business needs, as well as the context in which the Enterprise Messaging Solutions (EMS) project has to be delivered, " noted Larry Chow, of the EMS project at BC Hydro. Chow emphasized that a key factor in selecting Microsoft Exchange Server was Digital's Multivendor Customer Services division for service and support. "Digital understands Microsoft Exchange Server because they have the hands-on experience gained from their installation of Microsoft Exchange Server in their own corporate environment."

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


DEC Adds Alpha-Based Passive Backplane Sys
DIGITAL ADDS NEW ALPHA-BASED PASSIVE BACKPLANE SYSTEMS AND MOTHERBOARDS TO PCI PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Low-Cost PC Platform Solutions From Digital Offer OEMs Industrial Strength Performance, Longevity and Adherence to Industry Standards

MAYNARD, Mass., April 2, 1996 -- As part of its continuing efforts to deliver stable, flexible solutions to its OEM customers, Digital Equipment Corporation today announced three additions to its line of PCI (peripheral component interconnect) products: an Alpha-based PCI passive backplane system and the Alpha PCI 64 and Alpha PCI 164 single board computers. Digital's range of PCI solutions allows OEMs to design high-performance PC-based systems quickly and cost-effectively with a choice of either passive backplane or motherboard approaches to product design.

"As OEM market considerations such as shorter product life cycles and the shift from the VME to PCI standard become more critical, OEMs are increasingly looking toward commercial off-the-shelf PCI products to meet their next-generation product development needs," said Bill Armitage, vice president of Digital's Embedded and Real Time OEM Products Business. "By offering PCI-based products at both the modular components and motherboard level, Digital affords OEMs design alternatives that increase product longevity and hasten time-to-market."

OEMs Plan Long-Term Technology Direction Around Digital's Modular Computing Components

An element of Digital's line of Modular Computing Components -- comprised of PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturer's Group) processor cards, PICMG backplanes and enclosures -- the Alpha-based PCI passive backplane system affords OEMs greater product design versatility. OEMs have the option of either robust 64-bit RISC Alpha or industry standard Intel CPU architectures and can choose from Microsoft Windows NT, VxWorks, Digital UNIX and OpenVMS operating systems.

OEMs now designing around the Intel Pentium-based PCI Passive Backplane system, announced in September 1995, easily can migrate applications to the higher performance 233 MHz Alpha-based system. The products' adherence to industry standards established by the PICMG -- a consortium of passive backplane manufacturers -- guarantees easy upgradability to advanced computing technology. By using the passive backplane as the base platform and updating the processor and peripheral cards, OEMs can extend the product lifecycle up to five years and reduce development costs by approximately 20 percent annually.

The backplane systems are available in two configurations -- commercial quality desktop and tower enclosures, and a rackmount enclosure -- to be integrated easily into either office/control room environments or industrial settings.

OEMs Can Swiftly and Cost-Effectively Enter Highest-Performance Computing Segments of the Embedded Market With New Alpha PC Motherboards

For OEMs seeking rapid entry into high-performance segments of the embedded computing market -- data acquisition, data interpretation and raster image processing -- the Alpha PCI 64 and 164 single board computers are the highest performing, most cost- effective Alpha PC motherboards available. These boards provide the ultimate in performance for compute intensive embedded applications with minimal risk and at low cost.

Powered by the Alpha 21064 and 21164 microprocessors, the boards run at speeds of 266 MHz and 300 MHz. At 300 MHz, the 21164-based boards are at least 90 percent faster than Intel's current offerings.

Pricing and Availability

The Alpha-based PICMG single board computers are priced starting at $2,995. The Intel-based systems are priced between $1,595 and $2,995. The Alpha PCI 64-275 board for Windows NT with 21064-275 MHz CPU and 2 MB of cache is priced at $2,853. The Alpha PCI 164-275 board for Windows NT with 21164 MHz CPU and 2 MB of cache is priced at $4,218. All are available immediately.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


DELL LAUDS PROCUREMENT REFORM INITIATIVES

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 2, 1996 -- In FOSE Keynote, Says Recent Changes in Purchasing Reform May Have Dramatic Effect on Efficiency of the Federal Government Austin, Texas, April 2, 1996-- Dell Computer Corporation chairman and CEO Michael Dell, today strongly supported procurement reform measures that will go into effect in August, saying that streamlined processes could help push the public sector to "the front of the technology curve."

In his keynote address at the Federal Office Systems Exposition (FOSE)`96, Mr. Dell, the longest tenured CEO in the personal computer industry and chairman of the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems, said, "Recent improvements in the procurement process could have dramatic effects on improving the efficiency with which the federal government purchases technology, with accompanying cost savings."

Mr. Dell cited recent improvements by the General Services Administration (GSA) as an example of the type of advancements that help reduce the complexity of federal purchasing. Under the new Blanket Purchase Agreement, for example, individual agencies can now negotiate their own contracts with vendors on the GSA schedule, allowing them to take advantage of volume discount purchases much like corporations do today.

In commenting on the role of the government information manager, Mr. Dell said, "Historically, the federal government purchasing process has been hampered by cumbersome procurement regulations. The information technology manager's job is a tough job already, and is made even more burdensome by these regulations. The changes we see emerging today will make a difficult task a bit easier."

Mr. Dell also counselled federal government decision makers to capitalize quickly on relevant technology advances and to avoid the temptation to "compare the computer on your desk to the phone on your desk and expect to use it until it wears out. The contract process, which can take months to implement, slows down access to the latest technologies. Just the opposite is needed for those who want to take advantage of the gains in productivity and effectiveness that current information technology can provide.

"There are several important technology transitions coming this year that can drive increased performance and productivity in the federal sector. The most important of these transitions is the move to Windows NT(TM) and the migration of the Pentium Pro processor to mainstream price points by the end of the year. With the proposed improvements in procurement, for the first time federal customers can take advantage of the latest technologies as quickly as the private sector.

"The latest relevant technologies must be acquired, deployed and integrated as quickly and as transparently as possible," Mr. Dell said.

"Information technology provides the tools for managing operations in this world of constant change," Mr. Dell continued. "With the implementation of the latest relevant technologies, there is an unprecedented opportunity to improve the delivery of services, lower the cost to government, empower those who serve our citizens and demonstrate effective stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on annual revenues of $5.3 billion. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program.

Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/federal/.


Dell Tools Relieve Purchasing Headache
DELL ANNOUNCES NEW TOOLS TO RELIEVE THE "PURCHASING HEADACHE"

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 2, 1996 -- From IDIQs to MAS rules, purchasing computer systems by the federal government is a complex process. Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL), the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems, today introduced new services and capabilities designed to make it easier to choose and buy computer systems for the government.

Dell's enhanced GSA-on-disk software program, announced today, is the latest version of a popular software program Dell designed for its federal customers. The GSA-on-disk allows these customers to choose a custom-configured Dell PC right at their desktop, obtain up-to-date GSA pricing and send a completed order request to Dell, either via fax or electronically. The GSA-on- disk eliminates the need for a customer to page through a cumbersome GSA schedule catalogue, add up each component and figure the total price on their own, never being sure whether the price on the schedule is up-to-date.

Dell today also introduced the first in a series of electronic tools on its worldwide web federal home page, including an on-line configuration tool, GSA pricing, product information and ordering terms and conditions. For example, government customers can log onto the Dell federal homepage and enter the information for the system they are looking for. The GSA-on-disk software automatically totals the GSA price and customers can print out a copy of the information, along with the terms and conditions of the purchase. Customers can even download the GSA-on-disk software and install it on the hard drives of their systems.

As federal customers look for ways to meet President Clinton's 1993 executive order mandating government-wide electronic data interchange by 1997, customers and vendors are looking for advanced tools to enable "paperless procurement" of technology products. Dell's direct model enables customers to order custom-built systems to be shipped directly to their offices, reducing the time and complexity often associated with government PC procurement. The tools announced today bring government customers closer to the era of paperless procurement.

"We talk with thousands of our federal customers each week. They are looking to sift through all the information available to them when making a purchasing decision," said Theresa Garza, Dell's vice president of federal sales. "The new tools we've introduced today are designed to do just that. We've put a lot of energy into making our GSA-on-disk and new web page capabilities as robust as possible and we will continue improving on them to make purchasing computer systems easy for our customers."

"Offering tools and services directly to our customers, like those we've announced today, is part of the reason we've been the number one manufacturer on the GSA schedule for three of the past four years," she added.

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on annual revenues of $5.3 billion. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289- 3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/federal/.


DELL AWARDED 1996 GSA SCHEDULE

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 2, 1996-- Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq:DELL), today announced it has received its General Services Administration (GSA) contract, number GS-35F-4076D, effective from April 1, 1996 through March 31, 1999. The new GSA contract is the first three-year contract Dell has received, a result of new processes within the GSA to improve government procurement of technology products.

Dell has been selling to the federal marketplace since 1987, both directly and through strategic partnerships with key federal systems integrators. More than 75 percent of Dell's U.S. business comes from large corporate and government customers. The company was the number one computer systems vendor on the GSA schedule three of the last four years.

"Dell is definitely focused on the federal market and we believe we have the right business model for success," said Theresa Garza, Dell's vice president of federal sales. "We are continuing to add resources such as dedicated account executives who work on-site with our customers to provide direct, one-to-one support, as well as key integrator partners who provide valuable integration capabilities. We also announced today a number of advanced on-line tools, such as our enhanced "GSA schedule on disk" and an enhanced federal web page, to make purchasing as easy as possible for the federal marketplace."

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on annual revenues of $5.3 billion. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program.

Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/federal/.


Fast Dell Latitude XPi Notebook PCs
DELL LAUNCHES FASTEST GENERATION OF DELL LATITUDE NOTEBOOK PCs

Delivers 30 - 80% Performance Increase Without Compromising Battery Life Drives Transition to Intel's Pentiumr Processors

AUSTIN, TX, APRIL 1, 1996 -- Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DELL), the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems, today introduced the fastest and most powerful models ever of its award-winning Dell Latitude XPi notebook computers. Powered by the recently launched 100MHz and 133MHz low-voltage Intel Pentium processors, Dell's new Latitude XPi notebook PCs offer customers outstanding graphics performance, integrated sound, infrared wireless data transfer and an ergonomic optical trackball. Performance gains of between 30 and 80 percent, compared with like-configured 120MHz systems, were measured by Dell using the Winstone95 and WinBench95 benchmarks.

The Latitude XPi P133ST notebook PC with a 133MHz Intel Pentium processor, 8MB RAM, a 540MB hard drive, a brilliant 11.3" super VGA active-matrix screen, a long-life intelligent lithium- ion battery and three-year warranty is priced at $3,999. The Latitude XPi P100SD with Intel's 100MHz Pentium processor, 8MB RAM, a 540MB hard drive, a 10.4" super VGA dual-scan screen, a long-life intelligent lithiumion battery and a three-year warranty is $2,999. The new systems are expected to be available in the United States beginning in late April. A lightweight external 4x CD-ROM is also available for $349.

The Dell Latitude XPi is designed to provide maximum dependability and superior battery life for business customers who require network connectivity and broad operating system support. It is ideal for manipulating complex data, network file sharing, creating and delivering audio-visual presentations and for remote e-mail access. The new systems are backward compatible with Dell's existing docking solutions.

"Our build-to-order business model has enabled us to meet increased corporate demand for Pentium processor-based notebook PCs and lead the industry in this transition," said Eric Harslem, Dell's senior vice president of Dell product group. "In the last year, sales of our Pentium processor-based Dell Latitude XPi notebook PCs have reached more than 70 percent of total notebook PC sales. This new generation of notebook PCs reflects our commitment to delivering relevant technology to our customers while setting new price/performance standards."

FASTER PERFORMANCE

By combining powerful 100MHz and 133MHz Intel Pentium processors with a PCI bus architecture, 256KB Level 2 cache and EDO memory, Dell has been able to achieve among the highest performance levels ever for notebook PCs in this category. *In testing by Dell using the Winstone 95 benchmark, Dell's Latitude XPi P133ST performed 30 percent faster than the Dell Latitude XPi P120ST with a similar configuration. In graphics performance testing using the WinBench 95 benchmark, the Dell Latitude XPi P133ST performed more than 80 percent faster than the Dell Latitude XPi P120ST.

SUPERIOR BATTERY LIFE AND OUTSTANDING GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE

"Final results from our initial tests of the Dell Latitude XPi P133ST indicate this is the longest battery life that we have seen on a Pentium-based, color notebook PC with a single battery," said Marc Abrams at VeriTest, inc., an independent microcomputer product testing laboratory. "The Dell Latitude XPi P100SD with a dual-scan screen outlasted most other Pentium notebook PCs."

In independent tests, the Dell Latitude XPi P133ST delivered an average of 5 hours and 5 minutes of coast-to-coast Pentium processor productivity from a single battery charge*. The Dell Latitude XPi P100SD delivered an average of 4 hours and 38 minutes of battery life from a single battery charge.

New models feature a PCI-based 128-bit NeoMagic video graphics accelerator to deliver desktop-like performance for graphic-intensive applications and support for MPEG applications. This increase in speed provides faster video playback for multimedia applications or customers who download online video clips off the Internet or internal Intranets.

INTEGRATED SOUND AND INFRARED CONNECTIVITY

A dual-ported speaker integrated beneath the ergonomic palm- rest in the front of the notebook chassis delivers high-quality 16-bit sound to customers. This innovative design enables customers to listen to audio or video clips while the notebook is open or closed.

Dell has added infrared wireless technology to the new models. This enables users to access networks and transfer files to and from IrDA-compliant peripherals, such as printers, without the use of cables or adapters.

FUNCTIONALITY AND COMPATIBILITY

The connectivity and flexibility of these notebook PCs are ideal for corporate office environments. Business customers can easily exchange the removable hard drives and upgrade memory. Dell's existing Advanced Port Replicator (APR), the existing Dell DeskDock solution and other key accessories and components are all compatible with the new generation of Latitude XPi notebook PCs.

Dell has also upgraded the existing trackball to an optical trackball which provides smooth, reliable cursor control.

INDUSTRY-LEADING SERVICE & SUPPORT

Dell provides a standard three-year warranty on its entire line of Dell Latitude notebook PCs that includes next-business- day on-site service for the initial year and next-business-day parts service for the second and third year. Dell also offers a wide array of service offerings customized to meet mobile user's service and support needs.

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on revenues of $5.3 billion for the past four quarters. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com.

Prices and specifications subject to change without notice and valid in the U.S. only.

For a complete copy of our limited warranty, please write to Dell Computer Corporation, 2214 W. Braker Lane, Austin, TX 78758. * On-site service in the U.S. provided by BancTec Services Corp. May not be available in certain remote areas.

* In cross-country tests(*) conducted by VeriTest, inc., a leading independent test lab, a prototype Dell Latitude XPi P133ST active-matrix notebook lasted an average of 5 hours and 5 minutes. A prototype Dell Latitude XPi P100SD dual-scan notebook lasted an average of 4 hours and 38 minutes - the estimated computing time on a flight from LA to New York. Battery life will vary depending on use and configuration.

(*) Battery tests were conducted by VeriTest inc. using the VeriTest Cross-Country battery life benchmark for notebook computers. This battery life profile is specifically designed to simulate average use of a notebook computer on a cross-country airplane flight by a typical executive user. It uses popular, real-world applications and employs rigorous real-world test standards. Power management was enabled using Microsoft Word 7.0 and Excel 7.0 with Windows 95 and 8MB RAM installed. VeriTest inc. is located at 3420 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 2030, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310-450- 0062) A full description of cross-country test can be found at http://www@veritest.com.


Nautilus Warehouse Mgmt Swr & AViiON Servers
DATA GENERAL ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH PCS TECHNOLOGIES TO PROVIDE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FOR WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT

NAUTILUS WILL RUN ON AVIION SERVERS UNDER THE DG/UX OR WINDOWS NT SERVER OPERATING SYSTEM

WESTBORO, Mass., April 3, 1996 -- Data General Corporation announced today the availability of PCS Technologies, Inc.'s Nautilus warehouse management software system for its AViiON line of servers. Nautilus, a complete enterprise solution for warehouse management in the retail and manufacturing industries, operates under either the DG/UX or Microsoft Windows NT Server operating system running on AViiON servers.

"The combination of AViiON servers and Nautilus software provides a very cost-effective solution that gives an increased competitive advantage to a broad range of businesses in the retailing and manufacturing markets who distribute finished goods," said John Anderson, Vice President, U.S. Channels Sales Division, Data General.

Nautilus is an integrated, software management system that monitors virtually every function within a warehouse. Nautilus includes real-time inventory management; advanced shipping notices; fluid and staged loading procedures; bulk, case and unit picking via RF or pick-to-light with automated minimum/maximum replenishment; a receiving module that supports cross-dock shipping; and putaway with interleaved cycle counting. Real-time processing enables Nautilus to give accurate, up-to-the-minute on-line inventory information, maximizing product control and distribution efficiency.

"We believe the combined strengths of our Nautilus Warehouse Management software and the Intel based AViiON servers will provide a superior solution for our customers," said David Cook, chairman and CEO, PCS Technologies, Inc. "PCS Technologies is very excited about our relationship with Data General."

The Nautilus solution is immediately available on Data General's full line of Intel based AViiON servers, which range from powerful eight-processor SMP servers to entry level departmental systems. The servers are available with the DG/UX or Windows NT Server operating system and support more than 15,000 applications.

Data General's DG/UX enterprise operating system is rated as the finest commercial UNIX operating system by industry analysts. The newest release, DG/UX 4.1, supports high levels of multiprocessor scalability, high availability, unique cluster features like a single system image and rolling software upgrades, and 7 X 24 systems management capabilities.

PCS Technologies, Inc., established in 1985, is a world-wide supplier of fully integrated distribution management software products that address the distribution business needs of the retail, manufacturing and wholesale industries. Corporate offices are in Cincinnati, Ohio. PCS offers additional sales and support from regional offices on New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Data General (NYSE: DGN) is an open systems company that specializes in providing servers, storage systems, and services to information technology users worldwide. The company, with headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts, reported revenues of $1.2 billion in fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products, and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.


Everex to Resell CLARiiON RAID Disk Arrays
CLARiiON AND EVEREX FORM A STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP TO OFFER RAID SOLUTION TO EMERGING PC SERVER MARKET

SOUTHBORO, Mass., March 27, 1996 -- The CLARiiON Business Unit of Data General, the preferred vendor of advanced RAID-based disk array storage solutions, today announced the signing of an OEM agreement whereby Everex Systems, Inc. will resell the CLARiiON Series 100, Model C150 storage subsystems.

Under the agreement, Everex will integrate CLARiiON disk arrays into its Everex STEP DP servers to offer the high availability strengths of RAID-based technology to the PC server marketplace. According to IDC analysts, the worldwide PC server on NT market in 1995 was $955 million and expected to grow to $1.58 billion in 1996.

"We are very excited about this agreement with Everex, as it marks our first OEM relationship for our new C150 disk arrays, with an OEM focusing on this fast growing PC server NT market," said Larry Hemmerich, vice president and general manager, CLARiiON. "Our high performance disk arrays combined with Everex's dual Pentium Pro processor servers will provide customers with a powerful, yet economical, PC-level client/server storage solution."

"With the addition of the CLARiiON disk arrays, Everex can now bring a complete mission critical client/server application solution to the PC server channel, offering our customers scaleable storage solutions ranging from deskside to rackmount," said Peter Ow, Executive Vice President, Everex. "Everex is particuarly strong in the federal government arena and we look forward to how the RAID offering will enhance our product line for that market."

The CLARiiON model C150 disk array offers an economical storage solution for UNIX and PC computing environments and is available in both deskside and rackmount packaging. The CLARiiON C150 offers ample capacity for growth with up to 28 GB of disk space and a minimum of 8 MB up to 32 MB of cache memory, to provide high performance write operation, while maintaining data integrity. The C150 meets the requirements of demanding departmental and enterprise applications.

Everex Systems, Inc., headquartered in Fremont, California, designs and manufactures a full line of dual and single Pentium Pro and Pentium Processor servers, Pentium and DX4 computer systems, multimedia notebooks, and Ethernet/Fast Ethernet NICs and hubs. The company is privately held.

Today, CLARiiON, with over 500 combined manpower years of array experience, over 50 million hours of customer satisfaction, and over 25,000 systems running in over 25 countries worldwide, is the leader in open RAID-based disk array storage technology.

CLARiiON disk arrays are distributed by system vendors, OEMs, private label suppliers, value-added resellers, and system integrators worldwide, all part of an ever-expanding network of channel partners serving North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

CLARiiON is a business unit of Data General Corporation (NYSE:DGN). CLARiiON leading disk array technology has been protecting customer data and information for more than four years. Data General, headquartered in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems, and related software and services for customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products, and its services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.


Data General AV Image 2.0 Imaging Software
DATA GENERAL TO SHOWCASE AV IMAGE 2.0 FOR FIRST TIME AT AIIM

AIIM BOOTH # 531

COMPANY WILL ALSO PREVIEW SOFTWARE'S ABILITY TO RUN ON WINDOWS NT SERVER AND ANNOUNCE OEM AGREEMENT WITH OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY GROUP

CHICAGO, IL, April 1, 1996 -- Data General Corporation will demonstrate AV Image 2.0, the next generation of its award-winning imaging software, for the first time publicly at its booth, # 531, during the AIIM Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, April 1-3. This software solution includes a new customizable graphical user interface (GUI), support for multi-object records, enhanced viewer capabilities, rapid document indexing with Express-Track and a new version of Staffware, the AV Image integrated workflow management software solution.

Data General will also use the AIIM event to preview all of the Imaging Business Unit's products, including AV cold, Staffware, as well as AV Image's capability to run on Windows NT server. These demonstrations will emphasize the scalability of the software.

AV Image 2.0, Express-Track, AV cold and Staffware run on the entire family of Data General's AViiON servers and support the company's extensive line of CLARiiON RAID technology-based storage systems and OpStar optical storage subsystems. Data General is now shipping a full line of Intel based AViiON servers, ranging from powerful eight-processor SMP servers to entry level departmental systems. The servers are available with the DG/UX operating system or Windows NT Server operating systems and support more than 15,000 applications.

"AIIM is the ideal setting to showcase AV Image 2.0, which is designed to significantly enhance every aspect of the imaging process, from scanning and indexing to workflow management," said William Zastrow, vice president, Data General's Imaging Business Unit. "We also feel it is imperative to provide a scalable solution for all of our customers, regardless of the operating platform."

AV Image is an open, SQL based client/server document imaging system that supports Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95 and Windows NT-based PCs as clients and UNIX based systems as servers.

Data General Booth Demonstrations

Demonstrations at various locations throughout the booth include AV Image 2.0; Express-Track, the document input system for high-volume scanning and indexing; Staffware workflow management software integrated with Lotus Notes; AV cold, featuring seamless integration with AV Image and AV Image running with the most popular client/server business software, including Oracle and PeopleSoft. AV Image 2.0 will be operating on various platforms, including AViiON AV 4800 and AV 3000 servers, a Hewlett-Packard jukebox and CLARiiON Series 2000 Model 2300 and C150 disk arrays.

Data General will also host a presentation highlighting the exciting new features AV Image and AV cold have to offer.

OEM Agreement with Optical Technology Group

Data General will announce at AIIM an OEM agreement with the Optical Technology Group (OTG), a leading supplier of optical storage management software for the NT marketplace. According to Mr. Zastrow, this announcement solidifies the relationship between the two companies and demonstrates Data General's commitment to the fast growing NT server market.

About Data General

Data General Corporation, based in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems, and related software and services for customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products, and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.


DG to Resell OTG DiskExtender for WinNT
DATA GENERAL AND OTG SOFTWARE SIGN OEM AGREEMENT FOR WINDOWS NT OPTICAL STORAGE SOFTWARE

AIIM BOOTH #531

CHICAGO, April 1, 1996 -- Data General Corporation's Imaging Business Unit and OTG Software, a division of Optical Technology Group, Inc., announced today that Data General will resell OTG's DiskExtender software for Windows NT. The OEM agreement solidifies an ISV (Independent Software Vendor) relationship begun in 1995 to provide advanced imaging and storage solutions for Windows NT in enterprise environments.

"Today's announcement further strengthens our commitment to offer best-of-breed solutions to our customers," said William Zastrow, vice president of Data General's Imaging Business Unit. "Our partnership with OTG supports our unwavering focus on the NT server market."

"Our relationship with Data General has proven to be very beneficial," said Richard Kay, president of OTG Software. "We are pleased to provide the first Windows NT mass storage solution for Data General and look forward to continued success in the years to come."

Data General's complete line of imaging solutions, AV cold, Staffware workflow, Express-Track, as well as its award-winning AV Image software, supports the OTG software solution.

OTG's DiskExtender software for Windows NT is an intelligent level-1 hierarchical storage management solution that is compatible with Data General's AViiON servers, CLARiiON disk arrays and imaging products. OTG's intelligent storage features such as security, remote administration, mixed media support (WORM, erasable optical and CD-ROM) and multiple levels of caching will complement Data General's CLARiiON RAID mass storage solutions.

By combining the CLARiiON line's industry leading high-availability, fault-tolerant RAID mass storage capabilities with the economical, high capacity features of optical storage, Data General can now offer a complete storage solution for all client/server needs.

AV Image 2.0, Express-Track and Staffware run on the entire family of Data General's AViiON servers and support the company's extensive line of CLARiiON RAID technology-based storage systems. Data General's latest AViiON server systems, based on industry-standard Intel processors, continue to leverage the company's technical strengths in areas required to serve today's NT and enterprise markets. The new systems complement Data General's Motorola-based AViiON servers, running either the Windows NT and DG/UX enterprise operating systems.

Data General Corporation, based in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems, and related software and services for customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products, and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.

Optical Technology Group, Inc. offers a family of Windows NT-based solutions for mass storage management software. OTG is headquarted in Bethesda, MD and has sales and distribution partners worldwide.


DG AV Image Support to PeopleSoft HRMS
Data General Brings AV Image Support to PeopleSoft HRMS 5 Human Resources Management Software

Chicago, April 1, 1996 -- Data General today announced that it has integrated its AV Image imaging software with PeopleSoft's HRMS 5 human resources management software on its AViiON server platform. The company is demonstrating image-enabled HRMS 5 in Booth #531 at this week's AIIM tradeshow.

Data General is at the forefront of a new approach to imaging based on standards-compliant software running on open enterprise systems. The goal of Data General's Imaging Business Unit is to add value for users, VARs, and ISVs by image-enabling applications using its award-winning AV Image software environment. AV Image and PeopleSoft HRMS 5 are supported by Data General's full line of Intel-based AViiON servers running either the DG/UX enterprise operating system or NT Server.

"By integrating imaging with the most popular client/server applications provided by vendors such as PeopleSoft, we are essentially adding an electronic paperclip that allows users to include views of images, documents, or folders of multiple document types," said William Zastrow, vice president of Data General's Imaging Business Unit.

By deploying image-enabled HRMS 5 human resource management software, Data General users can easily integrate image documents such as employee resumes, relevant government payroll documents, letters of reference, or performance appraisals with human resources, payroll, or benefits application modules.

"Data General's imaging solution was developed from the perspective of the user and PeopleSoft," said Frank Strelau, PeopleSoft's vice president of business development. "It is an open imaging framework that was created to incorporate standards-based application software and hardware to provide a total user solution."

Data General consultants are available worldwide to build interfaces between any given application and the AV Image system using the Integration Toolkit.

The AV Image Viewer utilizes a unique compression technology called Auto-Focused Image Extraction which reduces network traffic by 90% and increases viewing speed 15-fold.

Servers and Storage

Data General's latest AViiON server systems, based on industry-standard Intel processors, continue to leverage the company's technical strengths in areas required to serve today's enterprise market, including symmetric multiprocessing, clustering, and high availability. Data General's OpStar family of turnkey optical storage subsystems includes high-density optical discs and jukeboxes bundled with OpStar software, providing a comprehensive solution for on-line and near-on-line high capacity data storage that is transparent to the application. Data General's high capacity CLARiiON storage arrays are also a natural fit with storage-intensive image-enabled applications and can be configured to provide the level of RAID support desired by the customer.

Data General

Data General, based in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems, and related software and services for customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products, and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com.


Do-It-Yourself Guide for Home Repairs
READER'S DIGEST AND MICROSOFT INTRODUCE NEW CD-ROM: "READER'S DIGEST COMPLETE DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE" FOR HOME REPAIRS AND HOME IMPROVEMENT

Based on Best-Selling Reader's Digest Do-It-Yourself Manual, CD-ROM Contains 1,000 Photos, 65 Videos, 55 Animations and 1,300 Illustrations

PLEASANTVILLE, NY -- The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., the global leader in do-it-yourself editorial products, and Microsoft Corp. have jointly produced the "Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide" CD-ROM. With this new multimedia tool -- chock full of videos, animations, photos and illustrations -- consumers now have a superior in-home companion to help them tackle home repair and home improvement projects.

Inspired by the best-selling "Reader's Digest New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual," hailed by The New York Times as "the single-volume bible of home repair," the CD-ROM is an easy-to-use product for beginner and experienced handyperson alike.

"Consumers who want to save time and money on thousands of home repair and home improvement jobs now have a leading-edge, multimedia product in the 'Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide.' It's the most powerful tool in a homeowner's toolbox," said Jack A. Smith, senior vice president of television and new media, The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. "This CD-ROM is a great example of our partnership with Microsoft to adapt our superior editorial content to new multimedia platforms and deliver it through multiple channels."

Packed with over 1,000 photos, 65 videos, 55 animations and 1,300 illustrations, the CD-ROM includes:

* 12 guided tours illustrated with everything from frequently asked questions to how to construct a home office or ready your home for sale;

* Step-by-step "action how-tos" and instructions that can be printed with the click of a mouse;

* A built-in Listmaker and Cost Estimator that let users create an "electronic scratchpad" for estimating what a do-it-yourself repair or improvement job will really cost -- before visiting the store or lumberyard;

* A Find Feature with over 980 topics that lets users explore the entire CD-ROM through topic, word, category or illustration;

* An easy-to-use interface and logically organized units that lead the home handyperson through shortcuts, trade secrets, tools and techniques; and

* A way to gauge when to call a professional, and how to check references or negotiate a contract before the job starts.

The "Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide" CD-ROM is scheduled to be available beginning April 11 at retail outlets where Microsoft products are sold. It also can be ordered directly for $39.96 by calling 1-800-213-8900.

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., (NYSE: RDA, RDB) is the preeminent global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, enrich, entertain and inspire. Total revenues were $3.07 billion in fiscal 1995. Reader's Digest has 21 international operating companies. Global headquarters is in Pleasantville, N.Y.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Note to editors: As a special promotion, Reader's Digest is sponsoring a contest and do-it-yourself site on America Online through June 16, Father's Day. Weekly winners will get copies of the "Readers Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide" CD-ROM and the first-prize winner will receive $1,000 worth of America Online time at the conclusion of the contest. AOL keyword: Readers Digest.

System requirements: multimedia PC with a 486/33 or higher processor with 8 MB of memory (RAM) for Windows 95 or 16MB for Windows NT, 10 MB of available hard-disk space, a double-speed or better CD-ROM drive, Super VGA display with 256 colors or better, Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device, Windows-compatible sound board and either headphones or speakers, and the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system or a workstation running on Windows NT version 3.5 or later (will not run on Windows version 3.1 or earlier).

Contact: Michael I. Fanning, The Reader's Digest

Voice: 914 244-5010

Email: fanning@ix.netcom.com

or

Contact: Michael Kassin, Michael Kassin and Associates

Voice: 203-323-4166

Email: mikkass@aol.com


Digi International WAN Access for Windows NT
NETWORLD + INTEROP '96

BOOTH #3032

DIGI INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY'S WIDEST RANGE OF COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR WINDOWS NT

INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS ENABLE ACCESS FOR UNLIMITED REMOTE USERS AND ELIMINATE EXTERNAL HARDWARE

March 28, 1996 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. -- Digi International Inc., a leading provider of connectivity solutions, today announced WAN Access for Windows NT solution bundles. By combining its entire range of communications adapters with its powerful software, Digi delivers integrated solutions that provide an easy, cost-effective way to configure a server with remote access or routing capabilities over analog modems, Frame Relay, X.25 or ISDN.

Digi's integrated solutions enhance Windows NT by allowing it to internetwork an unlimited number of remote systems over fast, reliable Frame Relay and X.25 networks. Widely distributed LANs, PCs, multimedia systems, Internet servers, information kiosks, telephony equipment, retail POS systems, and traditional serial multiport systems can now connect to global WANs at speeds of up to T1/E1.

"These solutions are designed to integrate WAN communications with Windows NT's powerful server-based routing software, eliminating the need for external box routers or rack-mounted equipment," said James R. Baker, Digi International vice president and general manager of the Remote Access business unit. "Now TCP/IP traffic can be routed over high speed Frame Relay or X.25 circuits that provide the perfect solution for interconnecting widely distributed branch offices and for building global network systems.

"Digi's asynchronous, synchronous, and ISDN adapters can be installed in the same NT server to provide the flexibility to implement the exact number and type of remote connections needed," Baker continued. "In fact, the solutions are designed to grow with the needs of their users by simply adding hardware adapters."

WAN Access for NT software comes bundled with either a 2 port Digi SYNC/570 or a 2 or 4 port SYNC/570i synchronous adapter. WAN Access for Windows NT is quickly installed and allows individual ports to be configured for either X.25 or Frame Relay. If WAN requirements change, users can easily migrate to the other WAN protocol by simply changing their WAN Access for NT software configuration.

Digi's integrated synchronous solutions for Windows NT, currently available worldwide, are:

 Digi SYNC/570 2 port EIA-232 & WAN Access, U.S. list price $1,290

 Digi SYNC/570i 2 port V.35 & WAN Access, U.S. list price $1,490

 Digi SYNC/570i 4 port EIA-232 & WAN Access, U.S. list price $1,795

 Digi SYNC/570i 2 port X.21 & WAN Access, U.S. list price $1,390

 Digi SYNC/570i EIA-232 & WAN Access, U.S. list price $1,390

 WAN Access software-only, U.S. list price $695

These solutions complement Digi's ISDN and asynchronous solutions for Windows NT, as well as its new ISDN adapter bundles for Microsoft Windows 95.

Digi International (Nasdaq National Market: DGII), based in Minneapolis, Minn., is a leading ISO 9001-compliant provider of data communications hardware and software that delivers seamless connectivity solutions for multiuser, remote access, and LAN markets. The company markets its products through an international network of distributors and resellers, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

For complete product information, see Digi's World Wide Web home page at http://www.dgii.com or call 1-800-344-4273.


Digi Manageable/Stackable Ethernet Hubs
FOSE '96

BOOTH #4506

DIGI INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES MANAGEABLE STACKABLE ETHERNET HUBS IDEAL FOR MIDRANGE NETWORK CONFIGURATIONS

NEW STACKHUBS PROVIDE EASY, AFFORDABLE WAY TO EXTEND NETWORKS

March 28, 1996 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., -- Digi International Inc., a leading provider of connectivity solutions, today announced two new Stackable hubs -- the 4510H and the 4511H -- that provide flexible workgroup and departmental networking solutions. These hubs are designed to work separately or in groups to meet users current network connectivity needs as well as accommodate future network growth.

The new stackhubs feature 24-10BaseT (UTP) managed or unmanaged ports, along with two configurable ports that house Digi's 4300M Micro Modules. As many as 10 hubs can be stacked together, providing support for up to 260 ports. The 4511H StackHub supports the SNMP protocol with both in-band management over TCP/IP and IPX protocols as well as out-of-band management through a rear panel EIA-232 serial port. One 4511H managed hub can manage an entire stack of 4510H unmanaged hubs. The 4510H can easily be upgraded with the Digi 4620U SNMP module which provides the full management capability of the 4511H Stack Hub. In addition, users can install a second SNMP module in a stack, providing back-up capabilities for mission critical applications.

Both the 4510H and the 4511H feature status and diagnostic LEDs for fast network condition assessment. The 4511H is supplied with an additional indicator for convenient, at-a-glance SNMP monitoring. In addition, the 4511H offers port pairing, which allows the hubs to detect faulty links and automatically activate a back-up port, eliminating data loss and ensuring network reliability.

"These new stackable hubs extend the breadth of Digi's product line by providing a range of end-to-end solutions for networking workgroups," said Gary L. Deaner, Digi International vice president and general manager of the LAN Connect business unit. "These and other Digi LAN connectivity products help networking professionals change and grow their networks to meet the need for increased performance and flexibility."

Currently available worldwide, the 4510H StackHub has a U.S. list price of $1,199, the 4511H StackHub lists for $1,699, and the 4620U SNMP module lists for $549. All Digi products are covered under a standard five-year warranty that includes free technical support.

Digi International (Nasdaq National Market: DGII), based in Minneapolis, Minn., is a leading ISO 9001-compliant provider of data communications hardware and software that delivers seamless connectivity solutions for multiuser, remote access, and LAN markets. The company markets its products through an international network of distributors and resellers, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

For complete product information, see Digi's World Wide Web home page at http://www.dgii.com or call 1-800-344-4273.


Digi Int'l Rightswitch Ethernet Switch
NETWORLD + INTEROP '96

BOOTH #3032

DIGI INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES RIGHTSWITCH FOR DESKTOP/WORKGROUP ENVIRONMENTS

IMPROVES NETWORK PERFORMANCE BY REDUCING BOTTLENECK THAT TYPICALLY OCCURS AT THE SERVER

March 27, 1996 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. -- Digi International Inc. today announced the RightSwitch, a 10 Mbps internal Ethernet switch, that increases Ethernet network performance by providing dedicated 10 Mbps connections to workgroups or individual users. The new Digi product provides a direct high-speed switch/server connection of up to 1 Gbps resulting in dramatic performance increases that reduce the bottleneck that typically occurs between the switch and the server.

RightSwitch, which connects directly to the server bus and replaces existing Ethernet adapter cards, provides four switch ports on the EISA card and six ports on the PCI card. It is ideal for desktop/workgroup environments that are running data-intensive applications such as database access, interactive graphics, video imaging, and multimedia. In addition, it offers driver support for Novell NetWare, Microsoft Windows NT, SCO Unix and UnixWare.

"Today, network managers are looking for a solution that provides a clean, high-bandwidth connection between the desktop and the server," said Esmeralda Silva, senior analyst with International Data Corp. "Digi's RightSwitch can deliver that missing link."

"This announcement signals Digi's move to broaden its line of Ethernet networking products in the rapidly growing switching marketplace," said Gary L. Deaner, Digi International vice president and general manager of the LAN Connect business unit. "RightSwitch offers an ideal solution for workgroup network congestion that can be caused by an increasing number of users or by data-intensive applications."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The 4 port EISA bus RightSwitch, which is currently available worldwide, has a U.S. list price of $1,695. The 6 port PCI bus RightSwitch, which will be available worldwide in May, has a U.S. list price of $2,595.

Digi International (Nasdaq National Market:DGII), based in Minneapolis, Minn., is a leading ISO 9001-compliant provider of data communications hardware and software that delivers seamless connectivity solutions for multiuser, remote access, and LAN markets. The company markets its products through an international network of distributors and resellers, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Digi's World Wide Web address is http://www.dgii.com.


DirectX Optimized Drivers for Diamond Edge
DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA ANNOUNCES MICROSOFT DIRECTX OPTIMIZED DRIVERS FOR DIAMOND EDGE 3D MULTIMEDIA ACCELERATORS

DIAMOND EDGE 3D FEATURES NEW VALUE-ADDED BUNDLE, LOWER PRICING

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1, 1996 -- Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) today announced the availability of enhanced drivers for Microsoft's DirectDraw, DirectVideo, DirectInput and DirectSound standards for its Diamond EDGE 3D line of multimedia accelerators. In addition, the company announced lower pricing for the entire Diamond EDGE 3D product line, which now features colorful new packaging and a game control pad in every box.

Diamond's new optimized drivers for Microsoft's DirectX APIs are expected to be available in early April, free of charge, through its BBS, FTP and World Wide Web sites. Diamond plans to offer the drivers on the Diamond EDGE 3D CD-ROM by the end of the month. Diamond will release drivers for the Direct3D standard when it is finalized by Microsoft.

"Consumers of PC-based multimedia products need access to a wealth of unique, exciting Windows 95 content," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA Corp. "With complete support for all of the DirectX APIs, NVIDIA and Diamond deliver accelerated, enhanced application performance from a product that will remain a solid investment for our mutual customers."

"Gamers have recognized the Diamond EDGE 3D as the ultimate accelerator for Windows 95," said Craig Rush, product marketing manager for Diamond Multimedia. "Now, with new lower pricing, easy-to-understand packaging and free installation by select retailers, the Diamond EDGE 3D is poised to become the Windows 95 accelerator of choice among a broader consumer audience."

Diamond EDGE 3D is an integrated Windows 95 accelerator that offers powerful acceleration for 2D graphics and 3D animation, plus full-screen MPEG video playback, hardware wavetable audio, a digital gameport for precision joystick control and support for two Sega Saturn compatible game control pads for multi-player gaming. It is available in four models with price/performance features targeted to a broad audience -- from PC gamers to people looking for a robust, all-purpose Windows 95 accelerator.

Diamond has lowered the estimated retail price on all models of the Diamond EDGE 3D by $50 and now offers a game control pad in the box. The Diamond EDGE 3D 2120XL with 1MB of DRAM and the 2200XL with 2MB of DRAM are now retailing for estimated retail prices of just $249 and $299, respectively. The Diamond EDGE 3D 3240XL with 2MB of VRAM and the 3400XL with 4MB VRAM now carry estimated retail prices of $429 and $599, respectively. The Diamond EDGE 3D 2200XL, 3240XL and 3400XL are bundled with three hot titles: Sega's Virtua Fighter Remix and Panzer Dragoon, and Papyrus' NASCAR Racing; the Diamond EDGE 3D 2120XL includes Sega's Virtua Fighter Remix and Panzer Dragoon.

Select retailers nationwide, including Computer City, are now offering free installation of the Diamond EDGE 3D accelerator. In addition, Diamond has just launched a bright new retail package design for its products with a bold red stripe identifying the Diamond name and easier-to-read brand and model information.

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance PC and Macintosh multimedia solutions for the home, business and professional markets. Products include the Stealth, Diamond EDGE3D and Viper series multimedia accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional 3D and CAD accelerators, and the Supra series of fax/modems. Diamond also markets ISDN adapters, sound cards, multimedia upgrade kits and digital video editors. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has sales, marketing and technical facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.

HOW TO CONTACT DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:

The Main Phone Number: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070

Supra Communications Division Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400; Fax: 360-604-1401

Diamond SPEA Division Main Phone Number (Germany): +49-8151-2660

Product Support Voice: 408-325-7100; Supra: 541-967-2490

Product Support Fax: 408-325-7171; Supra: 541-967-2401; SPEA: +49-8151-266150

Tech information line for Supra: 1-800-774-4965

For information on Diamond products: 1-800-468-5846; Supra: 1-800-727-8772

24-Hour Fax On Demand Service: 1-800-380-0030; Supra: 541-967-0072

America Online (Keyword: DIAMOND; Email: SUPRACORP2)

CompuServe (GO DIAMOND); Supra: (GO SUPRA); SPEA (GO SPEA)

Microsoft Network: Find DIAMOND

FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com, or Supra: ftp.supra.com

Internet Web site: http://www.diamondmm.com or Supra: http://www.supra.com

BBS numbers at 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 baud) or 408-325-7175 (to 28.8 baud)

Supra BBS: 541-967-2444

SPEA BBS at +49-8151-266241 (to 14.4 baud) or +49-8151-12921 (to 28.8 baud) or +49-8151-78001 (ISDN)


Diamond Multimedia Stealth 3D Accelerator
DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA INTRODUCES STEALTH 3D ACCELERATOR WITH FAST 2D GRAPHICS, 3D ANIMATION AND MPEG VIDEO PLAYBACK

DIAMOND'S NEXT GENERATION STEALTH PROVIDES ADVANCED PERFORMANCE FOR MULTIMEDIA, GAMES AND BUSINESS APPLICATIONS ON THE PC

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 1, 1996 - Today at the Computer Game Developers' Conference, Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) announced Diamond Stealth 3D 2000, the first product in a new line of next generation Stealth 3D multimedia accelerators that will deliver high-performance 2D graphics as well as 3D animation and MPEG-1 digital video playback acceleration for PCs running Microsoft's Windows 95, Windows 3.1x, Windows NT 3.51 and DOS operating systems. Designed for systems with a PCI bus, the new Stealth 3D 2000 accelerates a new realm of computer applications featuring realistic 3D animation and video such as multimedia applications and games. The modular design of the Stealth 3D 2000 will also allow for the affordable addition of a TV tuner option. An OEM/VAR version of Stealth 3D 2000 will be available in April to Diamond OEM customers and through its authorized distributors.

"The new Diamond Stealth 3D provides ultra high-performance 2D capabilities as well as powerful 3D graphics and video acceleration," said Ken Wirt, vice president of marketing, Diamond Multimedia. "Now PC users can take advantage of the latest in immersive 3D animation and continue to improve Stealth performance and reliability for their Windows acceleration and business application needs."

"The market for 3D graphics is ready to take off," said Jon Peddie, industry analyst and editor-in-chief of the PC Graphics Report, located in Tiburon, Calif. "With the Stealth 3D, Diamond is in a position to provide a solution that meets the growing demands of the mass market."

The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 utilizes S3 Inc.'s ViRGE 64-bit DRAM graphics and video accelerator chip, which is based on the company's new S3d architecture. The ViRGE engine is an advanced single-chip solution for interactive 3D rendering, 2D GUI and video acceleration with an integrated RAMDAC and clock synthesizer.

"The S3d architecture's leading-edge 3D performance and feature set together with Diamond's ability to provide optimized end-user solutions will take computing to the next level of interactive gaming and powerful business applications," said Neal Margulis, vice president of home and advanced system products for S3. "Delivering the hot 3D performance and superior 2D graphics and video acceleration, Diamond's Stealth 3D 2000 is at the forefront of next-generation PC graphics."

HIGH-PERFORMANCE 2D GRAPHICS

The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 features ultra-fast 2D graphics acceleration. Using industry-standard benchmark tests, Diamond has shown that the Stealth 3D consistently performs at same levels or better as much higher-priced WRAM accelerators, such as the Matrox Millenium. The Stealth 3D, populated with 2MB of EDO DRAM, provides 256 colors at resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 as well as true color, 16.7 million colors, at resolutions as high as 800 x 600. The maximum supported refresh rate is 120 Hz.

High resolution and high color-depths are extremely important for PC users running desktop publishing, document image processing and CAD applications on large monitors. The 2D acceleration also improves the performance of spreadsheet, presentation and other business application software.

POWERFUL 3D MULTIMEDIA ACCELERATION

Using S3's triangle-based polygon rendering engine, the Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 delivers numerous advanced 3D features. Those features include: complex perspective corrected texture mapping that adds significant realism and image quality to 3D objects; bi-linear filtering, MIP-mapping and tri-linear MIP-mapping that eliminate the "blockiness" and visual artifacts such as "sparkle" and "jaggies" commonly seen in software-only 3D games, providing for a smoother look-and-feel of objects; and alpha blending, depth-cueing and fogging that deliver transparency effects for realistic smoke, steam, fog, glass, water, plastic, and other objects.

Z-buffering capabilities are used to speed the removal of hidden surfaces so that objects appear life-like, without compromising 3D performance. The Stealth 3D 2000 is standard with 2MB of EDO DRAM. Memory that is not accessed for the display buffer is available for Z-buffer and texture mapping, which provides the ability to further accelerate 3D applications at higher resolutions. The combination of the above 3D elements when used in virtual reality applications, on-line 3D worlds, or games offers a captivating computer experience that can help make people feel as though they are immersed in a real-world environment.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 supports a wealth of today's existing DOS and Windows games and software applications. Currently Diamond is partnering with S3 to provide software companies with the tools they need to develop interactive 3D applications designed to take advantage of the special 3D features of the ViRGE technology on the Diamond Stealth 3D 2000. More than fifty developers are currently evaluating the technology and many have committed their support, including Asymetrix, Caligari Corporation, Domark Software, GTE Interactive, Gremlin, Interplay Productions, Looking Glass, New World Computing, Reality Bytes, Terminal Reality, and Psygnosis.

Once the Microsoft Direct3D APIs are completed for the Windows 95 operating system, the market can expect to see even more games and applications that take advantage of 3D acceleration features. Diamond plans to provide Direct3D drivers to Stealth 3D 2000 customers following the final release of Direct3D from Microsoft. Support for all other relevant Microsoft DirectX APIs are planned for the Stealth 3D 2000 as well.

"The Diamond Stealth family of graphics subsystems has been known for its ability to get great performance from a PC running Windows," said Eric Engstrom, program manager for DirectX at Microsoft Corp. "By designing 3D into the Stealth line, Diamond will further enhance the rich multimedia capabilities of Windows 95 for increased interactivity in entertainment and business applications."

"The graphics horsepower of the Stealth 3D really has the ability to pump up the performance of our games," said Brian Fargo, CEO of Interplay. "Interplay is known for designing cutting- edge games for the PC, while Diamond is known for its high-performance multimedia accelerators. The combination of Stealth 3D and Descent II will provide a totally awesome gaming experience."

"Psygnosis is pleased to be partnering with a market leader like Diamond Multimedia to bring its popular Sony PlayStation titles to the PC," said Ian Heatherington, managing director of Psygnosis. "Titles such as the highly acclaimed Destruction Derby should be as action packed on the PC as their Sony PlayStation counterparts with the advanced graphics capabilities of the Stealth 3D."

DIGITAL VIDEO PLAYBACK

The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 features smooth, full-motion digital video playback at 30 frames per second by off-loading several functions from the host CPU. These functions include image scaling and color space conversion. Users can scale images up to full-screen without compromising image quality or playback speed. Drivers for Indeo, Cinepak and software MPEG-1 are provided.

OPTIONAL TV TUNER

The Diamond DTV 100 TV tuner, enabling business and home television applications including training, security, education and entertainment, will be available as an upgrade option for the Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 for $129. The DTV 1100 converts a broadcast video or cable signal into a live TV picture on the PC screen and uses an ISA slot (for power only). Other features include stereo audio in and out, closed captioning, video capture and an intuitive software TV control resembling a standard "remote control" for on-screen programming.

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance PC and Macintosh multimedia solutions for the home, business and professional markets. Products include the Stealth, Diamond EDGE 3D and Viper series of multimedia accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional 3D and CAD accelerators, and the Supra series of fax/modems. Diamond also markets ISDN adapters, sound cards, multimedia upgrade kits and digital video editors. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has sales, marketing and technical facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.

HOW TO CONTACT DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:

The Main Phone Number: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070

Supra Communications Division Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400; Fax: 360-604-1401

Diamond SPEA Division Main Phone Number (Germany): +49-8151-2660

Product Support Voice: 408-325-7100; Supra: 541-967-2490

Product Support Fax: 408-325-7171; Supra: 541-967-2401; SPEA: +49-8151-266150

Tech information line for Supra: 1-800-774-4965

For information on Diamond products: 1-800-468-5846; Supra: 1-800-727-8772

24-Hour Fax On Demand Service: 1-800-380-0030; Supra: 541-967-0072

America Online (Keyword: DIAMOND; Email: SUPRACORP2)

CompuServe (GO DIAMOND); Supra: (GO SUPRA); SPEA (GO SPEA)

Microsoft Network: Find DIAMOND

FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com, or Supra: ftp.supra.com

Internet Web site: http://www.diamondmm.com or Supra: http://www.supra.com or SPEA: http://www.spea.com

BBS numbers at 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 baud) or 408-325-7175 (to 28.8 baud)

Supra BBS: 541-967-2444

SPEA BBS at +49-8151-266241 (to 14.4 baud) or +49-8151-12921 (to 28.8 baud) or +49-8151-78001 (ISDN)


Diamond Ships MS Explorer with Hwr Products
DIAMOND SHIPS MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER V2.0 WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND VISUALIZATION PRODUCTS

STEALTH64 VIDEO 2001 SERIES MULTIMEDIA ACCELERATORS SHIPS WITH INTERNET EXPLORER

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 26, 1996 -- Diamond Multimedia (Nasdaq: DIMD), a leader in multimedia communications and visualization products, today announced its agreement with Microsoft Corp. to bundle Microsoft Internet Explorer v.2.0 with selected Diamond multimedia accelerators, modems and ISDN products. Internet Explorer is an easy-to-use, full featured web browser designed for the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system that offers a simple interface and rich multimedia features for browsing the Internet.

Diamond currently ships Internet Explorer with its Stealth64 Video 2001 series multimedia accelerators, and expects to with its Supra NetCommander ISDN this summer. The company also plans to include Internet Explorer in several of its product offerings in the coming year.

"Diamond provides software that takes maximum advantage of the capabilities of its hardware products," said Paul Nahi, Diamond's director of marketing. "Internet Explorer is a great multimedia tool for surfing the web, and Diamond is committed to offering top-notch multimedia and Internet solutions. The products make an ideal combination for end users."

"We are pleased that Diamond, a leading manufacturer of multimedia products, is committed to shipping Internet Explorer," said Russ Stockdale, Group Manager Internet Platform and Tools Division, Microsoft Corporation. "Diamond's hardware will allow customers to fully experience Internet Explorer's rich multimedia capabilities."

INTERNET EXPLORER

Internet Explorer is an easy-to-use Internet browser designed for Windows 95. Its features include simple installation and set-up, a Favorites section for quick access of favorite sites on the Internet, as well as a Tutorial and Search Button that provides instant access to powerful search engines like Yahoo, Lycos and Infoseek. Version 2.0 also has special features such as multimedia capability, enhanced security, an E-mail package and support for industry standard development tools, including NNTP for standardized Internet news group reading and posting and HTML for Internet tags such as right align, centering and tables.

For more information on Internet Explorer, please visit the Microsoft World Wide Web home page at http://www.microsoft.com.

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance PC and Macintosh multimedia solutions for the home, business and professional markets. Products include Stealth, Diamond EDGE 3D and Viper multimedia accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional CAD and 3D accelerators, and the Supra series of fax/modems. Diamond also markets ISDN adapters, sound cards, multimedia upgrade kits and digital video editors. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has marketing and technical support facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.


Efficient & Cisco Interoperable ATM Solution
Efficient Networks, Inc. and Cisco Systems Reaffirm Commitment to Interoperable ATM Solutions

Dallas, TX -- March 28, 1996

Efficient Networks, Inc. today announced its ongoing commitment to provide users with standards-based, interoperable ATM solutions by reinforcing its relationship with Cisco Systems for rigorous interoperability testing.

The two companies joined forces last November in a joint marketing, interoperability and support relationship that allows the companies to work together on interoperability issues as well a jointly market each other's products to their respective customers.

Recent interoperability testing has taken place both within the Efficient Networks testing labs as well as the University of New Hampshire test site. Outside of the standards compliance-related industry events, Efficient and Cisco work with strenuous test plans developed by both companies to ensure not only interoperability, but superior performance in an end-to-end solution.

"The adapter is a significant, active element in an ATM network," stated Dave Chiswell, director of technical marketing for Efficient. "Unlike passive legacy technologies in an endstation environment, ATM network interface cards (NICs) are responsible for much of the implementation of the standards relative to features like LAN emulation (LANE) and traffic management. The switches are very dependent on the performance of the NIC to demonstrate strong performance throughout the network; therefore, interoperability is key."

The latest round of testing demonstrated adherence to ATM Forum specifications including, UNI 3.0 signaling, LAN emulation v1.0, RFC 1577/1755 (classical IP over ATM) and much more. Products tested included Efficient's SBus and PCI Bus 155 megabit per second adapters for both Sun and Microsoft environments, Cisco LightStream ATM switches and Cisco 7000 series routers. In addition, testing was successfully completed between Efficient's LAN emulation services product, Panama, and Cisco's 7000 router client.

"Efficient provides strong solutions in both SBus and PCI environments," stated Steve Pomeroy, ATM product manager for Cisco. "Our establishment of strong partnerships with key ATM technology developers like Efficient allows us to offer our customers a wide range of competitive, interoperable end-to-end solutions."

To demonstrate the end-to-end solution of Efficient and Cisco products, Efficient will conduct its demonstrations at Networld+Interop, Booth #2298, utilizing the Cisco LightStream 100 ATM switch. LAN emulation demos in both NT and Solaris environments, as well as numerous other ATM Forum compliant specifications will be highlighted. In addition, Efficient will be demonstrating its LAN emulation services package, Panama.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the leading global supplier of internetworking solutions, including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software. These products, integrated by the Cisco IOS software, link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs and IBM networks. Cisco news and product/service information are available at World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco is headquartered in San Jose, Calif.

Efficient Networks, Inc., based in Dallas, is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, high-performance ATM hardware and software. As a recognized leader in ATM technology, Efficient Networks is a principal member of the ATM Forum and a founding member of the ATM25 Desktop Alliance.


Road & Track Need for Speed on Playstation
ELECTRONIC ARTS SHIPS ROAD & TRACK PRESENTS: THE NEED FOR SPEED FOR THE PLAYSTATION

First PlayStation Game With New Two-Player Options For Head-to-Head Play

SAN MATEO, Calif., April 2, 1996 -- Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), a global independent interactive entertainment software company, and Road & Track, the premier automotive enthusiast magazine, today announced the industry's most authentic high-speed racing game for the PlayStation market: ROAD & TRACK PRESENTS: THE NEED FOR SPEED. This fast-paced, realistic driving simulation allows players to compete with a friend in either the single monitor split screen mode, or with the PlayStation link-up feature connecting two monitors and game systems for full-screen play. This is the first PlayStation title to date to incorporate both of these features in the same game.

Both two-player modes add exciting new head-to-head gameplay to the latest entry into the already best-selling NEED FOR SPEED family. The Need for Speed allows players to enter the world of high-performance driving in one of eight exotic sports cars.

The PlayStation version of THE NEED FOR SPEED is the fastest yet, with a frame-rate of 30 frames per second. In addition, this version boasts many new features, including an improved physics model, photo-realistic graphics, and new light-sourcing technology that allows the player to preset the time of day for each track. There is a 3-D engine that enables the player to switch on-the-fly among four real-time racing views: In-Car, Tail-Cam, Road- Cam and Heli-Cam.

Real-time, encoded Dolby Surround Sound Digital audio samples taken on a test track are used in the actual gameplay. The CD-quality audio effects include skids, crashes, speed shifting, and the distinctive roar of each car's engine. Fourteen music tracks have been added to gameplay to drive adrenaline levels even higher. And for a visual thrill, ELECTRONIC ARTS put each of the eight supercars through its paces on a two-week video shoot, using both onboard and helicopter-mounted cameras.

Released in September 1995, the PC-CD version of THE NEED FOR SPEED is still in the top ten of many software retailers charts. Now PlayStation owners will be able to race these supercars using the PlayStation's advanced capabilities, thus creating the most refined and enhanced version yet.

The physics model, fine-tuned with input from Road & Track editors, accurately simulates each car's handling, acceleration, body roll, lateral-g capability and more, adding greatly to the diversity and authenticity of the game.

Road & Track, renowned in automotive circles for its expertise and in-depth knowledge of high-performance automobiles, provided their expertise to help create this realistic racing simulation with performance statistics straight from its own road tests. Road & Track also contributed to the artistic look and feel of the product by lending its world-class photography to the design. A car showcase section, augmented by voice over from the editors, displays key performance measurements as well as engine, chassis, and driveline information.

ROAD & TRACK PRESENTS: THE NEED FOR SPEED will be available for the PlayStation in March '96 and will have an estimated SRP of $59.95. A Sega Saturn version is scheduled to ship in Summer '96.

ELECTRONIC ARTS, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA has an annual sales rate of over $520 million. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: EA SPORTS, Electronic Arts Studio, Origin Systems Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd. and Jane's Combat Simulations. EA has subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.


Exide Token Ring ConnectUPS Adapter
Exide Electronics Introduces Token Ring ConnectUPS Adapter

Bringing Network Managers a New Low-Cost Solution to Monitor Network-Level UPS

Networld + INTEROP, Las Vegas, NV, APRIL 2, 1996 -- Exide Electronics Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: XUPS), today introduced the ConnectUPS Adapter for TCP/IP-based Token Ring networks. This intelligent device adds communications capability to uninterruptible power systems (UPS) protecting mission-critical network nodes, such as routers, bridges, and servers and is a further extension of the company's Strategic Power Management solutions. Already available for Ethernet networks, ConnectUPS adapters alert network managers to power problems to ensure maximum network availability.

"Power to remote network devices protected by a UPS with ConnectUPS attachments can be managed easily and efficiently from a central workstation." said Darrick Finan, Exide Electronics Manager of Product Marketing. "With ConnectUPS, network managers have total access to critical power information and can be automatically notified to minimize network downtime."

Customers using third party SNMP-based management software, such as NovellR ManagewiseTM , NetViewR for AIX, SunNet ManagerTM or HP Open ViewTM, can use the ConnectUPS Adapter to manage power throughout the network. Customers also have the option of using OnliNetR power management software, in conjunction with standard network management software, to diagnose specific power problems, perform unattended operating system shutdowns, or schedule shutdowns and restarts for energy conservation.

Network managers can perform basic SNMP functions such as Gets to determine specific power information (i.e. battery capacity, "input voltage, etc.) and Sets for implementing advanced network functions such as "automatic battery test" or "turn UPS off." The ConnectUPS Adapter will also communicate power conditions, for instance, "UPS on battery" or "utility power restored," from the UPS through SNMP Traps.

Exide Electronics' PowerMIB and the UPS Standard MIB for SNMP are included with the ConnectUPS Adapter. Both MIBs provide information about Exide Electronics' UPSs to the SNMP network management software. Exide Electronics' PowerMIB contains more detailed alarm information for Exide Electronics' UPSs. The UPS Standard MIB can be used with the UPSs made by Exide Electronics and other manufacturers.

ConnectUPS Adapters for Ethernet networks are available now at a list price of $399. ConnectUPS for Token Ring networks are available now and list at $849.

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Exide Electronics provides Strategic Power Management solutions to a broad range of businesses and institutions worldwide, including many Fortune 1000 companies. Exide Electronics' products are used for PCs, high performance workstations, and networks which support financial, medical, industrial, telecommunications, military and aerospace applications -- wherever continuous power is essential to daily operations.

For more information, contact:

Marty Kittrell

Chief Financial Officer

(919) 870-3076

kittrell@email.exide.com

Karin Cram

Corporate Communications

(919) 870-3239

cram@email.exide.com


New Line-Up of Exide NetUPS
Exide Electronics Expands Market Focus With New Line-Up of NetUPS Line-Interactive UPS

Competitively-Priced Solutions Include Free Software and Unique Battery Management System

Networld + Interop, Las Vegas, NV, APRIL 2, 1996 -- Exide Electronics Group,Inc. (NASDAQ: XUPS), today unveiled its new line-up of NetUPS uninterruptible power systems (UPS), adding line-interactive UPSs to its growing portfolio of Strategic Power Management solutions. NetUPS is a mid-level UPS that responds to the power protection needs of point-of-sale systems, home office systems, small workstations, servers, and other applications where price-sensitivity and performance are primary considerations. A unique battery management system differentiates the performance of Exide Electronics NetUPS and provides customers a solution that typically costs less than five percent of an initial computer investment.

"Customers now have access to a complete range of UPS technologies and products which can be matched more precisely to actual application requirements," said Darrick Finan, Manager of Product Marketing. "The breadth of our offerings, which now include line-interactive UPSs, gives our customers a single source from which to purchase a set of solutions that can be upgraded easily as needs change." In addition to the mid-level NetUPS, Exide Electronics offers the PowerwareR Prestige on-line UPS for critical high-end applications and the OneUPSR for basic protection of single-user, PC-type applications.

NETUPS SHARES SOME OF THE SAME UNIQUE FEATURES AS FULL-FEATURE ON-LINE UPS

The NetUPS incorporates the same unique CellSaver technology used in Exide Electronics' top-line products for mission-critical applications. CellSaver conserves battery resources by allowing the NetUPS to regulate output voltage when input voltage is outside normal limits -- typically without a cycle to battery. Most competitive UPSs must momentarily switch to battery in this phase of operation, depleting battery life because of excessive battery cycling.

The NetUPS also employs a buck and double boost feature which provides the widest input voltage range available in a line-interactive UPS (-30% + 20% of nominal input voltage). A wide input voltage range reduces the need to constantly switch to battery which again can contribute to premature battery failure.

An additional feature that sets NetUPS apart from many other UPS in the network computing market is the user friendly power management software that is included with every unit purchased. The software package comes with 14 different operating systems installed, a serial cable, a 9-25 pin adapter and an installation guide.

The NetUPS is now available at a suggested list price that begins at approximately $350 for the 450 VA model and up to $839 for the 1500 VA model.

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Exide Electronics fulfills the Strategic Power Management needs of a broad range of businesses and institutions worldwide, including many Fortune 1000 companies. Exide Electronics' products are used with PCs, high performance networks and centralized mainframe environments which support financial, medical, industrial, telecommunications, military, aerospace applications and more -- wherever continuous power is essential to mission-critical operations.

For more information, contact:

Marty Kittrell

Chief Financial Officer

(919) 870-3076

kittrell@email.exide.com

Karin Cram

Corporate Communications

(919) 870-3239

cram@email.exide.com


Exide Intros New Power Management Swr Tools
Exide Electronics Introduces New Power Management Software Tools

Sets New Standards for Enterprise Power Management, Novell NDS and Windows NT Support

Networld + Interop, Las Vegas, NV, APRIL 2, 1996 -- Exide Electronics Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: XUPS), today announced a line-up of three new power management products which further build on the capabilities of award-winning OnliNet software. OnliNet Vista, OnliNet Centro and OnliNet Basic are:

- first to offer network managers a cohesive enterprise-wide power

  management tool.

- first to utilize the powerful network information management

  capabilities of Novell's NetWare Directory Services (NDS).

- available first for industry-leading Novell NetWare and Microsoft

  Windows NT environments.

The new OnliNet product family supports the widest range of uninterruptible power systems (UPS) in the industry, used to protect applications from the desktop (beginning at 400 VA) to the computer room (up to 150 kVA). With a single software platform, systems administrators can monitor and control all major UPS technologies, including on- line, line-interactive and standby topologies from Exide Electronics and other leading UPS manufacturers.

"By providing comprehensive power management, cross computer platform compatibility and support of a wide range of UPSs, Exide Electronics is the first to offer a consistent, fully integrated solution to meet enterprise-wide needs," said Bill Raddi, Chief Technology Officer. "OnliNet is pivotal to the implementation of our unique Strategic Power Management solutions which offers customers the combined strength of a variety of UPS technologies, products, services and strategic partnerships."

FIRST POWER MONITORING SYSTEMS TO USE NETWARE DIRECTORY SERVICES

One of the initial releases of the new OnliNet product targets NetWare. OnliNet uses the comprehensive information base provided by NDS for discovery, information management and global configuration of UPS. OnliNet Vista also "snaps-in" to both ManageWise and NWAdmin allowing a system manager to quickly launch the application.

"Exide Electronics is the first UPS provider to include support for NDS," said Jan Jentz, director of partner marketing for Novell, Inc. "Now NetWare 4 users and systems administrators can globally manage their power protection through the same NDS interfaces they use to manage all other network resources, including servers, printers, users, applications and other objects."

MANAGEABILITY VIA YOUR FAVORITE WEB BROWSER

The OnliNet NLM also can be remotely managed via the Web using NetBasics' Network Management Extension (NMX) component from HiTecSoft Corporation. A network administrator can easily monitor any Exide Electronics UPS, check the status of parameters including power and battery and perform diagnostics.

FIRST TO OFFER COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT OF ENTERPRISE-WIDE POWER

While OnliNet Vista serves as the centralized control and monitoring system, OnliNet Centro and OnliNet Basic provide varying levels of notification and shutdown capabilities at each critical network node. OnliNet Centro provides advanced levels of monitoring to optimize the availability of high performance workstations, servers and other essential devices on mixed UNIX and Novell networks. OnliNet Basic offers standard monitoring and unattended shutdown capabilities for PCs, servers and printers requiring less comprehensive monitoring. OnliNet Vista links and reports information from OnliNet Centro, OnliNet Basic, and network adapters for a single consistent approach to enterprise-wide power management. The ability to centrally manage power to every device across heterogeneous networks minimizes the growing demands on the time of systems managers and pressures to operate more efficiently.

OnliNet Vista monitors all OnliNet Centro and OnliNet Basic products, regardless of host operating system. It also has the ability to control Exide Electronics' ConnectUPSTM network adapters and other manufacturer's SNMP adapters which support the UPS Standard MIB (RFC 1628) for network- wide communications. A system administrator can discover all existing OnliNet software systems and SNMP adapters that reside on a wide area network, eliminating the time needed to individually identify each node. Real-time network monitoring is achieved through a network- wide summary table or through individual monitoring features such as meters.

With OnliNet Vista, systems managers have the flexibility to simultaneously configure such features as: shutdown parameters, notification methods, battery test and scheduled shutdown for all systems on the network. A graphical user interface makes it quick and easy to select any network UPS and customize a range of user- programmable options. A centralized log also simplifies the process of monitoring networkwide power events that can be proactively managed for optimum system uptime.

FEATURES THAT FURTHER OPTIMIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF NETWORK DEVICES

OnliNet Centro protects valuable data in the event of an extended power failure by providing a graceful, unattended shutdown of computer systems locally and across a network. Interoperability across operating systems is a standard feature, making the support of mixed networks easy. To save even more time and energy costs, users can program shutdowns at regular intervals or customize on an exception basis for up to one year in advance.

A preemptive notification capability alerts a systems manager when corrective action is needed via a user-selectable option such as a page, email, SNMP trap, etc. Advanced monitoring, comprehensive event logs and diagnostic capabilities help to identify and diagnose power problems.

OnliNet Basic provides cost-effective power management of desktop systems and servers through unattended, graceful shutdown of the operating system in the event of extended power failures. It includes the same methodology as OnliNet Centro, permitting a consistent notification strategy which is not limited to particular workstations or servers.

OnliNet Centro is designed for use with Exide Electronics' Powerware Prestige and Plus on-line UPS and the company's new NetUPS line-interactive UPS. Plans also call for the support of a broader set of the industry's most popular UPS, including Deltec's PowerRite Max, PowerRite Pro and PowerWorks RS and IPM's BalancedPower Advantage. OnliNet Basic supports Exide Electronics' OneUPSR standby UPS and Deltec's PowerRite Plus.

BROAD OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT AND COMPETITIVE PRICING

OnliNet will support thirteen major operating systems including UNIX and PC platforms and can be purchased from leading distributors and value added resellers. Products will be available late summer at package prices that begin at less than $100.

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Exide Electronics provides Strategic Power ManagementR solutions to a broad range of businesses and institutions worldwide, including many Fortune 1000 companies. Exide Electronics' products are used for networking, PC, financial, medical, industrial, telecommunications, military, and aerospace applications -- wherever continuous power is essential to daily operations.

For more information, contact:

Marty Kittrell

Chief Financial Officer

(919) 870-3076

kittrell@email.exide.com

Karin Cram

Corporate Communications

(919) 870-3239

cram@email.exide.com


EXP Computer 6 Speed PCMCIA CD-ROM Kit
EXP Computer, Inc. Introduces A New Six Speed CD-ROM Kit with PC Card Interface For Notebook Computers

HIGH PERFORMANCE 6X VERSION FOLLOWS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL QUAD SPEED MODEL

SYOSSET, NEW YORK, APRIL 1, 1996---EXP Computer, Inc. today announced its portable and lightweight Six-Speed PCMCIA CD-ROM Kit for notebook computers. The CD-621, as it is called, is the latest addition to EXP's line of high speed CD-ROM drives for mobile computers. EXP is the industry leader in providing the latest multimedia technology for notebook computer users.

The CD-621 kit consists of a high performance, six speed CD-ROM drive connected to a proprietary PCMCIA Type I card interface. This CD- ROM "kit" enables notebook users with a PC Card slot to have a CD- ROM drive with the fastest access time on the market. The CD-621 is operated either by A/C power, (adapter included) or by eight (8) AA batteries.

Installing the CD-621 is a breeze. Included is an installation disk and instruction manual which allows for quick and easy installation under DOS/Windows environments. In most situations the installation is not needed as the CD-621 is compatible with all PC Card (PCMCIA/JEIDA) Card and Socket Service device drivers which are found in most notebook computers. Also, the CD-621 is "plug and play" with Windows 95 and doesn't require any software driver for installation. The same is true for running under OS/2.

The CD-621 CD-ROM drive has a motorized front tray loading system, headphone jacks and volume control. It is intended to complete the multimedia solution for notebook computers which have 16 bit stereo sound built-in. However, the CD-621 will also work with most notebook computers which are equipped with a PC Card (PCMCIA/JEIDA) Type I, II, or III slot,, regardless of their sound capability as the CD- 621 is also compatible and may be used in conjunction with other PCMCIA sound cards and parallel port sound solutions.

The CD-621 is lightweight at only 3.1 lbs. and the footprint of the unit is a very small 6.46" x 1.95" x 9.76". These features, plus the high performance 6X speed make this unit a very attractive add- on accessory for those notebook users who demand the fastest CD-ROM capability while on the road.

The CD-621 meets MPC Level 1 and 2 specifications and is compatible with Compact Disc standards CD-Mode 1 and 2, Multi session Photo CD, CD-XA and CD-Audio. The data capacity is 600M bytes, the average seek time is 195ms and the data transfer rate is 900KB/sec.

The CD-621 will be shipping at the end of the month and will be available through distribution from Ingram Micro and will be available at retail through a variety of major computer re-sellers. The list price of the CD-621 is $525.00. The CD-621 will be shipping at the end of the month and will be available through distribution from Ingram Micro and will be available at retail through a variety of major computer re-sellers. The list price of the CD-621 is $525.00. The CD-621 will be shipping at the end of the month and will be available through distribution from Ingram Micro and will be available at retail through a variety of major computer re-sellers. The list price of the CD-621 is $525.00. The CD-621 will be shipping at the beginning of the month and will be available through distribution from Ingram Micro and will be available at retail through a variety of major computer re-sellers. The list price of the CD-621 is $525.00.

EXP Computer, Inc. is recognized as a worldwide leader in bringing multimedia capability to notebook computers with their vast line of PC Card multimedia kits. Founded in 1988, EXP excels in manufacturing and marketing a full line of accessories for notebook computers including memory upgrades and a PC Card cellular ready fax/modem.

EXP COMPUTER, INC.

141 Eileen Way

Syosset, NY 11791

Tel: (516) 496-3703

EXP MEMORY PRODUCTS, INC.

12C Mauchly

Irvine, CA 92718

Tel: (714) 453-1020


PowerBroker Extended C++ Dist. Object Mgmt
EXPERSOFT UNVEILS FIRST "NT-CENTRIC" DISTRIBUTED OBJECT MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT

SAN DIEGO, CALIF., APRIL 2, 1996 -- Expersoft Corporation today announced a new version of its PowerBroker Extended C++ distributed object management environment developed especially for Windows NT and Windows 95. The new version, PowerBroker Extended C++ for Windows Programmers, provides the world's first complete distributed object computing solution for Visual C++ 4.0 and Windows NT 3.5.

PowerBroker Extended C++ for Windows Programmers is a distributed management environment, which makes a network appear as one unified computing resource by taking care of such complex programming tasks as network programming, network communication protocols and differences in machine architectures. PowerBroker contains a pre-processor, class libraries, and management tools which allow C++ programmers to naturally distribute their code through extensions to C++. The pre-processor parses user-written C++ class specifications and generates code to distribute those classes transparently.

"End users don't want to have both a UNIX box and a PC on their desk, " said Nelson Carbonell, president of Alta Software, Inc. (Reston, Virginia)--a long-time PowerBroker Extended C++ developer. "Expersoft has delivered a fully integrated environment in which the front-end interface and back-end distributed objects all run under NT."

"This is the first distributed environment that doesn't force Visual C++ developers to sort through UNIX code to figure out how it works in their environment," said Rick Berzle, Expersoft vice president of marketing. "From the management tools to the services to the documentation itself--everything about this package has been built with the NT platform in mind."

PowerBroker Extended C++ for Windows Programmers makes use of NT Services, rather than daemons normally associated with UNIX environments. As a result, PowerBroker acts as a well-behaved object request broker- - so that, after initial configuration, the distributed services are setup automatically upon machine power up.

The package also contains all new documentation written specifically with the Visual C++ programmer in mind. All code examples include a Windows NT graphical user interface, written using the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFCs).

Production systems, not just prototypes

PowerBroker Extended C++ support for distributed objects goes well beyond the simple capabilities offered by the current beta version of Microsoft NT and its Enterprise OLE technology. By offering robust object services and management tools, PowerBroker enables developers to create not just working prototypes, but production-level distributed object applications. Alta Software, for example, has employed PowerBroker Extended C++ to build engineering design systems for currency and bond trading, video on demand, supply chain management, and distribution planning.

"A big advantage with Extended C++ is that you don't need to master a separate programming language or environment," Carbonell said. "Just learn some very straightforward extensions to the C++ language, and you are building distributed applications. PowerBroker also allows us to define things like load balancing and scaling at runtime for the distributed object system--which is critical for building these applications."

Expersoft products enable a new breed of distributed, event-driven applications within several important industry sectors. These applications include financial trading, telecommunications network management, electronic commerce/online banking, transportation management including traffic control, fleet optimization, planning and scheduling, and manufacturing process control.

Expersoft technology plays a key role in the major applications of several important classes of users. These include financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the National Bank of Australia; systems integrators like Technology Resource Connection, Fusion Systems Group, KPMG, Genesis Development Corporation and Alta Software; telecommunications companies like Sprint, US West, British Telecom, and TV/COM; manufacturers like Lockheed-Martin, Royal Dutch Shell, Raytheon, and Universal Oil Products; and government agencies like the ARPA Technology Re-investment Program and the NIST Advanced Technology Program, as well as other customers including Andersen Consulting and Intuit Services Corporation.

Price and availability

PowerBroker Extended C++ for Windows Programmers is in beta now and will be generally available in Q2 `96. Developer licenses may be purchased starting at $3,500. For more information, contact Expersoft Corporation at 1-800-366-3054 or send e-mail to PowerBroker@expersoft.com. Or, download information from our Web site at www.expersoft.com.

Established in 1989, Expersoft develops and markets PowerBroker, a distributed object management environment comprising the standards- based PowerBroker ORB, object services and a suite of object management tools. PowerBroker is available directly from Expersoft, as well as through systems integrators, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers around the world. The company is headquartered in San Diego and has offices throughout North America and Europe.


Farallon Expands ISP Pgm w/Help Desk Support
Farallon Expands ISP Program with Help Desk Support

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 1, 1996 -- Farallon Computing, Inc., today announced that it has expanded its Netopia Internet Solution Partner Program (NISPP) to include help desk support that Internet service providers (ISPs) can provide their customers for increased customer service. The NISPP program, launched last October, is designed to expand the channels by which individuals, workgroups, small to medium size businesses, and schools can obtain Farallon's Netopia Internet Solution. Part of the solution includes the Netopia Internet routers, which enable a network of users to connect to the Internet via a shared ISDN line.

For the majority of computer users, those in workgroups, direct connection to the Internet has been expensive and complex. By developing the Netopia product and the ISP program, Farallon is able to provide workgroups with affordable and easy-to-use Internet access solutions through their local and national ISPs.

Help Desk Support

Farallon is offering ISPs an innovative way to support customers by including its Timbuktu Pro remote access software into the NISPP program. With Timbuktu Pro, ISPs will now be able to observe or control a customers' computer screen to identify and resolve problems.

ISPs have several ways to take advantage of this offer. They can obtain a license to post Farallon's Look@Me Internet applet on their web site so that customers can download the free applet to have the ISP help desk observe their customer's screen to identify problems, provide just-in-time training, and talk the customer through a solution.

ISPs will also receive 10 copies of the full-featured Timbuktu Pro software for use internally and for their help desk personnel. Finally, ISPs can purchase 25-packs of Timbuktu Pro at a special price of $999 that can be resold on an individual license basis.

"Farallon's unique help desk program for ISPs lets me offer the superior level of service my customers expect from me," said Steve Deane, marketing director of World Touch in Pleasant Hill, California. "Thanks to Timbuktu, I was recently able to remotely ensure that an educational customer had everything working perfectly for an Internet demonstration with President Clinton."

Netopia ISP Program Highlights

Through the program, ISPs will be able to:

- Purchase the Netopia ISDN Internet routers and modems directly

  from Farallon for re-sale

- Offer a lease option for the Netopia ISDN Internet routers to

  customers

- Ask Farallon to pre-configure the Netopia Internet routers for

  their customers

- Use Farallon's Timbuktu Pro software to provide customers with

  immediate help desk support

- Receive a dedicated phone number for Farallon support

- Host a Listserv forum on Farallon's highly-rated and popular

  web site

- Obtain market development funds to promote joint programs

- Leverage Farallon's extensive customer database for joint mailings

ISPs interested in differentiating themselves by providing remote support across the Internet can contact Farallon at (510) 814-5382 to receive additional information or sign up for the program.

Farallon is continually seeking new and innovative ways to support its distribution channel. "Farallon would like to have ISPs differentiate themselves and provide value-added service to their Netopia customers," said Doug Lifton, vice president of business development/OEM sales at Farallon. "Because ISPs are responsible for placing much of the Internet-related hardware in customer sites, we believe that the addition of our help desk program and the unique ease-of-use orientation of our Netopia family will benefit both our partners and customers seeking hassle-free, high-speed access to the Internet."

Farallon

Founded in 1986, Farallon Computing, Inc. is an industry-leading developer of networking products that enable Internet and Intranet users to increase their productivity. With over 30 percent of the schools in the United States networked with Farallon's products, the company is again taking a leadership position by contributing its knowledge and expertise of the Internet to students and teachers.

For more information on Farallon's new Internet access routers or the company's broad line of hardware and software networking products, contact your nearest Farallon reseller or Farallon Customer Service at telephone (510) 814-5000, fax (510) 814-5023 or Internet info@farallon.com. A list of Farallon distributors worldwide is available on the company's Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.farallon.com or from Farallon Customer Service. Farallon is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. and has European offices in Paris and London.

FOR GENERAL AND PRODUCT INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5000

 info@farallon.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION ONLY, CONTACT:

 AMAL ABED

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5307

 amal@farallon.com

 KRISTIN KNUDSEN

 Thomas Associates

 (415) 325-6236

 kristin@thomaspr.com


Farallon Ships Enhanced Firmware for Netopia

Increases Customer Savings and Productivity

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 1, 1996 -- Farallon Computing, Inc., today announced the release of Netopia Firmware 1.1, which includes an enhanced version of Multilink PPP for its Netopia Internet workgroup router to reduce user ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) costs. The new firmware is a free upgrade to Netopia Internet Router customers and can be downloaded from Farallon's web site at www.farallon.com or its tftp site at tftp.farallon.com. It incorporates enhanced ISDN and system logging, increased certification with other large-scale routers, and a more feature-rich configuration interface.

"Our engineering team is continually looking at ways to improve the customer's experience with Internet access and we are proud to be providing the most easy-to-use and cost-effective solution on the market," said Michael Trupiano, vice president of research and development for Netopia systems.

Netopia is a unique family of ISDN Internet products and services that eliminate Internet access hassles and reduce costs. The Netopia Internet Solution encompasses: 1) a line of Netopia Internet access routers and ISDN modems, 2) Internet software, and 3) Internet support services to provide one-stop shopping and assist individuals, workgroups, businesses and schools who would like high-speed Internet access but are intimidated by the complexities involved. Netopia is currently available in the United States and Canada. Special versions of Netopia developed for specific international markets will be available later this year.

Increased User Benefits

Based on customer feedback, Farallon improved the way dynamic Multilink PPP works in order to minimize a customer's ISDN line charges and make the architecture ready for the emerging BACP (Bandwidth Allocation Control Protocol) standard. The new feature allows a Netopia user to have "bandwidth on demand." For example, Netopia will automatically determine the bandwidth need for a user's particular Internet session and will dynamically transition between the use of one and two B channels. This allows a user to reduce ISDN line charges by not paying for two B channels when only one may be necessary at a particular moment.

Farallon also enhanced the configuration interface to give the user and the Internet service provider (ISP) more information about system usage in the statistics and event history areas. With this enhanced ISDN, PPP and system logging, the time required to fine tune your ISDN connection is reduced and customer satisfaction is increased. The configuration interface will now provide more information on authentication, compression, and Multilink PPP on a per session numbers. When there is an error, Netopia will provide the user or ISP with a reason code so that the problem is identified immediately and can be resolved shortly thereafter.

While the Netopia Internet Router is the ideal solution for workgroups, small to medium-sized businesses, and schools, Netopia typically dials into and communicates with large scale routers traditionally found at ISP sites. Therefore, with Netopia Firmware 1.1 and future releases, Farallon is continually adding to its list the number of large scale routers with which it is certified. Currently, Netopia is certified with all the major large-scale routers, but Farallon is continuing its testing to increase the interoperability with some of the less popular routers that customers may be contacting at ISP sites.

Netopia Highlights

The Netopia Internet routers connect local area networks to the Internet via ISDN, providing shared, easy-to-use, high-performance and cost-effective Internet connectivity.

"With Netopia, small businesses do not have to compromise. Netopia offers the most comprehensive solution in this price range for mixed-platform environments consisting of Windows, Novell, Macintosh and Unix networks," said Anil Uberoi, director of Netopia product marketing.

Farallon delivers the fastest and most cost-effective Internet access solution for workgroups and businesses by offering: Netopia with a built-in 128Kbps ISDN "U" interface, free Internet software, and three months of free Internet service at U.S. estimated street prices ranging from $995-$1399. Netopia Internet solution highlights include:

- Plug and play Internet routers with broadest LAN capabilities,

  including standard 10Base-T EtherWave and TCP/IP support

- Built-in ISDN NT-1 U interface

- Best optimization of ISDN with Multilink PPP (128K), up to 4:1

- Stacker LZS compression (512K), and flexible connection profiles

- Automated TCP/IP set up and administration with DHCP

  "Quick start" configuration utility

- Most versatile remote management with full SNMP support

- Extensive security including pre-defined IP firewall filters,

  callback, PAP and CHAP

- Bundled Internet Starter Kit of leading web browsers and IP stacks

- PC Card (PCMCIA) slot for remote analog dial-in support and

  configuration

- Optional Up & Running, Guaranteed! support program with Timbuktu

  Pro (two nodes)

Netopia Internet Services

Farallon's first-of-its-kind Internet support program, Up & Running, Guaranteed!, is offered as an option to all Netopia workgroup solution customers at a price of $499 and to all Netopia single-user modem customers for $99.

Through the program, organizations will be guaranteed end-to-end Internet connection services, from ordering the ISDN line, to connecting to an Internet service provider and configuring the Netopia router. Included in this option is a PC Card analog modem to allow Farallon to remotely configure and support the Netopia routers.

Another unique feature of the program is the inclusion of a two-node license of Farallon's popular Timbuktu Pro for Networks, the first integrated networked remote control and remote node solution. The program eliminates the hassles of coordinating and configuring equipment, ISDN phone lines and Internet service -- Farallon handles it all.

Farallon

Founded in 1986, Farallon Computing, Inc. is an industry-leading developer of networking products that enable Internet and Intranet users to increase their productivity. With over 30 percent of the schools in the United States networked with Farallon's products, the company is again taking a leadership position by contributing its knowledge and expertise of the Internet to students and teachers.

For more information on Farallon's new Internet access routers or the company's broad line of hardware and software networking products, contact your nearest Farallon reseller or Farallon Customer Service at telephone (510) 814-5000, fax (510) 814-5023 or Internet info@farallon.com. A list of Farallon distributors worldwide is available on the company's Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.farallon.com or from Farallon Customer Service. Farallon is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. and has European offices in Paris and London.

FOR GENERAL AND PRODUCT INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5000

 info@farallon.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION ONLY, CONTACT:

 AMAL ABED

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5307

 amal@farallon.com

 KRISTIN KNUDSEN

 Thomas Associates

 (415) 325-6236

 kristin@thomaspr.com


Farallon Education Internet Challenge Grant
Farallon, PSINet, and SurfWatch Offer $37,500 in Grants for Internet Education

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 4, 1996 -- Farallon Computing, Inc., today announced it is partnering with PSINet Inc. (Nasdaq: PSIX) and SurfWatch Software, Inc. to offer its Farallon Education Internet Challenge Grant Program, a $37,500 grant program designed to assist schools who are interested in implementing Internet education into class curriculum.

With the participation of other leading Internet companies such as PSINet and SurfWatch Software, Farallon is able to offer five grants, each valued at $7,500 worth of Internet products and services including Farallon's Netopia Internet Router and Up & Running, Guaranteed! support program, industry-leading Internet software, one year of PSINet's LAN-ISDN service, and license packs of SurfWatch, the leading Internet blocking software. The Farallon Education Internet Challenge Grant Program will provide five winning schools with the hardware, software and services needed to give them Internet access.

"Our mission is to mainstream the Internet," said Alan Lefkof, president and CEO of Farallon. "The first step is to educate our children and that's why this grant is so important."

"PSINet has been committed to bringing the Internet to educational institutions since our early days with the New York State Education and Research Network," said Bruce Ley, vice president of marketing, corporate services for PSINet. "We are pleased to participate in the Education Internet Challenge Grant, the latest in a series of special programs developed exclusively for schools and colleges."

Education Grant Offer

Farallon and its partners will offer a valuable reward to schools with innovative ideas on Internet education. The $7,500 grant each winner will receive includes:

* Farallon's Netopia Internet Router enables a school to gain high- speed Internet access over a shared high-speed ISDN (128K) line. Designed with the broadest set of on-board connections and maximum ease of use, one Netopia easily connects an entire school to the Internet.

* Farallon's Up & Running, Guaranteed support program eliminates the hassles of gaining Internet access. Farallon will set up service with the school's phone company and Internet service provider (ISP), and remotely configure the router to get the entire school network on the Internet.

* Twenty-five licenses of key Internet connectivity and exploration software including TCP/IP, Eudora Lite email, and the Netscape Navigator web browser.

* PSINet's LAN-ISDN service for one year. Schools will receive a Class C (255 addresses) Internet license and full 2 B Channel (128K) ISDN support from the world's leading Internet service provider.

* A license pack for twenty-five users of SurfWatch, a tool to restrict student access to undesirable or sexually explicit sites on the Internet. The software blocks more than 5,000 sites and the password protected on/off switch provides the ability to allow or prevent access.

Application Requirements and Selection Process

All interested teachers should submit proposals on behalf of their schools. The proposal should detail how the school plans to incorporate the Internet into the class curriculum for the 1996-97 academic year. An ongoing commitment to using the Internet for teaching and learning will be a key facet of successful proposals. Creativity of ideas, and the appropriateness of ideas to the level of students being taught, will be more important than the quantity of ideas proposed. Interested teachers should contact Farallon at (510) 814-5000 to request an application or can download it from Farallon's Fax Center at (510) 814-5040. Teachers need to submit applications to Farallon by May 15, 1996 in order to qualify for the grant, with winning applicants notified by May 31, 1996.

Farallon, PSINet and SurfWatch

SurfWatch Software, Inc., based in Los Altos, Calif., is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. Founded in January 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products that have a positive impact on peoples' lives, PSINet is an Internet- optimized network which currently has more than 305 points-of-presence (POPs) worldwide.

Internet access options range from modem dial-up and ISDN for telecommuters and small office LANs to dedicated high-speed circuits for corporate connectivity. Pipeline, a PSINet individual service, received PC Magazine's "Editor's Choice" award as the best nationwide Internet Service Provider. PSINet has defined industry standards and is a leader in technological innovation and new service development. The company has its headquarters in Herndon, Va., with sales and field service offices across the U.S., Cambridge, England, Toronto, Canada and Tokyo, Japan. Further product, availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (703) 904-4100; through PSINet's Web site at http://www.psi.net/; or by sending an e-mail request to info@psi.com.

Farallon

Founded in 1986, Farallon Computing, Inc. is an industry-leading developer of networking products that enable Internet and Intranet users to increase their productivity. With over 30 percent of the schools in the United States networked with Farallon's products, the company is again taking a leadership position by contributing its knowledge and expertise of the Internet to students and teachers.

For more information on Farallon's new Internet access routers or the company's broad line of hardware and software networking products, contact your nearest Farallon reseller or Farallon Customer Service at telephone (510) 814-5000, fax (510) 814-5023 or Internet info@farallon.com. A list of Farallon distributors worldwide is available on the company's Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.farallon.com or from Farallon Customer Service. Farallon is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. and has European offices in Paris and London.

FOR GENERAL AND PRODUCT INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5000

 info@farallon.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION ONLY, CONTACT:

 AMAL ABED

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5307

 amal@farallon.com

 KRISTIN KNUDSEN

 Thomas Associates

 (415) 325-6236

 kristin@thomaspr.com


FORE Announces Advanced ATM Capabilities
AT THE FOREFRONT OF ATM NETWORKING FORE SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION FOR EASY INTEGRATION OF LEGACY AND LARGE SCALE ATM NETWORKS

FORETHOUGHT PROVIDES FIRST PRODUCTION-CLASS VIRTUAL LANS, STANDARDS-COMPLIANT LAN EMULATION, AND FIRST HIERARCHICAL PNNI CAPABILITIES

ROLLS OUT FORETHOUGHT INTERNETWORKING SOFTWARE 4.0, FOREVIEW NETWORK MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE 4.0 WITH VLAN MANAGER AND ATM MODULES FOR POWERHUB 7000 AND ES-3810

Pittsburgh, PA - April 1, 1996 - FORE Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORE), a worldwide leader in networking products based on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology, today announced a full range of new advanced capabilities providing a comprehensive solution for building large scale ATM networks and seamlessly integrating legacy LANs without altering the applications. Centered around new releases of its ForeThought Internetworking Software, ForeView Network Management Software, and ATM modules for the PowerHub 7000 and ES-3810, FORE's solution provides customers with ease of management, the ability to run existing applications over ATM, a smooth migration to large scale ATM networks, and continuous investment protection.

Key elements of the solution include ForeThought Internetworking Software 4.0 available across all FORE Systems products and those of its ForeThought Partners, ATM Forum LAN Emulation 1.0, production-class Virtual LANs, robust network management capabilities, and a hierarchical PNNI implementation.

John McConnell, president of McConnell Consulting, Inc. said, "I've been telling customers that the key criteria for finding an integrated product set is common silicon and software. FORE has met these criteria, and by making ForeThought available to many other vendors, has simplified multivendor networking. Hierarchical PNNI and independent routing operations in their switches adds further value."

PRODUCTION-CLASS VIRTUAL LANS BASED ON STANDARDS-COMPLIANT LAN EMULATION

Through its support for ATM Forum standards-compliant LAN Emulation 1.0 (LANE), ForeThought 4.0 allows network managers to smoothly migrate to ATM while preserving their investment in the existing infrastructure and applications. LANE enables existing applications to run over ATM networks without any modification and makes possible the transparent interconnection of legacy devices with ATM networks, regardless of the protocol.

LANE also provides one method of implementing Virtual LANs (VLANs). A VLAN is a collection of logically related users or applications linked to one another without the physical constraints of traditional LAN implementations. VLANs provide greater network flexibility, limit network broadcasts, ease administration, and remove expansion roadblocks.

FORE was one of the first vendors to implement LAN Emulation capabilities. FORE's first LANE implementation was first shipped in fall 1994, and it has long been operating in mission critical networks. Based on the experience gained from this leadership position, FORE has added features above and beyond the standards to its LANE 1.0 implementation which allow organizations to build production-class VLANs.

"FORE's philosophy has always been to provide solutions. This means the network must bring economic or strategic business benefits to the customer," said Joe Skorupa, FORE's director of marketing for ATM switches and internetworking." To do this, it is important to comply to standards for the sake of interoperability, but that is not enough. The products must provide the additional functionality necessary to build large, robust networks capable of running real-world applications. This is where FORE's greater experience base puts it ahead of the competition.

The Industry's First Redundant, Distributed LANE Services: LANE services provide the mechanism that make an ATM network appear to "emulate" a LAN. These services include the LAN Emulation Server (LES), the Broadcast and Unknown Server (BUS), and the LAN Emulation Configuration Server (LECS).

FORE's LANE services run resident on any switch platform, internal to the network, distributing the load. Most vendors implement services on an external workstation which increases the risk of failure.

Additionally, FORE is the first vendor to implement redundant LANE services including redundant, distributed LES and BUS, and an automatic LEC failover function. This eliminates the single point of failure present in other implementations. Should a LES/BUS fail, each LEC connected to that server will automatically establish a link to an alternate LES/BUS.

An Intelligent BUS to Enhance Performance: To minimize broadcast traffic generated by the BUS, FORE has implemented an Intelligent BUS (IBUS). The IBUS couples a LES/BUS pair, optimizing the handling of unknown frames by allowing the BUS to probe the LES cache for a specific MAC address. The result, quite simply, is improved end-to-end network performance.

A UNIFIED MANAGEMENT PLATFORM FOR EASE OF ADMINISTRATION

FORE Systems is also releasing a new version of its ForeView Network Management Software with additional features to take advantage of ForeThought's new VLAN capabilities. Foremost among these features is the VLAN Manager. The VLAN Manager enables network managers to easily configure VLANs and reconfigure them to reflect changing network requirements. Using the VLAN Manager, users can perform 'drag-and-drop' operations to graphically specify emulated LANs and the membership of LAN Emulation Clients (LECs) within those VLANs.

ForeView Network Management Software provides a suite of applications for managing all FORE Systems products, and integrates with a variety of standard network management platforms including HP OpenView, SunNet Manager, and Cabletron Spectrum. ForeView is also available in stand-alone versions for SunOS, Solaris, HP-UX, SGI/Irix, and Windows NT.

ATM MODULES FOR LAN SWITCHES INTEGRATE LEGACY NETWORKS

In conjunction with this announcement, FORE is rolling out the ATM modules for the PowerHub 7000 multi-layer backbone LAN switch and the ES-3810 Ethernet workgroup switch. These switches enhance the performance of legacy networks and use the internetworking capabilities of ForeThought to connect to ATM backbones.

The PowerHub 7000 multi-layer backbone LAN switch is the industry's only expandable multi-layer, multiprotocol backbone switch capable of supporting Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, FDDI, and ATM. With support for full-featured 802.1d bridging, multiprotocol routing, multilayer VLANs, and now, ForeThought 4.0, the PowerHub 7000 is the most robust, scaleable backbone switch available today. The ATM module, the PowerCell 700, provides one 155 Mbps OC-3c connections to seamlessly integrate heterogeneous, switched, multiprotocol LANs into the ATM backbone.

For Ethernet workgroups, FORE's ES-3810 delivers excellent price/performance and dedicated 10 Mbps switching to the desktop, as well as Fast Ethernet and ATM uplinks. The ES-3810 supports up to 72 ports at 10 Mbps each, sustained performance of 90,000 packets per second, very low latency, and RMON support on each port. With ForeThought 4.0 and the new 155 Mbps OC-3c ATM module, the ES-3810 provides the VLAN and LAN Emulation capabilities needed to transparently tie Ethernet workgroups to the ATM backbone.

FORETHOUGHT PNNI SUPPORTS UNPRECEDENTED ATM NETWORK SCALEABILITY

ForeThought 4.0 is the only ATM software featuring a hierarchical Private Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI) implementation, enabling the implementation of ATM networks 10 times larger than would otherwise be possible. The PNNI defines the way in which ATM switches communicate with one another. Other vendors' promised PNNI implementations support only a one-level PNNI, limiting scaleability. However, FORE's hierarchical implementation allows the network to be split into smaller sub-networks, or " peer groups." Topology updates are then limited to within a peer group. Using ForeThought PNNI, a network of more than 2,500 ATM switches can be constructed.

Upon finalization and approval of the ATM Forum's PNNI specification, FORE will implement a standards-compliant PNNI. The current implementation of ForeThought PNNI is designed to interoperate with standards- based implementations while providing the added value functionality customers require. Both the ATM Forum PNNI and ForeThought PNNI will be able to run simultaneously in the same network for maximum functionality and flexibility.

"FORE has already built ATM networks involving more than 300 switches," said Joe Skorupa, " Our customers demanded hierarchical PNNI capabilities today, guaranteed interoperability with ATM Forum PNNI, and a software-only upgrade to the standard. That's what we are delivering."

COMPREHENSIVE PLATFORM SUPPORT FOR MULTIVENDOR END-TO-END ATM NETWORKS

FORE is implementing ForeThought 4.0 across its entire product line including ForeRunner ATM switches and adapters, PowerHub LAN switches for ATM connectivity and access products, and CellPathTM WAN multiplexers for ATM connectivity. Furthermore, products from the more than 35 ForeThought Partners who have licensed ForeThought Internetworking Software are also supported. Taken collectively, FORE and its partners provide a complete solution for building multivendor ATM networks with seamlessly integrated legacy networks.

"FORE is once again leveraging its leadership in the market," said Skorupa. " Having provided ATM solutions to more customers worldwide than any other vendor, FORE has the experience and expertise to successfully implement production ATM networks that integrate existing LANs, and to do so now. Additionally, with its ForeRunner, PowerHub and CellPath product families, and the products of its ForeThought Partners, FORE has the breadth of solutions needed to support a smooth migration to ATM."

AVAILABILITY AND PRICE

ForeThought 4.0 is available now. (International prices may be obtained by reaching any of the contacts listed at the beginning of the release or by contacting FORE's regional sales and support offices and channel partners around the world.)

The PowerCell 700 ATM module for the PowerHub 7000 will be available by the end of April. The ATM module for the ES-3810 is available now. (International prices may be obtained by reaching any of the contacts listed at the beginning of the release or by contacting FORE's regional sales and support offices and channel partners around the world.)


New ForeView Network Mgmt Swr Features
AT THE FOREFRONT OF ATM NETWORKING FORE SYSTEMS INTRODUCES NEW NETWORK MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES INCLUDING GRAPHICAL VIRTUAL LAN MANAGER ANNOUNCING FOREVIEW NETWORK MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE 4.0

Pittsburgh, PA - April 1, 1996 - FORE Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORE), a worldwide leader in networking products based on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology, today announced a variety of new features and capabilities supported by a new release of ForeView Network Management Software. Integrated under the most popular network management platforms and in stand-alone versions, ForeView is an industry-leading suite of network management applications providing the richest feature set for managing multi-vendor ATM networks. Working in conjunction with partners including Sprint, Northern Telecom (Nortel), and Cabletron, FORE provides a comprehensive solution for ATM network management from the desktop to the backbone and across the WAN.

Among the most innovative and valuable new features for ForeView 4.0 is a graphical user interface (GUI) for the configuration and management of virtual LANs (VLANs).

VLAN MANAGER FOR SIMPLE VLAN CONFIGURATION

The VLAN Manager enables network managers to easily configure VLANs and reconfigure them to reflect changing network requirements. Using the VLAN Manager, users can perform 'drag-and-drop' operations to graphically specify emulated LANs and the membership of LAN Emulation Clients (LECs) within those VLANs. The VLAN Manager works in conjunction with the ATM Forum compliant implementation of LAN Emulation 1.0 (LANE) provided by ForeThoughtTM Internetworking Software.

"ForeView has always led the pack for providing complete, valuable, and easy-to-use tool sets for ATM network management," said David Colodny, FORE's product manager for ForeView Network Management Software. "The VLAN Manager is a perfect example of an implementation that offers rich functionality while providing intuitive operation."

The VLAN Manager will be enhanced to include the entire LAN switching product line, providing comprehensive management of both packet-based and cell-based VLANs from a single application.

CHANNEL TRACER FOR SIMPLIFIED ROUTE TRACKING AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Previous versions of ForeView provided point-and-click channel tracing capabilities for virtual circuits. With ForeView 4.0, network managers can now trace virtual paths as well. ForeView's Channel Tracer may be used for tasks such as finding the route a particular connection takes through the network, or gathering statistical data on cell throughput, drops and rejections at each hop across the ATM network, and greatly aids in determining which hosts on the network are consuming the most bandwidth. These capabilities greatly simplify, quicken, and increase the accuracy of trouble shooting.

COMPLETE FEATURE SET FOR ATM NETWORK MANAGEMENT

ForeView provides the most comprehensive set of features and capabilities to ease the implementation and maintenance of ATM networks. Some of the most valuable functions available include:

ATM FORUM UNI 3.0 AUTOMATIC DISCOVERY AND MAPPING FEATURES: - ForeView automatically discovers and maps any device that supports UNI 3.0. It provides complete, multilevel views of the ATM network. Through a hierarchy of topology maps, network managers can monitor and control the entire ATM network.

CONFIGURATION AND MONITORING FUNCTIONS: - ForeView provides network managers with the capability to configure ForeRunnerR switches with easy-to-use menus and a graphical display of the switch on a workstation or Windows NT PC. ForeView provides remote IP configuration of any ForeRunner switch or LAN access device, as well as the ability to monitor adapters, from a single point.

VIRTUAL PATH/CHANNEL TOOL:- This tool provides users with a simple, graphical means of creating Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVCs), Smart PVCs (SPVCs), and Permanent Virtual Paths (PVPs).

FOREVIEW INVENTORY APPLICATION:- This feature allows network managers to create accurate reports of the number and status of all recognized ATM-attached hardware. The inventory tool provides type of device, current network addresses, software and hardware revisions, serial numbers, and node names. Additionally, the inventory application capabilities lay the foundation for future automated software upgrades.

FOREVIEW GRAPHING AND LOGGING TOOL:- Another useful tool for determining bandwidth requirements or troubleshooting network problems is the ForeView Graphing and Logging Tool. ForeView enables users to graph and log a variety of statistics including transmit and receive cell count to a comma delimited ASCII file. This information can be exported to any popular relational database (RDBMS) or application such as a spreadsheet or modeling tool for additional processing, statistical analysis, and report generation.

SCRIPTING UTILITY:- This utility enables users to create customized scripts to automate frequently performed tasks.

FULL ON-LINE HELP:- Although ForeView is straightforward and easy to use, the complete manual, including over 100 color screen captures from actual networks, can be found in the on-line ForeView Reference Manual.

BROAD PLATFORM SUPPORT AND STAND-ALONE VERSIONS

ForeView integrates with a variety of standard network management platforms including HP OpenView on SunOS, HP-UX, and Solaris, SunNet Manager on SunOS and Solaris, and Cabletron Spectrum. ForeView is also available in stand-alone versions for SunOS, Solaris, HP-UX, SGI/Irix, and Windows NT.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICE

ForeView 4.0 Network Management Software is available today. (International prices may be obtained by reaching any of the contacts listed at the beginning of the release or by contacting FORE's regional sales and support offices and channel partners around the world.)


Gandalf Launches Strategic Direction
GANDALF LAUNCHES STRATEGIC DIRECTION THROUGH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Gandalf Increases Breadth of Products and Total Turnkey Service Solutions for Teleworkers and Internet Users

NEPEAN, ONT. -- MARCH 27, 1996, Gandalf Technologies Inc., a leading supplier of remote access networking products, today announced its statement of direction towards establishing market leadership in the teleworking and Internet service provider marketplaces. This strategic direction is being launched with the unveiling of new services, products and technology enhancements that address the specific needs of teleworkers and mobile users who require complete end-to-end solutions for accessing corporate resources and the Internet. Gandalf now provides customers with the most comprehensive range of remote access and concentration options available on the market today, giving them the flexibility to choose the exact level of performance, functionality, features and price that makes sense for their individual applications. The new additions include the following:

* REMOTECONNECT -- Gandalf's RemoteConnect service, a total turnkey solution that makes it easy for companies and individuals to implement teleworking by providing one stop shopping for all product and service requirements;

* TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS -- support for a suite of new technology that create a more powerful, higher density Xpressway central site concentrator and includes support for high density V.34, Bandwidth Allocation Control Protocol (BACP), improved security and a statement of direction to support the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP);

* ENCRYPTION -- the industry's first software encryption technology that ensures the private transmission of data over remote links without sacrificing performance;

* EXPANDED PRODUCT FAMILY -- an expanded XpressConnect family of remote access devices that provide increased choice for companies by including analog modems, ISDN and an integrated hub/router.

"Consistent with our strategy to establish market leadership and to focus on emerging markets, we are unveiling a turnkey services solution, leading technologies and an expanded product family to provide our customers with complete end-to-end remote access solutions that allow them to select the solution they desire at a price that is sensible for their business," said Tom Vassiliades, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Gandalf. "Today's announcements are a manifestation of the fundamental changes we made eighteen months ago, to be a market-driven company and meet our customers' requirements through Gandalf's Customer Value Architecture."

TOTAL TURNKEY SOLUTION - REMOTECONNECT

Companies who wish to outsource the complexity of implementing teleworking programs can choose Gandalf's RemoteConnect turnkey services solution. RemoteConnect is an enhancement to Gandalf's premier customer support which takes the complexity out of getting teleworking programs up and running. With RemoteConnect, every aspect of teleworking implementation is handled by Gandalf. RemoteConnect provides a single point of responsibility for customers and includes such services as line order management and provisioning, pre-delivery product set-up, installation and on-going support services for Gandalf and OEM products.

"Our customers have been asking Gandalf for assistance in getting connected with ISDN access. With RemoteConnect, we take the hassle out of getting up and running on ISDN," said Richard Busto, vice president strategy, business development and network services. "With our years of experience combined with our ability to blanket North America with on-site resources, we are able to offer Gandalf customers the industry's only true complete turnkey ISDN installation service."

TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS - XPRESSWAY AND XPRESSCONNECT

V.34 SUPPORT

Gandalf's Xpressway now allows information systems managers and Internet service providers to support and manage up to 120 simultaneous modem connections through its new Modem Resource Module (MRM). This module allows companies to support both their mobile users who use analog dial-up as well as their teleworkers who prefer the high performance of ISDN through a single connection on the Xpressway. In addition to increased flexibility, this integrated solution provides companies with reduced operational costs, a reduction in floor space, less cabling and simplified management through a single console. Now the IS manager need only access XpressView, a single MicrosoftR Windows-based console which comes standard with the Xpressway, to monitor and manage not only modems but also the total remote access environment. Gandalf's Xpressway central site concentrator is now capable of supporting a wider range of connectivity choices including ISDN, analog, T1/E1, frame relay, leased line and local LAN.

FRAME RELAY

Today Gandalf introduces a new high performance frame relay remote access solution -- Xpressway XBR 7202 router. The key differentiating advantage of the XBR 7202 router module is its support of Gandalf's industry-leading 8:1 data compression, which significantly increases throughput on the frame relay network and dramatically reduces both the usage and access costs associated with frame relay connections. Xpressway's XBR 7202 provides centralized frame relay routing for companies who want cost-effective, long distance data transmission for their remote access users. With the introduction of the XBR 7202, the Gandalf Xpressway central site concentrator supports ISDN, PSTN, leased line, switched 56/64, T1/E1 and now frame relay.

DUAL PORT PRI

Gandalf is providing its customers with higher port density through the addition of a dual port Primary Rate Interface (PRI) module in its Xpressway. This enhancement makes it more cost-effective for corporations, Internet service providers and telephone companies to implement ISDN by reducing the cost per port significantly. With the dual port PRI, the Xpressway can now support up to ten PRI connections and 230 North American (310 European) B channels.

BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION CONTROL PROTOCOL (BACP)

Gandalf has been very involved with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in the development of the Bandwidth Allocation Control Protocol standard and has implemented workable solutions which ensure ISDN users have the full bandwidth available on demand. BACP is critical for Internet service providers, telephone companies and large corporations who need to optimize their use of ISDN lines and who require an unlimited concentration of ISDN lines.

POINT-TO-POINT TUNNELING PROTOCOL (PPTP)

Gandalf is announcing its intent to support Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). This technology allows companies to set up Virtual Private Networks (VPN) over the Internet, eliminating the need for a long distance connection between remote locations. By integrating this into the product families, Gandalf enables customers to take advantage of the Internet's cost-effective networks.

SECURITY

Companies are concerned with the security of their data being transmitted remotely. To address this requirement, Gandalf has now expanded the choice of security options by implementing Digital Pathways, TACACS and Radius user authentication in addition to the current implementation of SecurID. Gandalf now offers a clear migration path as companies' requirements change by offering a full range of security options through link security, encryption and user authentication.

ENCRYPTION

Business applications are driving the need for data privacy over remote links and companies are looking for cost-effective ways of securing their information. Encryption technology ensures that data transferred over remote links is private. As a technology leader, Gandalf is the first in the industry to deliver encryption without any performance degradation by integrating the new technology right into the data compression. Being a software algorithm, Gandalf's implementation of encryption eliminates the need for costly encryption hardware. This cost-effective, high-speed encryption is available with all of Gandalf's Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) compatible remote access products.

"One of the big concerns companies have today is keeping their corporate information secure, especially now that employees are accessing and sending more information via public data services," said Paul Phillips, manager of telecommunications engineering for Argonne National Laboratory. "Encryption is an essential element in any company's overall security plan and Gandalf's unique implementation of encryption, where it's combined with Gandalf's data compression, ensures one more layer of security without increased hardware costs or performance trade- offs."

"Over the years, teleworking has progressed from requiring a basic connection to the corporate network to requiring a seamless, high performance remote LAN connection.  Gandalf has provided companies with industry-leading teleworking solutions every step of the way," said Michael Chawner, vice president of product development and chief technology officer. "In anticipation of the emerging trend of secure, private connectivity, Gandalf has once again led the market by delivering innovative encryption that provides remote access users with cost-effective, private data transmission without any sacrifice to performance."

EXPANDED PRODUCT FAMILY

Today's announcement expands Gandalf's XpressConnect family of customer premise equipment, currently led by the award winning XpressConnect 5242i, offering an exciting migration path for today's changing remote access applications. By expanding the XpressConnect family to include analog modems, digital modems and an integrated hub/router, Gandalf can now provide end-to-end remote access solutions that meet a corporation's entire remote access needs for their mobile users, teleworkers and remote LANs. These products demonstrate Gandalf's commitment to satisfying our customers' requirements and delivering innovative technology and services.

XPRESSCONNECT 5100 FAMILY OF ANALOG AND DIGITAL MODEMS

Gandalf is introducing a complete range of analog and digital modems to offer choice for end users who need access to corporate information and public services. The XpressConnect 5100 family is fully compatible with the Xpress family of central site concentrators. Gandalf's XpressConnect 5100 family includes the following:

 XPRESSCONNECT 5124 -- a stand-alone V.34 compatible modem for those

 who prefer the flexibility of a non-integrated unit,

 XPRESSCONNECT 5128 -- a V.34 compatible PC Card (formerly known

 as PCMCIA) for mobile users,

 XPRESSCONNECT 5130I -- an ISA/EISA Card for the teleworker who

 requires a cost-effective way to get the high performance of ISDN.

XPRESSCONNECT 5230 FAMILY OF COST-EFFECTIVE ISDN REMOTE ACCESS DEVICES

Gandalf's 5230 family of products address the needs of corporations and service providers who need to provide their end users with a stand-alone, cost-effective ISDN access to the Internet and corporate resources.

XPRESSCONNECT 5232I -- a single user, high performance ISDN bridge/router with a variety of upgradeable feature options. The 5232i is ideal for users who want high-speed access to the Internet or corporate data, the performance of ISDN and the ability to connect a number of devices in their home office. In addition, the 5232i is upgradeable with features such as voice, compression and encryption, allowing a part-time teleworker to start with a solution that meets their needs today and scale up as their teleworking requirements increase in the future.

XPRESSCONNECT 5238I -- an integrated eight port 10BaseT Hub with a Gandalf ISDN router which dramatically simplifies a small or home office's network while providing the LAN connectivity for its internal network and the ISDN performance for access to public services and corporate resources.

"To launch our new products and services we will be demonstrating many of these new capabilities at the NetWorld+Interop trade show taking place in Las Vegas from April 2-4," said Joceline Lemieux, vice president of worldwide marketing. "Gandalf has committed an aggressive marketing plan to support our strategy and is dedicated to providing merchandising, pre-sales and training support to all our customers, resellers and partners."

BACKGROUND

Gandalf's vision is to provide people with access to information through technology. Gandalf provides leading solutions in network infrastructure by connecting remote locations to central resources and designing and supplying high speed backbones for data, video and voice transmission. These offerings provide customers significant strategic advantage in today's competitive world.

Gandalf markets its range of communications solutions in 75 countries through subsidiaries and distributors, including Gandalf Canada Ltd., Gandalf Systems Corporation in the U.S., Gandalf Digital Communications Ltd. in the U.K., Gandalf Netherlands, B.V., Gandalf S.A. in France, and Gandalf International Ltd.

Common shares of Gandalf Technologies are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (GAN) in Canada and on Nasdaq (GANDF) in the United States.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Richard Busto

Vice President

Strategy, Business Development and Network Services

Gandalf Technologies Inc.

(613) 274-6595

richard.busto@gandalf.ca

Alys Reynders/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

(617) 536-0470

areynders@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

Wendy Burgess

Investor Relations

Gandalf Technologies Inc.

(613) 274-6550

wendy.burgess@gandalf.ca


Gandalf ISDN Remote Access Win Top Honors
GANDALF'S ISDN REMOTE ACCESS SOLUTIONS WIN TOP HONORS FROM PC MAGAZINE

Publication Names XpressStack, XpressConnect Solutions As "Editor's Choice"

NEPEAN, ONT. -- MARCH 26, 1996 -- Gandalf Technologies Inc., a leading provider of remote access solutions and a pioneer in ISDN technology, won top honors in PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award (vol.15, no. 7). Gandalf's XpressStack BRI remote-access server and XpressConnect 5242i were named the best products of their kind for ISDN remote access.

These awards demonstrate Gandalf's commitment to provide its customers with products that offer the highest throughput in the industry, simplicity of installation and unrivaled flexibility and performance.

PC Magazine, a leading monthly publication that covers personal computing technology, was impressed by Gandalf's remote access solutions because they're easy to use, they scored highest in the performance testing and they offer many convenient product features. The XpressStack and XpressConnect combination beat out all competition in the magazine's File Throughput Test, performing 50 percent faster than any other solution tested.

XpressStack BRI was recognized by editors for the product's flexibility, ease-of-use and dynamic bandwidth allocation capabilities. Gandalf's XpressConnect 5242i was applauded for its ease-of-installation and configuration, high quality voice support and speed.

"Gandalf has always maintained a strong commitment and investment in innovative remote access solutions that exceed the specific requirements of our customers," said Michael Chawner, vice president product development and chief technology officer for Gandalf. "This most recent recognition from PC Magazine is further evidence that we are definitely succeeding in our strategic focus on market leadership."

Gandalf's XpressConnect 5242i is a high performance internetworking device with integrated ISDN support, Gandalf's patented data compression algorithm and optional POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) interface for connecting a phone, fax or answering machine. As part of Gandalf's overall XpressConnect remote access offerings, the 5242i is targeted at the teleworker or small remote office where transparent LAN access to centralized resources is required.

Gandalf's XpressStack BRI provides a stackable, high-performance access and concentration solution for teleworkers and remote offices over ISDN Basic Rate and Primary Rate interfaces. Users of the XpressStack BRI include service providers and employees of the branch office, regional office and head office.

PC Magazine will be presenting these two awards to Gandalf at their booth (# 644, North Hall) at NetWorld+Interop in Las Vegas on April 2, 1996.

Gandalf's vision is to provide people with access to information through technology. Gandalf provides leading solutions in network infrastructure by connecting remote locations to central resources and designing and supplying high speed backbones for data, video and voice transmission. These offerings provide customers significant strategic advantage in today's competitive world.

Gandalf markets its range of communications solutions in 75 countries through subsidiaries and distributors, including Gandalf Canada Ltd., Gandalf Systems Corporation in the U.S., Gandalf Digital Communications Ltd. in the U.K., Gandalf Netherlands, B.V., Gandalf S.A. in France, and Gandalf International Ltd. Common shares of Gandalf Technologies are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (GAN) in Canada and on NASDAQ (GANDF) in the United States.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Ingrid Tremblay

Public Relations

Gandalf Technologies Inc

(613) 274-6535

ingrid.tremblay@gandalf.ca

Alys Reynders/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

(617) 536-0470

areynders@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

Wendy Burgess

Investor Relations

Gandalf Technologies Inc

(613) 274-6550

wendy.burgess@gandalf.ca


Hayes ACCURA/Smartcom Bundle
HAYES SHIPS OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

ACCURA/Smartcom Bundle Delivers Powerful Voicemail, Fax Management and Data Communications Solution for Small Office/Home Office

Atlanta, GA, 29 March 1996 -- Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of Hayes Office Communications Manager, a Hayes ACCURA 288 Internal Fax Modem with Voice bundled with a full retail version of Hayes Smartcom Message Center voice/data/fax communications software at a value suggested street price of US$199.

Hayes Office Communications Manager enables small office/home office users to set up a full voicemail and fax system in minutes. Users can easily establish and manage an office voicemail system using Smartcom Message Center's Visual Scripting. Visual objects representing all the major voicemail and fax functions are provided so that any user can map out a voicemail system by selecting and organizing these objects.

Users can get more out of their voice/data/fax modems using Smartcom Message Center features such as support for voice record and playback, messaging, fax-on-demand, fax broadcast, and paging functions. Communications can be completely customized using Smartcom Message Center. The program has a wide range of applications and automated features for home, mobile and corporate branch office users such as call management, voice mail, visual scripting, caller I.D., and paging. Smartcom Message Center is also great for sending and retrieving e-mail or data files, broadcasting faxes to multiple locations, and establishing and managing an office voice mail system.

In addition to a full retail version of Smartcom Message Center communications software, Office Communications Manager includes full versions of Quarterdeck's InternetSuite 2 and WebTalk, CYBERsitter, a free LabTec microphone, and Hayes Bonus Bundle which includes online software and free temporary access from major online services.

"With Hayes Office Communications Manager, you're getting $200 of software in the box. That's like getting the modem for free," said Dennis C. Hayes, CEO, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. "The winning combination of a high-speed Hayes modem with the full version of Smartcom Message Center in one box offers any business or home a low-cost voicemail and fax management solution that rivals the high-cost, dedicated systems in use in large corporations."

InternetSuite 2 is a complete suite of utilities for navigating the Internet through a simple point-and-click interface. It comes with Quarterdeck Mosaic for browsing the Web, Quarterdeck Message Center, a news and mail reader, QFTP for file transfers, QTERM for remote login, and Global Chat, an Internet Relay chat client multi-user text chat. It also delivers advanced multi-media access to the Internet with built- in Adobe Acrobat, Real Audio and QuickTime Movie utilities. WebTalk is a full duplex, real-time voice chat utility, allowing two Internet users to talk to each other over the Internet and save on long distance telephone charges.

The ACCURA 288 Fax Modem with Voice is an internal plug-n-play modem featuring full voice functionality, including full duplex speaker phone, VoiceView, digital voice messaging, and automatic paging.

Product Feature   Benefit

---------------   ---------------------------------------------

Full Duplex       Superior, low-cost hands-free speakerphone

Speakerphone      operation.

VoiceView         Allows easy switching between data and voice

                  during the same call.

Digital Voice     High-quality voice mail system for a

Mail              professional business image.

Remote Message    Provides quick response to callers with 24-

Management        hour remote access to messages.

Automatic Paging  Provides priority response to special callers

                  even when you're on the road by reserving

                  special mailboxes that automatically send a

                  page to the user for urgent response.

Distinctive Ring  Directs calls to voice, fax or data modem.

Data/Fax/Voice    Modem automatically and transparently

Discrimination    recognizes and handles data, fax and voice on

                  one phone line.

Caller I.D.       Provides in-bound caller identification

                  without a costly display phone.

Mailbox Security  Provides security to mailbox message content.

FAX               A full range of fax-on-demand, fax back, fax

                  broadcasting and fax scheduling capabilities.

Microphone        Gain true speakerphone functionality with the

Input/Speaker     included microphone or use quality sound card

Output            speakers for optimum fidelity sound in message

                  retrieval.

Mailbox Password  Mailboxes can be optionally set up to provide

Security          security for private messages.

Caller            Allows callers to switch to the mailbox of

Interaction with  choice for message routing using a touchtone

DTMF              phone for flexible management of messages.

Plug-n-Play       Simplifies internal modem installation and

                  configuration of Windows 95 operating system.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Also included in the Total Gaming Solution is CYBERsitter, a Microsoft Windows program that will give the user the capability to block access to common types of graphics files, as well as specific files and programs. CYBERsitter is great for parents who have children who have access to and regularly use the home computer.

Shop, travel and bank in a whole new way with VoiceView TalkShop, an exciting application from Radish Communications Systems that's included in Office Communications Manager. VoiceView TalkShop lets users connect directly to companies including American Airlines, Blockbuster Music, Delta Air Lines, Virtual Wall Street, Wells Fargo Bank and 1-800- Flowers. Users can pick up the phone and talk directly to a customer service representative while they send and receive information and graphic images over a single, secure phone line -- or, send files and play games with other VoiceView TalkShop users.

Best known as the inventor of the PC modem, Hayes is recognized around the globe as a leader in technical innovations, computer communications standards, functional and feature-rich products, and superior support and service.  Founded in 1977, Hayes develops, manufactures, and markets value-based computer communications solutions for software, business, network, and consumer market segments. The company maintains an extensive global network of authorized distributors, dealers, mass merchants, VARs, system integrators and original equipment manufacturers. Hayes customers include Fortune 1000 corporations, mid-size companies and corporate branch offices, small and home office businesses, on-line and telecommunications network providers, and millions of individual PC users around the globe.

FOR QUESTIONS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE CONTACT:

Hayes Customer Support

Phone: 770/441-1617

Hayes World Wide Web Site: http://www.hayes.com

Hayes Online BBS: 770/446-6336

telnet://bbs.hayes.com

Internet email: support@os.hayes.com

FOR MEDIA RELATED INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Angela Hooper

Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

Phone:  770/840-9200 ext. 6030

Facsimile: 770/441-1213

Internet Address: ahooper@hayes.com


Hayes Proceeding to Fund Reorganization Plan
HAYES PROCEEDING TO FUND ITS REORGANIZATION PLAN

NORTHERN TELECOM TERMINATES MERGER AGREEMENT

ATLANTA, GA -- 1 April 1996 -- Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. announced today that it is proceeding to implement its confirmed Plan of Reorganization even though Northern Telecom Inc. ("Nortel") has terminated the Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger Agreement") by and between Hayes, Nortel, ACMA Limited, and Dennis C. Hayes, dated 24 November 1995. ACMA has indicated that it is still motivated to proceed with an investment in Hayes and is evaluating the situation.

"We are deeply disappointed that Nortel elected to terminate the Merger Agreement on the night before our expected closing," said Dennis C. Hayes, Chairman & CEO of Hayes. "Despite numerous and repeated attempts to convince Nortel throughout the weekend to reconsider and consummate the Merger Agreement, Nortel has declined to reconsider its decision."

After receiving written notice of termination from Nortel, dated 29 March 1996, Hayes, in an effort to secure the balance of the funding necessary to completely fund its Plan of Reorganization, immediately engaged in discussions with six separate potential investors, the majority of whom have previously conducted due diligence and all of whom sought to invest in Hayes before Hayes elected to negotiate definitive agreements with Nortel and ACMA in October 1995. Based on initial consultations with these new prospective investors, Hayes expects to secure either equity and/or debt facilities sufficient to fully fund its Plan of Reorganization. By order of Judge Hugh Robinson of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the Hayes Plan, which allows for flexible funding structures comprised of various combinations of equity and debt, was confirmed on 8 March 1996. Hayes Plan calls for payment of creditors' claims in full plus interest.

Dennis Hayes said, "The employees of Hayes have overcome too many obstacles and come too far during our Reorganization not to overcome this latest challenge. We have turned our company around, fixed our operations, paid down our secured debt to a zero balance, released four new products in the last three weeks, and just ended the best quarter in the history of the company. We will do everything in our power to complete our recapitalization by the 22nd of April and pay our creditors in full as required in our confirmation order from the court."

Best known as the inventor of the PC modem, Hayes is recognized around the globe as a leader in technical innovations, computer communications standards, functional and feature-rich products, and superior support and service. Founded in 1977, Hayes develops, manufactures, and markets value-based computer communications solutions for software, business, network and consumer market segments. The company maintains an extensive global network of authorized distributors, dealers, mass merchants, VARs, system integrators and original equipment manufacturers. Hayes customers include Fortune 1000 corporations, mid-size companies and corporate branch offices, small and home office businesses, on-line and telecommunications network providers, and millions of individual PC users around the globe.

FOR QUESTIONS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE CONTACT:

Hayes Customer Support

Phone: 770/441-1617

Hayes World Wide Web Site: http://www.hayes.com

Hayes Online BBS: 770/446-6336

telnet://bbs.hayes.com

Internet email: support@os.hayes.com

FOR MEDIA RELATED INFORMATION:

Andrew W. Dod, Director of Corporate Communications

Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

5835 Peachtree Corners East

Norcross, GA 30092

Phone: 770/840-9200 x6365

Facsimile: 770/441-1238

E-Mail: adod@hayes.com


HP ORB Plus 2.0 C++ Object Request Broker
HP Introduces HP ORB Plus 2.0, New-Generation C++ Object Request Broker

HP ORB Plus 2.0 is Key Element of HP's Middleware Engineering Initiative

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 2, 1996 -- Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced HP ORB Plus 2.0 -- a new-generation C++ object request broker (ORB) for HP-UX(1), SunSoft Solaris and Microsoft NT platforms that complies with CORBA 2.0 specifications.

HP ORB Plus 2.0, a key element of HP's Middleware Engineering Initiative, enables distributed applications to be designed, developed and managed with greater ease and speed using object-oriented technology. It enables enterprisewide or embedded applications on diverse platforms to interoperate easily, provides extremely fast response-times and is highly scaleable.

"HP ORB Plus 2.0 is part of our growing suite of object-technology products and professional services that enable developers to create flexible object-oriented and component-based applications," said Cyndi Nickel, product manager for HP ORB Plus 2.0.

Highly Scaleable

HP ORB Plus 2.0 provides a framework approach that allows developers to select only the components and CORBAservices (events, naming and lifecycle) they need. It is an efficient, small-footprint implementation of the CORBA 2.0 specification. This gives developers the flexibility to create applications of various sizes, including small embedded applications and large-scale enterprisewide applications.

Although HP ORB Plus 2.0 is based on the C++ programming language, it has been designed so that other programming languages, such as Java, can be supported for additional scaleability.

Flexible Transports

HP ORB Plus 2.0 features the CORBA 2.0 IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol), which allows interoperability with other CORBA 2.0-compliant ORBs. Using the IIOP protocol, HP ORB Plus 2.0 will interoperate with Distributed Smalltalk software, now available from ParcPlace-Digitalk.

Developers in the HP-UX environment have at their disposal the additional capability of the DCE CIOP (Distributed Computing Environment Common Inter-ORB Protocol), which can be used as an alternative to the CORBA 2.0 IIOP. A special transport abstraction layer, part of the HP ORB Plus 2.0 architecture, allows the DCE CIOP and the COBRA 2.0 IIOP to be used simultaneously. With help from HP, customers can use this feature to integrate other custom transports.

Designed for Performance

HP ORB Plus 2.0 is a fully threaded ORB that supports the native threading package available on each system. It also automatically chooses the fastest transport available.

Reduced Learning Curve

Since application development using HP ORB Plus 2.0 is based on standard C++ programming, there is no need for any special software-development tools, unfamiliar application-development environments or additional new program-language training. For example, a current C++ developer can use existing HP Softbench tools that are already in place on an HP-UX platform and begin using HP ORB Plus 2.0 to further simplify development.

HP ORB Plus 2.0 provides a set of sample applications that demonstrate a broad range of features to further reduce the learning curve. The developer is walked through a series of applications covering basic CORBA programming through more advanced topics covering CORBAservices.

Standards Investment Protection

HP has a commitment to technology standards as a means of reducing overall computing costs for customers. This continuing commitment includes the CORBA 2.0 standard from the Objects Management Group, which helps ensure predictability and interoperability with other standards-compliant products.

Customers' investments in DCE technology are preserved because the HP ORB Plus 2.0 DCE CIOP transport uses DCE Remote Procedure Calls (RPC). This adherence to standards also decreases network-administration overhead.

A translation feature between OLE Automation and CORBA objects (scheduled for summer 1996) furthers investment protection by giving OLE Automation developers transparent access to CORBA objects throughout an enterprise. This feature will support the OLE Automation developers' access to CORBA objects through their familiar OLE Automation development environment, thus integrating the Microsoft NT and UNIX system worlds.

New Features Summary

 New architecture, which provides greater performance and

 flexibility

 Broader operating system support -- HP-UX, Solaris, NT

 Multiple transports -- IIOP (available for all platforms),

 DCE CIOP (HP-UX only)

 Interoperability between OLE Automation and ORB Plus

 Full-featured implementation of CORBA 2.0 standards

Professional Services

HP's Professional Services Organization provides services that enable customers to move toward object-oriented development environments using tools such as HP ORB Plus 2.0. Services include object education, training, re-engineering design, consulting and mentoring. In addition, HP consultants can help customers plan, design and implement enterprise object strategies. The Professional Service Organization object expertise and knowledge is consolidated within its virtual Object- Oriented Solution Centers.

HP Professional Service Organization approach addresses the people, process and technology needs of companies, allowing them to leverage object technology successfully to meet business goals and solve business problems. The transition to object technology can be paced and phased according to customer requirements, taking into account short-term and long-term objectives.

HP's Middleware Engineering Initiative helps businesses gain a greater competitive advantage by deploying flexible, midengineered solutions, and by reducing costs through mainframe re-hosting. The initiative provides a low-risk method for customers to start experiencing payback from an enterprise client/server approach.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


HP OpenView Network Node Mgr Distributed Ver
HP Ships Distributed Version Of HP OpenView Network Node Manager For Control Of Large Corporate Internets

Customers and Partners Embrace Distributed Version of HP's Industry-leading Network Management Platform

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. APRIL 2, 1996

In response to industry demand for a more powerful and scaleable network-management solution to manage today's growing internetworks, Hewlett-Packard Company today announced it is shipping the eagerly awaited distributed version of its industry-leading network-management platform, HP OpenView Network Node Manager. The product now manages corporate internets at least 10 times larger than before.

Today's announcement is the culmination of a project designed to provide customers and partners with a distributed network-management platform capable of managing larger, more interdependent and geographically dispersed corporate internets. The new Network Node Manager completes the transition to a distributed architecture by allowing management tasks and processes -- that until now ran on a single server -- to be shared by multiple servers.

The new Network Node Manager's distributed architecture helps eliminate the overload that management systems place on network, system and human resources. The product also gives organizations the flexibility to install a network-management solution that adapts to their evolving information technology (IT) environment, instead of requiring organizations to adapt their IT environments to fit their management solution. This new version of Network Node Manager will be demonstrated at the Networld + Interop trade show in Las Vegas, April 2 to 4. Shipments began April 1.

Why Distributed Management?

Distributed network management enables IT organizations to manage larger network environments by spreading management tasks among multiple people and servers at multiple sites. This reduces the load that the management solution places on network and system resources. By providing the distributed management servers with the ability to communicate with each other, IT administrators in different locations can share management information and cooperatively solve problems.

"Our customers require a network-management solution that will allow people and systems at multiple sites -- often a great distance from each other -- to intelligently share information with their peers to more effectively solve problems and ensure the availability of their internet," said Olivier Helleboid, general manager of HP's Network and System Management Division. "With today's introduction, customers now can flexibly deploy a solution that can manage larger networks than before, while enabling cooperative management among people at multiple sites."

"Distribution and scalability have been consistently at the top of the list of our members' requirements," said Paul Edmunds, president of the OpenView Forum user group. "With this release of Network Node Manager, HP is addressing these requirements."

Product Manages Corporate Internets at Least 10 Times Larger Than Before

Through Distributed Internet Discovery and Monitoring (DIDM), Network Node Manager now spreads its management workload across multiple, synchronized servers, giving operators the power to monitor and manage networks at least 10 times larger than before while easing the burden on network, system and human resources. This allows customers to go from managing thousands of devices to managing tens of thousands of devices.

With each server running a full-function copy of Network Node Manager, key network-management functionality now can be distributed to multiple remote management servers located closer to the devices that they are managing. Each server then can send information about the devices it is managing to one or many additional Network Node Manager servers in either a peer-to-peer or hierarchical deployment.

Each distributed version of Network Node Manager offers the functionality needed to perform all of the functions that customers have grown accustomed to, including discovery, status polling, threshold monitoring and event handling for their local domains. Each server can communicate real-time updates of any status or topology change within the monitored environment to any and all other Network Node Manager servers.

Unlike competitive offerings, Network Node Manager's ability to centrally receive and consolidate topology and status information gathered from multiple remote management servers gives operators a single integrated view of an entire corporate internet. For example, if an operator at corporate IT needs to see all enterprise routers in a single view, he/she can do so by having each remote Network Node Manager server send just router information to the corporate IT management server, which then can present a single consolidated view to the operator.

Customers Benefit From the Elimination of Resource Overload

Network Node Manager eliminates the overload on IT organizations' network, system and human resources, resulting in faster system response times, faster problem resolution and increased network performance. Moreover, Network Node Manager's distributed capability allows operators to spend less time waiting for network information and more time acting on it.

In the past, a company that wanted to centrally manage devices at a remote site, could do so only over slow and expensive wide area network (WAN) lines. By distributing discovery, status polling, threshold monitoring and event handling to local domains -- with only critical status changes or exception conditions reported back to a centralized management station -- IT managers now can optimize network utilization by reducing the volume of management traffic traveling over expensive WAN links. This reduction in network load is expected to result in more efficient and cost-effective use of network bandwidth, freeing much-needed network capacity and processing power for mission-critical business applications.

The distributed version of Network Node Manager also eliminates resource overload -- especially the load on people -- through new, advanced filtering capabilities. Three new filters allow operators to eliminate unnecessary data from being discovered, sent between distributed management servers or presented to operator consoles. They are expected to reduce the amount of data clutter and provide operators with only the quality information they really want. The filters are as follows:

* DOMAIN FILTERING -- allows operators to discover and monitor only the IP devices they are interested in managing. This results in an increase in overall system performance as well as a reduction in disk space and memory utilization;

* INTER-DOMAIN FILTERING -- allows operators to restrict what management information is passed from domain to domain. This reduces system requirements as well as the amount of management data moving across the network; and

* MAP FILTERING -- allows operators to customize views by choosing to display only those devices they wish to manage.

For example, suppose an organization has a site and a central IT department in Chicago with additional sites in Denver and Dallas.

* Denver and Dallas IT personnel want to manage all devices at their sites with the exception of PC's. They can use domain filtering to discover and monitor all devices except for PCs.

* If Chicago's IT department needs to be able to manage hubs and routers across the entire organization, including those in Denver and Dallas, it can set up inter-domain filtering between Chicago and the additional management locations such that hub and router information from Denver and Dallas, and only that information, is sent to Chicago.

* Finally, if Chicago has two operators, one with responsibility for routers and the other with responsibility for hubs, each can utilize map filtering to display only those devices they wish to manage.

Another feature now included in the new version of Network Node Manager is On-demand Submaps, providing operators with faster access to network submaps while reducing the amount of main memory required by the management console by 90 percent. These benefits are achieved by loading into main memory only those submaps that an operator needs to access. All other submaps are loaded and updated only as needed.

For example, on previous systems, when an operator opened a map of a North American management domain, submaps for California, Texas and New York had to be loaded into main memory -- even if the operator only wanted to see a submap of Illinois. In addition, all submaps containing a given device would require updating each time a device changed status or new devices were discovered. This resulted in delays in accessing submaps, as well a reduction in the amount of available CPU and main memory.

A Flexible, Distributed Solution That Adapts to Customers' Evolving IT Organizations

With today's powerful enhancements, Network Node Manager now can give customers the flexibility to manage more diverse and more interdependent networks. Network Node Manager's flexibility allows customers to install a network-management solution that fits their evolving IT organizations instead of forcing the IT organization to accommodate the management solution. Some of these organizational models now supported by Network Node Manager include centralized, hierarchical and peer-to-peer network management.

In a centralized network-management model, a customer's primary concern is managing a very large number of devices -- at multiple sites across the country or around the world -- from one central site. New Network Node Manager features, such as distribution, distributed consoles, improved filtering and On-demand Submaps, which allow users to effectively deploy a centralized management model without overburdening operators at the central site.

In a hierarchical network-management model, customers face the challenge of coordinating the efforts of both central and remote IT management personnel located throughout the company. Through Network Node Manager's distributed functionality, a remote site can fully manage its own domain, as well as cooperate with central IT on a planned or on an ad-hoc basis.

In a peer-to-peer network-management model, two or more sites are responsible for managing their own domains as well as for providing management backup for the other domain(s). Through Network Node Manager's distribution and filtering capabilities, customers now can share management responsibilities between these primary and backup sites.

In addition, as announced on March 4, HP plans to port Network Node Manager to Windows NT, with shipments scheduled to begin during the second half of 1996. At first release, customers will be able to deploy Network Node Manager on Windows NT as a site or domain manager within Network Node Manager's new distributed architecture, with full capabilities to send collected discovery and topology information to a Network Node Manager server running a UNIX operating system.

Network Node Manager now also gives users and developers the flexibility to incorporate third-party solutions written to either the new SNMP v2c or SNMP v1 standards.

New Network Node Manager Functionality Empowers System Operators

HP recently announced that it has expanded the HP OpenView Solution Framework to fully empower system operators. Announced on Feb. 12, HP OpenView OperationsCenter and HP OpenView AdminCenter have expanded to completely incorporate the new, fully distributed Network Node Manager announced today. The resulting products, HP OpenView IT/Operations and HP OpenView IT/Administration, now give system managers much- needed network-management functionality and take advantage of Network Node Manager's new distributed capability.

U.S. Prices and Availability

HP OpenView Network Node Manager 4.1 starts at $15,995. In addition, HP's Entry Network Node Manager also is shipping immediately with the new distributed functionality. It starts at $4,995. This additional version will still find and map as many network devices as desired, but monitoring and other management functions are limited to those 100 devices for which operators require active management.

HP OpenView Network Node Manager for Windows NT, including distributed functionality, is expected to be available in the second half of 1996.

About HP OpenView

HP OpenView offers users integrated network, system, application and database management for multivendor distributed-computing environments. Solutions consist of a broad portfolio of management products from HP and OpenView Solution Partners and a complete set of services that help customers improve service and reduce operations costs. The HP OpenView Solution Framework provides services to application developers for the complete management of distributed networks, systems, applications and databases. HP OpenView manages Novell NetWare and Windows NT servers and PCs, and HP, IBM, Sun Microsystems, NCR, Bull, Silicon Graphics, Sequent and Digital Equipment Corporation computers.

HP is the largest producer of enterprise network-management platforms, with HP OpenView installed in more than 100,000 networks around the world. There are more than 220 complementary HP OpenView-based management solutions available on a variety of platforms, including HP 9000 systems, Sun Microsystems Solaris and SunOS workstations and Microsoft Windows NT-based systems. HP OpenView is licensed to NCR, Data General, Hitachi, Groupe Bull, Alcatel, Siemens and Stratus.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


HP Cuts High-Performance PC Prices up to 14%
HP Cuts Prices On High-Performance PCs By Up To 14 Percent

HP Vectra XU and VT PCs Cost up to 20 Percent Less than Competitors' PCs

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 1, 1996

Strengthening its price-performance leadership in PCs, Hewlett- Packard Company today announced price cuts of up to 14 percent on its high-performance Pentium Pro HP Vectra XU 6/150 and HP Vectra VT 6/150 PCs. These systems cost up to 20 percent less than similar computers from Digital and Compaq. The price cuts, effective immediately, are the result of manufacturing cost reductions that HP is passing on to its customers.

"HP's award-winning Pentium Pro PCs have always led the industry in performance," said Jacques Clay, general manager of HP's Grenoble Personal Computer Division. "Now they lead in price-performance as well."

Using an HP-designed motherboard and dual-processing 150MHz Pentium Pro processors, the HP Vectra XU 6/150 PC provides customers with uncompromising performance at industry-leading price points. It includes a Matrox Millennium graphics adapter, ultra SCSI bus, selectable 10/100VG PCI LAN adapter, 128-bit memory path and ECC (error correcting code) memory.

The HP Vectra VT 6/150 PCs include the same HP-designed motherboards as the HP Vectra XU PCs and include many common features, such as industry-standard DIMM-based memory, integrated audio and the high-end Millennium Matrox graphics card. The HP Vectra VT PC differs from the HP Vectra XU 6/150 in that it is offered in a uniprocessor version, providing the expert user with a powerful, Pentium-Pro-based system at lower prices than ever before.

HP Vectra "V" and "X" line PCs are covered by a three-year, limited warranty with one-year, on-site coverage. The HP Vectra XU and HP Vectra VT PCs are bundled with Windows NT Workstation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

                   U.S. Prices and Configuration

 Processor   Package     Hard     RAM      Estimated     Percent

                         Drive            Street Price  Reduction

 VT 6/150    minitower   N/A      16MB     $3,110          14

             minitower   1GB      16MB      3,470          13

             minitower   2x 1GB   16MB      3,750          12

 XU 6/150    minitower   N/A      16MB      3,708          11

             minitower   1GB      16MB      4,004          10

             minitower   2GB      16MB      4,533           9

---------------------------------------------------------------------

HP offers a broad family of industry-standard PCs in its HP Vectra PC line. The product range includes the HP Vectra 500 Series PC designed for the needs of small businesses; the standard-level Vectra VE, mainstream Vectra VL and power-user Vectra VT PCs for professionals using business applications; and the powerful network-ready Vectra XM and top-of-the-line Vectra XU PCs for the most demanding of expert professional users.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com or go directly to HP Vectra PC information, http://www.hp.com/go/vectra.


HP & Others in Interoperability Demo
HP Supplies InteropNet 100VG-AnyLAN Connection, Works With Other Networking Vendors In Interoperability Demonstration

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. APRIL 1, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company, the leader in network systems for workgroups, today announced that its 100VG-AnyLAN technology will be available to exhibitors here at NetWorld+Interop through the InteropNet, the show's production-scale enterprise network.

"100VG was selected to participate in the InteropNet because we wanted to bring the leading high-speed contenders together, integrate them and deal with the interoperability issues end users face," said Jim Martin, lead network engineer for InteropNet. "Attendees and exhibitors can see new technologies at work. Buyers can observe the equipment and technology to evaluate performance, features and benefits. It's a valuable opportunity and something we believe people are interested in."

HP is providing its AdvanceStack 100VG hubs for high-speed support, its 100VG SNMP Bridge modules to tie 10Base-T and 100VG LAN sections together and its Router 650s with 100VG and FDDI interfaces to interconnect local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) sections.

"HP is excited to have this opportunity to work with other networking companies to supply fully interoperable 100VG connections for exhibitors at NetWorld+Interop," said Gary McAnally, general manager for HP's Roseville (Calif.) Networks Division. "We are participating in the InteropNet, providing a high-performance 100VG solution in support of open industry standards and to educate people about 100VG."

100VG is designed for emerging workgroup applications, such as desktop video conferencing, color network printing, collaborative computing and multimedia and other large, data-intensive workgroup applications, as well as for improving the performance of existing applications.

The 100VG-AnyLAN IEEE-approved standard (802.12) was developed cooperatively by AT&T, HP and IBM. The first product began shipping in August 1994.

What is the InteropNet?

The 6,000-node InteropNet consists of 130 miles of cable and 4,000 pieces of equipment valued at more than $15 million. The equipment is donated by companies through the InteropNet Contributors Program. The InteropNet is designed, implemented and operated by members of the Network Operations Center (NOC) team, which is composed of volunteer top experts from the industry, government and academic sectors of the networking industry.

Experiencing the InteropNet

Attendees can take self-guided InteropNet tours, or there are free guided tours conducted hourly by members of the NOC team. Tours begin in the Las Vegas Convention Center lobby. In addition, a free "Introduction to the InteropNet" class is offered. Attendees can view the NOC in action in the convention center lobby and participate in the adjoining InteropNet theater. The InteropNet can be used to access the Internet in the Novell Connecting Points located throughout the LVCC.

HP's Roseville (Calif.) Networks Division and HP's Network Server Division deliver a complete line of network workgroup solutions. The Network Server Division makes the NetServer line of file servers and is one of the fastest-growing file-server suppliers. Roseville Networks Division is a leading supplier of stackable hubs, print servers and high-speed network products. Its products include AdvanceStack 10Base-T and 100VG hubs, AdvanceStack 10/100 switches, AdvanceStack routers and remote-access products, OpenView network-management applications, JetDirect print servers, DeskDirect 10Base-T and 10/100VG LAN Adapters and the NetBeamI infrared LAN access point.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Information in this release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets.


HP To Demo Concept PC Based on SIPC Tech.
HP To Demonstrate "Concept" PC Based On SIPC Technologies At WinHEC 96

Technology Demo to Show Potential for the PC in Every Room of the Home

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 1, 1996

A new "concept" PC developed by Hewlett-Packard Company that is as convenient and easy to use as a home appliance will be demonstrated here today as Microsoft's Bill Gates presents Microsoft's "Simply Interactive PC" framework of technologies. The keynote address, "Making the PC an Appliance," will take place at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC).

HP worked with Microsoft to develop this technology demonstration, which will feature a sealed-case, externally expandable "concept" PC designed to be as easy to use as a consumer appliance, equally at home in the study, the kitchen or the family room. The "sealed box" PC concept will be explored by Bill Gates as he discusses the SIPC framework of technologies, an initiative to make the PC platform the center of entertainment, communication and productivity in the home, providing the ease of use and convenience of a consumer appliance.

"HP believes there is an opportunity in practically every room of the house for consumer PCs with appliance-like ease of use," said Harry W. "Webb" McKinney, general manager of the HP Home Products Division. "As a leading supplier of consumer multimedia PCs, with our award-winning HP Pavilion PC, we work hard to understand what consumers care about and to understand consumer needs in different areas of the home."

HP is developing leading-edge technologies, including printers, scanners, faxes, palmtops, interactive-television set-top boxes, PC cable modems and home PCs, technologies that position HP ideally to capitalize on new opportunities in the consumer market.

Technologies that are slated to be demonstrated include the following:

 hot plug-and-play Universal Serial Bus (USB), making it

 easy to add and remove peripherals;

 "fire wire" (1394) high-speed video and data interface,

 an emerging bus interface standard (for portables and

 desktops) that provides important linking technology so

 consumers can simply add multiple peripherals, such as

 printers, scanners, digital cameras, camcorders and VCRs

 to their systems;

 removable device bay that can accommodate a range of storage

 devices from tape drives to CDs;

 infrared data interchange (works with HP organizers and

 notebooks);

 OnNow architecture, the industry initiative to create

 "instantly-available" PC devices; and

 Microsoft Windows 95.

"Microsoft is excited to be working with HP to develop the technologies of SIPC, enabling the PC to become a central device for entertainment and communications in the home," said Carl Stork, director of Windows Platforms at Microsoft Corp. "HP's innovation will help make SIPC a reality."

WinHEC 96, taking place April 1 - 3 at the San Jose Convention Center, will address the theme of "Mapping the New Platform Capabilities: Beyond Windows 95," and take an in-depth look at the technical issues concerning the future of Microsoft Windows-based hardware. The conference is aimed at senior technical managers; hardware engineers; and product development managers who will preview the latest hardware standards and designs for subsystems and components for desktop and mobile PCs, servers and peripherals designed for the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


HP Intros 100VG Print Server
HP Introduces Industry's First 100VG Print Server

New Three-port Print Server Supports 100VG AnyLAN or Standard 10Mbps Ethernet LANs

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 1, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company, the leader in network systems for workgroups, today introduced the industry's first print server to support high-speed 100VG AnyLAN networks. The HP JetDirect EX Plus3-100VG external print server completes HP's 100VG workgroup product line, which includes hubs, switches, routers, LAN adapter cards and network-management software.

The JetDirect EX Plus3 print server delivers a print-file transfer rate of up to 220KB/s. The product uses Texas Instruments' ThunderLAN 100VG chip set and has three high-speed HP Bi-Tronics parallel ports. 100VG technology provides 10 times the speed and up to 20 times the throughput of existing 10-Mbps Ethernet equipment. The combination of 100VG technology and high-speed Bi-Tronics technology ensures that even the most bandwidth-intensive print jobs get to the printer quickly and are completed at maximum engine speed.

This added performance is particularly important for printing graphics-intensive files, especially those that include color. The print server also supports up to three HP and non-HP parallel printers, providing the flexibility to create customized print stations to match workgroup activities.

Features of the JetDirect EX Plus3-100VG print server include the following:

 support for 100VG AnyLAN or 10Mbps Ethernet LANs;

 high data throughput (220KB/s);

 three high-speed Bi-Tronics Parallel ports;

 support for all leading network operating systems (NOSs),

 including NetWare Directory Services (NDS) support for

 Novell NetWare 4.1 and Windows NT

 true multiprotocol support -- automatically switches between

 protocols and does not require Novell NetWare to function;

 1MB Flash memory;

 powerful HP JetAdmin print-management software; and

 automatic reset after network failure.

"If you want leading-edge network performance today, this new product offers a very simple, fast, easy-to-manage printer connection for 100VG," said Ken Hunt, product marketing manager for HP's Roseville (Calif.) Networks Division. "If you are considering migrating to high-speed networking in the future, the JetDirect EX Plus3 allows you to build with Ethernet today and switch to 100VG when you're ready. Your investment in network printing is protected."

100VG Standard

100VG AnyLAN is a state-of-the-art, 100Mbps local area network technology that provides significant performance gains at the same price point or lower than common 10-Mbps Ethernet technology. It combines the best of existing Ethernet and Token Ring standards so that migrating from these networks to high-speed 100VG is cost-effective and easy.

This ease of integration has made the technology a popular solution for those requiring higher bandwidth and faster throughput from an existing network.

Network Installation and Upgrades

The JetDirect EX Plus3 print server provides users with a simple, cost-effective way to connect up to three HP or non-HP printers to a network. The unit is fully compatible with virtually every major network operating system, including Novell NetWare, LAN Server, LAN Manager, Windows NT, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, AppleTalk, HP-UX, Sun-OS, Solaris, IBM AIX, SCO UNIX and lpd for UNIX.

The JetDirect EX Plus3 print server also offers integrated NetWare Directory Services support for easy installation and management of printers on Novell's NetWare 4.1 software.

The new print server has three parallel ports with two types of automatic switching for seamless execution of print jobs. It switches from one port to the next, and it switches from one protocol to the next. Because of these capabilities, any type of print file can be sent to any of the three ports on the print server.

The JetDirect EX Plus3 print server also comes with 1MB Flash memory for easy upgrades. Multiple print servers can be upgraded in one operation via a single-broadcast download.

HP JetAdmin Software

The JetDirect EX Plus3 comes with award-winning, industry-standard JetAdmin software. JetAdmin allows users to install, configure and manage all JetDirect-connected printers through easy point-and-click operations from their desktops. JetAdmin software provides network administrators with advanced status-feedback information from HP printers to indicate such conditions as "toner low" or "paper out."

HP has worked closely with Microsoft, IBM and others to integrate JetAdmin functionality directly into such popular operating systems as Windows 95 and OS/2 LAN Manager. This integration simplifies the process of installing and maintaining printers on a LAN.

U.S. Prices and Availability

The JetDirect EX Plus3-100VG is $649 and is expected to be available in June 1996, through HP authorized resellers. The unit comes with a limited three-year warranty.

HP JetDirect print servers are used to connect HP printers and other printers directly to networks for superior network-printer reliability, performance and location flexibility. Since 1991, HP has sold more than 3 million HP JetDirect print servers, making it the world's leading supplier of network print servers.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


Special Offer for IBM Shareholders
North American IBM shareholders who receive the Corporation's 1995 Annual Report can take advantage of a special offer enclosed in the proxy envelope. As computing moves into the network-centric era, you can get a head start by investing in network-ready software for your PC.

Shareholders can purchase top IBM and Lotus software titles, including OS/2 Warp, OS/2 Warp Connect, IBM Internet Connection Secure WebExplorer for OS/2 Warp, IBM Antivirus, and any of the Lotus SmartSuite applica- tions for Windows 3.1 and Win-OS/2. Free upgrades to the OS/2 Warp versions, when available later this year, will be provided.

Sample Pricing:

     OS/2 Warp Connect V3                 $89

     Lotus SmartSuite                     $99

     Secure WebExplorer                   $25

The "Fine Print"

Offer is open to North American IBM stockholders of record receiving the 1995 Annual Report and proxy by mail. Each stockholder is limited to one copy of each software title in the catalog. Stockholder must provide the identification number listed in the special catalog. Offer ends May 31, 1996, and Lotus upgrades must be redeemed by December 30, 1996. Sales taxes and $5.00 (U.S.) shipping and handling will be added to each order. Order phone numbers are listed in the special catalog. A nominal shipping and handling fee will be charged for Lotus upgrades.

IBM is the world's largest software company. In 1995, IBM's software revenues were approx. $12.7 billion, more than twice the next largest software company.

Total software revenue grew from $11.3 billion in 1994, and the gross profit margin increased from 58.8% to 65.0%.

For more information on IBM's products, services, and annual report, please visit the IBM home page on the Internet at http://www.ibm.com.


Shop-the-Net via Internet or TV
COMPANY'S 21st CENTURY MARKETING STRATEGY PROPELS CLIENTS TO HIGHER PROFITS.

"Interactive convergence" allow advertisers to simultaneously market products/services on television and the Internet.

BOCA RATON - When Interactive Multimedia Network clients travel the information super-highway to Profit City, they follow some simple directions: drive through IMN's popular family Internet shopping site, "Shop-the Net", take a turn at IMN's home shopping interactive television sitcom, "Shopping-the-Net" and then turn at the multimedia CD-ROM. It's a road map to success that has taken IMN clients to higher profits and has exposed them to millions of new customers locally, nationally and globally.

IMN, a soon-to-be-public, Florida-based company with more than two decades of experience in successfully marketing products and services, is pioneering a 21st century marketing concept called "Interactive Convergence" - the integration of multimedia components, including the Internet and conventional broadcast, cable and satellite television outlets - to simultaneously mass market products and services.

IMN is also breaking new ground with the introduction of its 'sit-commercial', a merger of two of television's most venerable formats - the situation comedy and the infomercial. Created as part of the "Shop-the-Net" convergence package, the 'sit-commercial' merges entertainment-oriented storylines with advertising-oriented content. The show will be aired on three major cable networks, including a satellite up-link, as well as hundreds of broadcast television stations, and will reach more than 57 million households nationwide.

"The concept is revolutionary. The impact, significant," say IMN's Corporate Director of Marketing, William J. Auletta. "By simultaneously using television, including innovative shows such as our home shopping sitcom, direct response commercial and infomercials, each designed to tie in directly to our Internet shopping services, companies are afforded 'new channels of distribution', enhanced targeting capabilities and unparalleled multimedia frequency, reach and penetration for a fraction of the cost of conventional advertising buys. We also increase product and service awareness levels to retailers, distributors and wholesalers, using the Internet for the exchange of information."

Auletta says IMN is using its innovative interactive convergence package to bolster sales and usage for "Shop-the-Net", which can reach 40 million subscribers globally. Projections place the Internet subscriber base at 100 million within two years.

"Convergence allows consumers to easily access interactive multimedia shopping options at their convenience," proffers Auletta. "They can browse our Internet Family shopping sites, watch our "Shop-the-Net" interactive television shopping broadcasts and/or us our CD-ROM. And they can order merchandise from each."

A creative revenue-sharing plan involving IMN, its clients and TV stations nationwide makes the convergence scenario and even more attractive and cost-effective marketing strategy for everyone, Auletta says.

For more information on IMN, "Shop-the-Net" (http://www.shop-the net.com), the 'sit-commercial project and/or other IMN services, please contact William J. Auletta at 800-373-8667 or email to imnet@shop-the-net.com.

Contact: William Auletta

Voice: 800-373-8667

Email: mgr@shop-the-net.com


New Family of In Focus Multimedia Projectors
IN FOCUS SYSTEMS SETS THE STANDARD FOR EASE OF USE WITH NEW FAMILY OF PROJECTION PRODUCTS

New CableWizard Represents Radical User-Friendly Design of New Multimedia Projector, Panel from In Focus Systems

WILSONVILLE, ORE. - April 2, 1996 - In Focus Systems today announced that its new family of products - the LitePro 210 multimedia projector and PowerView 820 projection panel - are engineered with new, easy-to-use features including the revolutionary CableWizard' connector system, sophisticated embedded software and user interface, and next generation "Smart Remote." Completely plug-and-play, the new user-friendly features eliminate time-consuming adjustments typically associated with conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors and are designed to guide first-time users through set-up and operation.

"The breakthrough ease-of-use features are representative of the thought and conviction In Focus Systems has to engineer and produce high performance multimedia projection systems that are easy to use," said Mark Reed, vice president of sales, marketing and service for In Focus Systems. "We've been listening to our customers, to the product reviews, and have responded by creating products that set a new standard in the industry."

The first of its kind, the CableWizard allows users to easily connect their computer, audio, mouse and monitor loop-through to an In Focus Systems' multimedia projector or panel with just one cable. The CableWizard eliminates unsightly cables and gives users added computer placement flexibility for a more professional presentation. Familiar icons on the CableWizard indicate where to connect the flexible cables, making set-up quick and easy. The CableWizard will continue monitor loop-through even when the projector or panel is turned off, allowing users to preview their presentation before projecting it to an audience.

Powered by an embedded microprocessor, the intelligent CableWizard is compatible with PC and Macintosh personal computers and requires no additional adapters or connectors when switching between computer platforms. Unique to the Macintosh, the CableWizard will signal the computer to default to the projector's resolution, eliminating the need for Macintosh users to specify a second monitor in the computer's control panel.

The CableWizard comes standard with a nine-foot cable. An optional 40-foot extension cable is available, requiring no amplification. For the traveling presenter who doesn't need mouse control, audio or monitor loop-through, In Focus Systems offers an optional CableWizard Lite, a lightweight, six-foot cord that connects a computer to the multimedia projector or panel.

The CableWizard is one among a suite of new user-friendly features from In Focus Systems, including new sophisticated software and user interface, and the next-generation "Smart Remote."

Breakthrough auto-sensing electronics and embedded software eliminate time-consuming and difficult sync, tracking and position adjustments associated with conventional multimedia projectors. The software in the LitePro 210 and PowerView 820 automatically identifies and interprets the computer and video signals coming into the projector and adjusts it for optimal image quality.

For custom adjustments, a new user interface, with on-line help, guides users through the Picture, Audio and Display settings. Point-and-click menu selections are made using the new Smart Remote.

A new, handheld infrared Smart Remote makes it easy to control the LitePro 210 or PowerView 820 without interrupting a presentation. The size of a typical television remote, the Smart Remote features large backlit buttons with familiar icons and tactical response for controlling a PC or Macintosh computer from up to 40-feet away.

The CableWizard connector system, sophisticated embedded software and user interface, and next generation "Smart Remote all come standard with the new family of In Focus Systems' projection products - the LitePro 210 multimedia projector and PowerView 820 multimedia projection panel - available immediately through authorized In Focus Systems resellers and distributors worldwide. All In Focus Systems' projection products include a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

In Focus Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:INFS) is helping customers revolutionize the effectiveness of their group communications by improving the way information is shared in business and sales presentations, software demonstrations, education and training, and interactive workgroup meetings. Named one of the 200 Best Small Companies by Forbes magazine in 1995, the company develops, manufactures and markets multimedia projection products and services to present video, audio, graphics and data from personal computers and other electronic devices. In Focus Systems reported nearly $203 million in sales in 1995. The company's headquarters are located at 27700B SW Parkway Avenue, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-9215. Call (800) 294-6400 or (503) 685-8888. In Focus Systems' fax number is (503) 685-8631. Visit the In Focus Systems Web site at http://www.infs.com.


In Focus Sets New Standard w/PowerView 820
IN FOCUS SYSTEMS SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR PORTABILITY AND IMAGE QUALITY WITH ITS NEW POWERVIEW 820 MULTIMEDIA PROJECTION PANEL

The PowerView 820 is the Lightest and Brightest 800 x 600 Active-Matrix Multimedia Panel and the First With Advanced Ease-Of-Use Features and Modular Architecture

WILSONVILLE, ORE. - April 2, 1996 - In Focus Systems today introduced the PowerView 820, the lightest and brightest 800 x 600 active-matrix multimedia projection panel available, and the first with advanced ease-of-use features and modular architecture. Priced as low as $4,499, the PowerView 820 weighs under five pounds, making it ideal for mobile professionals who present and share computer graphics, audio and video in business meetings, sales presentations, training sessions or software demonstrations.

With a full-size, highly transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD), the PowerView 820 sets the standard for brightness, image quality and portability with its sleek and lightweight design. The PowerView 820 provides an extremely portable multimedia system when combined with a notebook computer and overhead projector. Completely plug-and-play, the PowerView 820 was engineered to project a high-quality image, "out of the box," without requiring adjustments typically associated with set-up of conventional LCD projection panels. At an affordable price point for businesses and classrooms alike, the PowerView 820 is also first in a family of products from In Focus Systems to offer advanced user-friendly features, and custom computer and video input modularity.

"In Focus Systems is proud to have a history of bringing users the broadest and most portable line of projection panels," said Mark Reed, vice president of sales, marketing and service for In Focus Systems. "The PowerView 820 sets the standard once again, by offering superior image quality, multimedia functions and ease-of-use features."

Reliable Design for the "On the Go" Presenter

The PowerView 820 uses an enhanced, 10.4-inch diagonal active-matrix LCD that, when combined with the panel's sleek, low-profile design, is 50 percent more transmissive than other projection panels. With a palette of 16.7 million colors, the PowerView 820 offers true SVGA, 800 x 600 resolution, and is compatible with computers displaying 1,024 x 768. The PowerView 820 is compatible with most PC and Macintosh computers.

Designed for the traveling professional, the PowerView 820 weighs less than five pounds and measures just 1.5 (h) x 12.25 (w) x 12 (l) inches. Controls requiring manual adjustments are color-coded and marked with familiar icons for quick and easy set-up.

The PowerView 820 is a fully integrated multimedia panel with hi-fidelity sound from a internal speaker. Displaying crisp video images, the PowerView 820 projects superior full-motion video as a result of In Focus Systems' proprietary digital video processing technology. With a contrast ratio of 100:1, and a 25-millisecond response time, the PowerView 820 supports worldwide video standards, including NTSC, and PAL and SECAM at full resolution. The PowerView 820 also has audio loop-through for controlling external speakers. A Universal Power Supply allows the panel to be used with power sources worldwide.

A Suite of User-Friendly Features

The design of the PowerView 820 sets a new standard for easy-to-use multimedia projection with an innovative suite of features including In Focus Systems' advanced electronics, sophisticated embedded software and user interface, next generation "Smart Remote," and revolutionary CableWizard(tm), all of which incorporate familiar icons from consumer products to help guide users during assembly and use.

In Focus Systems custom ASIC provides auto-sensing and software that eliminate time-consuming and difficult sync, tracking and position adjustments associated with conventional multimedia projection panels. The software in the PowerView 820 automatically identifies and interprets the computer and video signals coming into the panel and adjusts it for optimal image quality.

For custom adjustments, a new user interface, with on-line help, guides users through the Picture, Audio and Display settings. Point-and-click menu selections are made using the new Smart Remote.

The handheld infrared Smart Remote makes it easy to control the PowerView 820 without interrupting a presentation. The size of a typical television remote, the Smart Remote features large backlit buttons with familiar icons and tactical response for controlling a PC or Macintosh computer from up to 40 feet away.

In Focus System's intelligent CableWizard allows users to easily connect their computer, audio, mouse and monitor loop-through to the PowerView 820 through an all-in-one system. Powered by an embedded microprocessor, the CableWizard eliminates unsightly cables and gives the user added computer placement flexibility for a more professional presentation. Compatible with most PC and Macintosh personal computers, the CableWizard comes standard with a nine-foot cable. An optional 40-foot extension cable is available, requiring no amplification.

The unique modular design of the In Focus Systems family of new products protects the users' investment by providing a cost-effective method for customizing the product to meet specific application requirements. The modular architecture provides a sensible solution for integrating future product enhancements, thereby extending the product's capabilities.

Lowering the Price Barrier

The modular architecture of the PowerView 820 allows In Focus Systems to competitively price a computer graphics panel at $4,499 (U.S. list). The suggested price for a PowerView 820 multimedia system with computer graphics and video support is $4,999 (U.S. list). The PowerView 820 is available immediately through authorized In Focus Systems resellers and distributors worldwide. All In Focus Systems' projection products include a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

In Focus Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:INFS) is helping customers revolutionize the effectiveness of their group communications by improving the way information is shared in business and sales presentations, software demonstrations, education and training, and interactive workgroup meetings. Named one of the 200 Best Small Companies by Forbes magazine in 1995, the company develops, manufactures and markets multimedia projection products and services to present video, audio, graphics and data from personal computers and other electronic devices. In Focus Systems reported nearly $203 million in sales in 1995. The company's headquarters are located at 27700B SW Parkway Avenue, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-9215. Call (800) 294-6400 or (503) 685-8888. In Focus Systems' fax number is (503) 685-8631. Visit the In Focus Systems Web site at http://www.infs.com.


In Focus Breaks Price/Perf Barrier w/LitePro
IN FOCUS SYSTEMS BREAKS THE PRICE PERFORMANCE BARRIER WITH ITS NEW, FULLY-INTEGRATED MULTIMEDIA PROJECTOR - THE LITEPRO 210

The Affordably Priced LitePro 210 is the First Portable, Active-Matrix Multimedia Projector with Advanced Ease-Of-Use Features, Built-In JBL Speakers, and Modular Architecture

WILSONVILLE, ORE. - April 2, 1996 - In Focus Systems today introduced the award-wining LitePro 210, the first fully integrated, portable active-matrix multimedia projector with advanced ease-of-use features, enhanced audio featuring built-in JBL speakers, and modular architecture. With prices starting as low as $5,499, the user-friendly design of the LitePro 210 multimedia projector allows users to easily present and share computer graphics, audio and video in business meetings, sales presentations, training sessions or software demonstrations.

The first projector to integrate consumer technology, the LitePro 210 breaks the ease-of-use barrier for novice users. The LitePro 210 is completely plug-and-play, engineered to project a bright, high-quality image, "out of the box," without requiring adjustments typically associated with set-up of conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors. At an affordable price point for large and small businesses alike, the LitePro 210 is also first in a family of products from In Focus Systems to offer custom computer and video input modularity.

"As the front-runner in the industry, In Focus Systems thinks the LitePro 210 will set the price performance standard for multimedia projection," said Mark Reed, vice president of sales, marketing and service for In Focus Systems. "The intelligent design and engineering of the LitePro 210 offers breakthrough easy-to-use features for users and sophisticated technology for bright, high-quality computer and video projection."

Partnering for Multimedia Made Easy

The LitePro 210 was designed in alliance with leading consumer product manufacturers. The LitePro 210 offers rich multimedia featuring a built-in JBL audio system from Harman International and accurate color quality with the Kodak Color Matching system.

In Focus Systems partnered with Harman International to enhance audio sound from the LitePro 210 multimedia projector by using two hi-fidelity JBL speakers. Branded with the JBL logo, the LitePro 210 sends audio from the high-frequency speaker upward and audio from the full-range speaker out the back of the projector, totaling 15 watts of ambient surround sound. The result is rich, room-filling audio that sets a new standard for multimedia projectors. Audio on the LitePro 210 can be augmented with additional JBL speakers and subwoofer available as options from In Focus Systems.

"The LitePro 210 is the first projection system to incorporate a built-in JBL audio system," said Sidney Harman, Chairman of Harman International. "We are excited about our partnership with In Focus and the opportunity to set a new audio standard for multimedia projection."

The LitePro 210 is planned to be the first multimedia projector featuring Kodak's Color Matching System software. The Kodak system provides the best color management solution for ensuring color accuracy and consistency between input devices such as color scanners, computer monitors and the projected image.

Bright, Light Design for Mobile Presenters

With 640 x 480 resolution, the LitePro 210 uses an enhanced, highly transmissive, active-matrix 6.5-inch diagonal amorphous silicon LCD. The LitePro 210 also projects images up to 800 x 600 resolution, including SVGA, through an advanced image compression technology, and is compatible with most PC and Macintosh computers.

The LitePro 210 projects images that can be easily seen in typical room lighting. The projector's light source features a high-efficiency, high-brightness 270-watt metal halide lamp that produces high-impact colors and brightness measuring 235 ANSI lumens.

The LitePro 210 was ergonomically designed with the mobile presenter in mind. Weighing just 16 pounds, the LitePro 210's low-profile styling is designed to complement the most prestigious presentation environments. Controls requiring manual adjustments are color-coded and marked with familiar icons to make set-up quick and easy.

The LitePro 210 supports full-motion video with a contrast ratio of 100:1, and a 25-millisecond response time and palette of 16.7 million colors. The LitePro 210 also supports worldwide video standards, including NTSC, PAL and SECAM. In addition, a Universal Power Supply allows the projector to be used with power sources worldwide. High quality precision optics ensure crisp corner to corner focus. The LitePro 210 can project images from 33-inches to 250-inches in size with its standard lens. For greater projector placement flexibility, an optional zoom lens is available for projected images that can range from 33-inches to 360-inches.

A Suite of User-Friendly Features

The design of the LitePro 210 sets a new standard for easy-to-use multimedia projection with an innovative suite of features including In Focus Systems' advanced electronics, sophisticated embedded software and user interface, next generation "Smart Remote," and revolutionary CableWizard(tm), all of which incorporate familiar icons from consumer products to help guide users during assembly and use.

In Focus Systems custom ASIC provides auto-sensing and software that eliminate time-consuming and difficult sync, tracking and position adjustments associated with conventional multimedia projectors. The software in the LitePro 210 automatically identifies and interprets the computer and video signals coming into the projector and adjusts it for optimal image quality.

For custom adjustments, a new user interface, with on-line help, guides users through the Picture, Audio and Display settings. Point- and-click menu selections are made using the new Smart Remote.

A new, handheld infrared Smart Remote makes it easy to control the LitePro 210 without interrupting a presentation. The size of a typical television remote, the Smart Remote features large backlit buttons with familiar icons and tactical response for controlling a PC or Macintosh computer from up to 40-feet away. Easy-to-see indicator lights verify the operational status of the LitePro 210.

In Focus System's intelligent CableWizard allows users to easily connect their computer, audio, mouse and monitor loop-through to the LitePro 210 through an all-in-one system. Powered by an embedded microprocessor, the CableWizard eliminates unsightly cables and gives the user added computer placement flexibility for a more professional presentation. Compatible with most PC and Macintosh personal computers, the CableWizard comes standard with a nine-foot cable. An optional 40-foot extension cable is available, requiring no amplification.

The unique modular design of the In Focus Systems family of new products protects the users' investment by providing a cost-effective method for customizing the product to meet specific application requirements. The modular architecture provides a sensible solution for integrating future product enhancements, thereby extending the product's capabilities.

Lowering the Price Barrier

The modular architecture of the LitePro 210 allows In Focus Systems to aggressively price a computer graphic projector at $5,499 (U.S. list). The suggested price for a complete LitePro 210 multimedia system, computer graphics and video support is $5,999 (U.S. list). The LitePro 210 is available immediately through authorized In Focus Systems resellers and distributors worldwide. All In Focus Systems' projection products include a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

In Focus Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:INFS) is helping customers revolutionize the effectiveness of their group communications by improving the way information is shared in business and sales presentations, software demonstrations, education and training, and interactive workgroup meetings. Named one of the 200 Best Small Companies by Forbes magazine in 1995, the company develops, manufactures and markets multimedia projection products and services to present video, audio, graphics and data from personal computers and other electronic devices. In Focus Systems reported nearly $203 million in sales in 1995. The company's headquarters are located at 27700B SW Parkway Avenue, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-9215. Call (800) 294-6400 or (503) 685-8888. In Focus Systems' fax number is (503) 685-8631. Visit the In Focus Systems Web site at http://www.infs.com.


JetForm Acquires Proactive Systems
JetForm Continues Worldwide Expansion Through Acquisition of Proactive Systems

Grows to Become #1 in European Electronic Forms Market

OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 1, 1996 -- JetForm Corporation (NASDAQ:FORMF), the global leader in open enterprise-wide electronic forms solutions, today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Proactive Systems of England. Proactive Systems is a European leader in providing electronic forms software products targeted for midrange systems users (HP3000, UNIX, AS/400). The acquisition allows JetForm to more than double its European resources and expands its leadership position in the fast growing segment of the electronic forms market: back- end e-forms processing and management on multiple server platforms.

Under the terms of this agreement, Proactive will become a wholly- owned subsidiary of JetForm Corporation. Proactive shareholders will receive a total of 341,471 common shares of JetForm in exchange for all of the outstanding voting shares of Proactive.

"JetForm's basic considerations were to 'build or buy' and 'time to market' issues inherent in an aggressive expansion program. Proactive's annual revenue base of approximately $6,000,000 (CDN) and knowledgeable sales people enable JetForm to profitably expand our European operations without the usual start-up risks, management time and time to market challenges inherent in building from scratch," said John Kelly, JetForm's chief executive officer and president.

"This acquisition increases our presence in the growing European market and virtually completes the infrastructural strategic objectives established last year," commented Phil Weaver, JetForm's senior vice president of sales, marketing and services. "Proactive's strong position in the U.K. and its foothold in Germany complements our previous acquisitions in Sweden and France and provides the foundation to maintain our position as the leading enterprise-wide electronic forms supplier in Europe. In addition, a further benefit to JetForm is Proactive's California operations which, when combined with JetForm's existing operations in that market, significantly improves the overall growth opportunities," Weaver added.

Combined with the recent acquisition of Eclipse Corporation of Atlanta, this latest move strengthens JetForm's pre-eminent position in the mid-range E-forms market for the AS/400, HP3000 and UNIX platforms. Each of the Proactive and Eclipse acquisitions were based on exchange of shares, though the acquisition and closing costs will be written off in JetForm's fourth quarter ending April 30, 1996.

"JetForm's products and strategy will greatly benefit our existing client base as well as provide exciting career opportunities for our people," stated Roger Lawson, president of Proactive Systems. "Companies that have implemented Proactive products include well known organizations such as Cognos, Glaxo, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, Martin Marietta, and Lockheed," added Lawson.

Proactive System's flagship product is Fantasia Laser Server, which allows users of mid-range systems to print electronic forms, text, bar codes, and business documents in-house. This technology, coupled with JetForm's client-server architecture, expands JetForm's leadership position in providing electronic forms solutions across local and wide-area networks, as well as the Internet.

"Our combined products and resources are very synergistic," commented Weaver. "Fantasia is a great extension to JetForm's electronic forms server architecture and product family. Complemented by our electronic forms design tool, forms routing workflow and internet- based products, we can offer the over 2,000 Proactive Systems customers a natural extension to their existing applications."

For more information about JetForm, please call: 1-800-538-3676 or 1-613-230-3676, visit the JetForm Web site at http://www.jetform.com or send e-mail to info@jetform.com.

JetForm Corporation, headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, is a leader in electronic forms automation worldwide, with major offices in North America, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Pacific Rim. JetForm products design, fill, route, print and manage forms, helping organizations reduce costs and increase efficiency by automating forms processing across local and wide area networks as well as the Internet. JetForm provides scaleable software solutions, for large enterprises and small businesses, in most popular e-mail and operating system environments. JetForm software is available in several languages to support international markets, including English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, Spanish, Finnish, and Norwegian. JetForm products include JetForm Design, JetForm Filler, JetForm Server and JetForm BizForms.


JetForm Integrated with MS Exchange Server
JetForm Integrates Leading Electronic Form Solutions With Microsoft Exchange

Offers Customers Powerful Client/Server Forms Routing Workflow

LAS VEGAS, NV, NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 2, 1996 -- JetForm Corporation (NASDAQ:FORMF) today announced it has integrated its forms design and fill products with Microsoft Exchange Server, enabling JetForm customers to take full advantage of JetForm's powerful front-end tools with Microsoft Corp.'s back-end server technology and integrated groupware features.

Using the new JetForm Forms Installer, part of JetForm Design 4.2, customers can install JetForm forms into Microsoft Exchange personal or public folders for easy access, distribution, and replication. Microsoft Exchange Server public folders provide server-to-server replication and enable form sharing throughout geographically dispersed organizations. JetForm's customers using Microsoft Exchange Server can now create enterprise forms libraries to manage the control and distribution of JetForm forms.

"Customers want electronic forms packages which integrate with and extend the forms design environment in Microsoft Exchange," said Rob Shurtleff, general manager, Microsoft Exchange Server Connectivity at Microsoft. "JetForm Forms Installer meets these customer requirements and delivers a solution on which customers can base their business."

Users of JetForm Design 4.2 and Microsoft Exchange Server can nominate JetForm form fields for use with Microsoft Exchange. Nominated fields become accessible by Microsoft Exchange and can serve a variety of purposes. For instance, each nominated field can appear as a Custom Property in the Microsoft Exchange Viewer. Data that is entered into nominated form fields using JetForm Filler 4.2 can then be used to group, sort, and filter forms using the Microsoft Exchange Viewer.

Forms routing workflow can also be performed with JetForm Filler 4.2 and Microsoft Exchange e-mail, allowing users to exchange form information. From within the Microsoft Exchange Viewer, users can compose new JetForm form-based messages, sort and filter existing messages based on Custom Properties, and invoke JetForm Filler 4.2 to view or edit those messages. Filled forms can be posted to Microsoft Exchange Server personal or public folders for group access.

Customers can also define automated rules on their inbox to post JetForm forms to specific folders based on the type of form or information in the form fields. For instance, a purchasing manager can create a personal folder of incoming purchase request forms. When a JetForm purchase request form arrives, it will be posted automatically into the purchase request folder instead of into an unsorted e-mail list as is found in traditional e-mail systems. A view can be defined to display the purchase request number, the requester, the date, and the amount without ever opening the form.

"Customers will really benefit from JetForm's tight integration of its enterprise electronic forms solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server," said Ken Leese, President of Transform Research. "Together, these products offer a powerful client/server solution for mail-based workflow with great forms distribution and management."

The new version of JetForm Design 4.2 for Windows is priced at $495 and includes a single-user license of JetForm Filler. JetForm Filler 4.2 for Windows is priced from $89 to $149, dealer discounts may apply. All pricing is suggested U.S. list only. Both products are scheduled to ship this month.

JetForm Corporation is a leader in electronic forms automation worldwide. JetForm products design, fill, send, print and manage forms, helping organizations reduce costs and increase efficiency by automating forms processing across local and wide area networks as well as the Internet. JetForm provides scaleable software solutions for large enterprises and small businesses in most popular e-mail and operating environments.  JetForm products include JetForm Design, JetForm Filler, JetForm Server and JetForm BizForms.

For additional information about JetForm, please call: 1-800-538-3676 or 1-613-230-3676, visit the JetForm Web site at http://www.jetform.com or send e-mail to info@jetform.com.


Legato/Octopus Strategic Marketing Alliance
Legato Systems And Octopus Technologies Announce Strategic Marketing Alliance To Deliver Combined Storage Management Functions And Server Mirroring

PALO ALTO, CA, APRIL 2, 1996--Legato Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: LGTO), a leader in the enterprise storage management software market, and Octopus Technologies, Inc., a leader in the software market for the Microsoft Windows NT operating system, today announced they will combine Legato's storage management application software with Octopus' server mirroring to provide for business continuance in a Windows NT-based systems environment. Legato and Octopus Windows NT-based products are packaged together to provide high availability and data protection, as well as ease of ordering at a reduced price.

Bob Chronister of Chronister Consultants said, "With the movement to centralized management of Windows NT-based products, fault tolerance becomes a critical factor in the planning of the network. Concern is being raised about protection and replication of files, data and the OS. The traditional manner of satisfying this concern has been through the use of automated tape backups. NetWorker is one of the premier applications that can handle enterprise wide backup and restore with its centralized storage and use of client distributed push technology. Octopus is a full fledged replicating service that recently has offered Automatic Switch Over (ASO) of systems. In other words, failure on one system results in functional takeover by a different system. This obviously provides users with automatic recovery from a system disaster. The two applications together provide much of the needed software maintenance for fault tolerance. Their combined marketing shows an understanding of the synergistic workings of both NetWorker and Octopus. This, indeed, is an important step forward for the community using Windows NT in the centralized Enterprise Management of Windows-NT based networks," concluded Chronister.

"Microsoft is pleased that the ISV community is working together to provide solutions for our customers using the Windows NT Server," said Mike Nash, group product manager in the business systems division at Microsoft Corporation. "Octopus and Legato are among the leaders in their respective markets, and with these new products provide customers the high availability and protection they require for Windows NT Server-based environments."

Super Bundle One: Octopus Server and Legato Data Backup Utility

Lou Cole, president and CEO of Legato Systems, said, "Corporations of all sizes benefit from the combination of enterprise storage management and server mirroring providing their employees continuous access to mission critical data. With NetWorker's ability to centrally manage all storage systems, and Octopus' Automated Switch Over capability, administration is greatly simplified."

Super Bundle One will consist of the Octopus Server product together with the Legato Data Backup Utility (LDBU) for Windows NT. This will provide a "single server" functionality enabling a Windows NT-based server to mirror and backup itself to a single high-speed tape drive. The price for Bundle One is &#36;995 U.S. list.

Octopus Server provides data fault tolerance and real time data protection for Windows NT-based networks. Updates to source files are mirrored to disks across LANs and WANs at user-specified targets. An up-to-date copy of mirrored files is available on the network in the event of data loss or hardware failure at the source location. Octopus Server can mirror data: one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many with no additional hardware requirements. Octopus supports Intel, Alpha, MIPS, and PowerPC platforms. Octopus also provides Data Fault Tolerance for the Microsoft BackOffice suite of products, and is certified as Microsoft BackOffice-compatible.

Legato Data Backup Utility (LDBU) is a new data backup utility for entry-level users of Windows NT-based storage management software. LDBU for Windows NT offers first-time customers backup function and performance previously available only at a retail price of several hundred dollars in the marketplace. Customers whose requirements are limited to backing up a single Windows NT-based server to a single tape drive will find the LDBU for Windows NT a very effective solution and an easy way to begin using high-function backup software. The LDBU also ensures an easy migration path to Legato's NetWorker for Windows NT products as a customer's requirements grow.

Super Bundle Two: Octopus ASO (Automatic Switch Over) and NetWorker for Windows NT Server Edition

Dave Crocker, president and CEO of Octopus Technologies, said, "Super Bundle Two provides users fault tolerance for all of their Windows NT-based data by eliminating any single source of failure in their network configurations. In addition, users can maintain the implementation of prudent backup strategies in parallel with 24 x 7 server and data availability."

Super Bundle Two will consist of two Octopus Servers plus the ASO product, together with the NetWorker for Windows NT Server Edition. This combination will provide a "target server" functionality for server mirroring and the ability to provide high-speed backup of the target server using Legato NetWorker for Windows NT to high-speed tape drives and autoloaders with full parallelism. The price for Bundle Two is $3,000 U.S. list.

Octopus ASO eliminates all manual detail from the task of switching control from a failed primary server to a server dedicated to the support of that primary server. The design eliminates the need for a human "watchdog" to monitor systems at all times to ensure the continuity of server performances. The effect of Octopus ASO is to provide continuous service to clients worldwide with minimal negative impact on productivity. Secondly, Octopus ASO insulates against the consequences of CPU failures and insures data integrity by eliminating the threats that any single point of failure may present to both.

NetWorker for Windows NT is the first native Windows NT server-based enterprise storage management application designed specifically for protecting mission-critical data and applications on Windows NT-based workgroups or mixed platform enterprises. NetWorker for Windows NT sets a new standard for protecting data for Windows NT-based data by offering the following capabilities: comprehensive data protection for multi-platform environments, widest platform support in the industry, consistent network-wide administration, high performance, mainframe- class media management, and unique modularity. In addition, NetWorker for Windows NT will offer the best "out of the box" integration with Microsoft BackOffice family. The Server Edition is ideal for homogeneous Windows NT workgroups where reliable, standalone backup is desired, including protection of Microsoft BackOffice applications.

Background on Octopus Technologies

Octopus Technologies, headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania, has developed software that aids in insuring continuous operations in business critical environments. The Octopus family of products provides high data availability, immediate access, and minimal recovery time. Octopus also provides options as an efficient data transport device for data distribution, localized processing and decision based processing considerations. Octopus products are the world leaders in real time fault tolerance, disaster recovery, continuous backup, and data availability products in support of Microsoft Windows NT. Octopus products are Microsoft BackOffice-certified for the Windows NT environment.

Background on Legato Systems

Legato Systems, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, California, develops, markets and supports network storage management software products for heterogeneous client/server computing environments. Legato believes it is currently a technology leader in the network storage management software market because of the heterogeneity, scalability, performance and ease of use of its software products. The Company's flagship software product, NetWorker, supports many storage management server platforms and can accommodate a variety of clients, servers and storage devices. Legato's long term strategy is to create an integrated set of solutions centered around storage management that enhance and simplify network computing as a whole.

LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.

3145 Porter Drive

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Phone: 415-812-6000

Fax Number: 415-812-6032

Fax-on-demand: 415-812-6156


Legato NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare
Legato Systems Announces NetWare Storage Management Enhancements to NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare

WINDOWS 95 ALSO ADDRESSED WITH NEWLY RELEASED NETWORKER CLIENT FOR WINDOWS 95

Legato Systes, a leader in the enterprise storage management software market, today announced NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare, an updated release of its network storage management software that boosts performance by 15 percent and features a new media database that is as much as 300 percent faster than earlier releases. This product represents Legato's continued commitment to broaden the scope of its solutions for the enterprise network marketplace.

"The latest release of NetWorker for NetWare is simpler to implement, more powerful, more scalable, yet is faster than earlier versions of our leading storage management solution for NetWare and mixed environments containing UNIX, Macintosh, Windows NT, and DOS/Windows systems," said Edward Cooper, Corporate Director of Strategic Communications for Legato Systems. "It also provides greater interoperability than ever before, supporting Legato's recently released Macintosh, Windows 95, and Windows NT Client software."

"Legato continues to demonstrate its leadership in storage management with this release. Performance, ease of use, scalability, flexibility, and manageability are the top characteristics administrators want in these products. All have been addressed in NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare, a world class solution," stated Michael Peterson, president of leading independent industry research firm Strategic Research Corporation, Santa Barbara, California.

NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare includes a new feature called SmartMedia which allows for "pools" of backup tapes to be created, each with its own set of rules specifying how tapes in the pool are to be used. Several common rules are predefined, but these can be edited to suit particular needs. Alternatively, entirely new sets of rules can be easily created.

"NetWorker's SmartMedia has provided us with an explicit way to group data from one or more clients onto a particular set of media," said Michael Kaunitz, director of networking at Donovan Data Systems, New York, NY. "In addition, the media pools let us group different types of backup jobs onto different sets of media, and allow us to bundle data for routing to the fastest storage media available. Furthermore, unlike most competitive offerings, NetWorker can support operations for several media pools concurrently."

Bill Mason, senior director, ISV Marketing, Novell, Inc., Provo, UT, said, "As the popularity of NetWare 4 continues to grow in enterprise networks, the need for enhanced storage management capabilities in these networks has increased as well. NetWorker Version 4.0 for NetWare addresses this requirement with a product that will meet the high performance expectations of NetWare users."

NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare includes a Windows-based Setup program that empowers administrators to install the product on any NetWare server on the network from any CD-ROM-equipped workstation. Once installed, NetWorker for NetWare also streamlines server configurations by automatically supporting savesets greater than 4 gigabytes.

With its enhanced Autochanger support option, NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare can back up to, and restore from, as many as five autochangers simultaneously to provide an effective storage capacity growth path and greater redundancy alternatives. Four new autochangers are also supported (Quantum DLT2500XT, DLT2700XT, DLT4500, and DLT4700).

NetWorker Client for Windows 95

NetWorker Client for Windows 95 is a new product from Legato that enables Windows 95 users to protect their data to any NetWorker storage management server--including NetWorker for NetWare--running under a range of operating systems. The product is a true "active client" with full-featured programs that permit end-users to manually back up and recover their own files, without administrator intervention.

Pricing and Availability

Legato is now shipping NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare. Pricing for NetWorker 4.0 for NetWare varies from U.S. list $750 to $8,000, depending upon license size.

Legato is also taking orders for NetWorker Client for Windows 95, with shipping to begin in April, 1996. Pricing will be based on the product with which it is bundled, as follows: NetWorker for NetWare--list price starting at U.S. $750; NetWorker for Windows NT--list price starting at U.S. $995; ClientPak for PC Desktops-- list price U.S. $1500.

Background on Legato Systems

Legato Systems, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, California, develops, markets and supports network storage management software products for heterogeneous client/server computing environments. Legato believes it is currently a technology leader in the network storage management software market because of the heterogeneity, scalability, performance and ease of use of its software products. The Company's flagship software product, NetWorker, supports many storage management server platforms and can accommodate a variety of clients, servers and storage devices. Legato's long term strategy is to create an integrated set of solutions centered around storage management that enhance and simplify network computing as a whole.

LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.

3145 Porter Drive

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Phone: 415-812-6000

Fax Number: 415-812-6032

Fax-on-demand: 415-812-6156


Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 Plus Series
Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus Series Offers New Forms-Handling Flexibility, Increased Speed

LEXINGTON, KY., APRIL 1, 1996 . . . Lexmark International, Inc. today introduced the Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus, a series of enhanced 9- and 24-pin dot matrix printers that brings unmatched forms handling, increased speed resulting in up to 30 percent improvement in throughput and exceptional reliability to the popular Forms Printers 2300 line.

In addition, this series offers a feature exclusive to this class of printer: Tractor 2, a dual-tractor option, allowing customers to switch between two separate forms with the touch of a button. For the most demanding multipart forms jobs, the Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus family is an ideal choice.

While other printers only handle up to four- or five-part forms, the 2380/2381 plus 9-pin models can print as many as six. The Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus paper path provides virtually jam-free printing. These printers offer customers a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) rating of 10,000 hours -- the highest rating of any printer in its class.

The new series includes built-in IBM and Epson emulations to make it compatible with virtually all popular software programs on the market today. The printers can connect to all major network systems via Lexmark's MarkNet XLe print servers.

The line includes four printers: Model 2380 plus (9-pin narrow carriage), Model 2381 plus (9-pin wide carriage), Model 2390 plus (24-pin narrow carriage) and the Model 2391 plus (24-pin wide carriage). All of the new printers are available now. List prices start at $399.

For users who need solid dependable forms printing -particularly in forms-intensive industries such as transportation, retail, government, health, education, insurance and banking -- the Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus series offers the robustness, speed and flexibility to make forms printing a breeze. The 9-pin 2380/2381 models print up to 350 characters-per- second (cps), while the 24-pin 2390/2391 models print up to 300 cps.

Lexmark's new Tractor 2 option -- an exclusive feature in this performance category -- allows users to simultaneously load two forms and switch between them with the touch of a button. This new option is perfect for customers who print labels and forms at the same workstation and ideal for applications where two forms are commonly used.

UNMATCHED PAPER HANDLING

The 2300 printers offer multiple paper paths, allowing users to choose the best path for the selected media. For thick multipart continuous-sheet forms, users can select the standard tractor, attached in either the push or pull position. For cut sheets, the printers include an easy front-load sheet feed. There's also a bottom feed path to handle high-volume continuous forms straight from their carton. No other printer at this price/performance level can deliver such versatility.

In addition, the Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus can print on labels, postcards and envelopes. Users can also print bar codes. The 2300 printers come with support for seven commonly used bar code fonts -- including U.S. Postal Service-certified POSTNET -- already built in. Both the wide- and narrow-carriage models let you print on media sizes ranging from short and narrow (3x3 inch) to extra-long (22 inches).

The new printers include a full two-year LexExpress Warranty. Under the terms of this warranty, if customers should have a problem with their printer, LexExpress guarantees 24-hour shipment of a replacement printer at Lexmark's cost.

Low operating costs, reliable printing and improved performance are the foundations of the Lexmark Forms Printers 2300 plus family. Printer ribbons are interchangeable between narrow and wide carriage models and are compatible with previous 2300 printers, allowing users to save money by efficiently managing their inventory of supplies.

For more information about Lexmark printer products, call (800) 891-0331. Product information and press releases can be found on the Lexmark home page at http://www.lexmark.com, the Lexmark bulletin board service at (606) 232-5238 and Lexmark's CompuServe forum, "Go Lexmark."

Lexmark International is a global developer, manufacturer and supplier of laser, inkjet and dot matrix printers and associated consumable supplies for the office and home markets. Sales in 1995 were $2.2 billion. The company's executive offices are in Greenwich, Connecticut. Manufacturing facilities are in Lexington, Kentucky; Boulder, Colorado; Orleans, France; Sydney, Australia; Rosyth, Scotland and Juarez, Mexico.


ChoiceNet Customizable Internet Access Ctrl
NETWORLD+INTEROP -- BOOTH #5089

LIVINGSTON'S SERVER-BASED "CHOICENET" TECHNOLOGY OFFERS CUSTOMIZABLE CONTROL OVER INTERNET ACCESS

PLEASANTON, Calif., April 2, 1996 -- A new network filtering technology that offers customized control over Internet access -- providing an alternative to government-imposed censorship by implementing Internet content-selection mechanisms for children or corporate employees -- has been introduced by Livingston Enterprises.

Livingston's ChoiceNet is the first technology to take a centralized, server-based approach to Internet access control, enabling access to a user's authorized "site lists" from a single point, rather than requiring filtering software and site lists to be installed and updated at every PC.

ChoiceNet is also unique in permitting fully customized access for every user, so that a parent, employer or Internet service provider (ISP) can select preferred site lists -- and can even choose different allowable lists for different members of a family, staff, organization or subscriber base. And because it uses a "permit access" approach to accessible sites, ChoiceNet is inherently safer than existing Internet content-control products whose "deny access" technology allows access to anything not specifically designated as off- limits.

Invisible to the End User

ChoiceNet is a client-server application platform that functions invisibly to the end user on Livingston PortMaster dial-up Communications Servers, PortMaster Office Routers and IRX Firewall Routers. ChoiceNet is designed to be offered as a value-added service by ISPs, which will allow the more than 1,500 ISPs currently deploying Livingston products to offer the technology immediately to their more than 3, 000,000 users.

For dial-in users, ChoiceNet extends the dial-in authorization capability of Livingston's RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) security and accounting protocol by implementing downloadable user-specific filters from a central server, rather than utilizing shared filters residing on the dial-in device. This enables an organization to customize filter lists for individual users, and to easily manage and update those lists at a single central site.

For users on local-area networks (LANs) connected to the Internet with Livingston IRX or Office Routers, content-control lists can be applied for the entire LAN or customized for each LAN-connected PC. Costs for businesses or schools using ChoiceNet are significantly lower than those associated with existing Internet content-control solutions, which require constant updates and changes by an on-site Internet administrator. ChoiceNet content control is implemented in an existing piece of required Internet equipment -- the router -- which further reduces the need for a business or school to purchase additional products.

Application Platform for Content Control, Special-Purpose Networks, ISP Value-Added Services

ChoiceNet can be used to enforce Internet content control in a variety of environments. At home, it can keep children from seeing sexually explicit material on Internet web sites. At work, it can boost employee productivity by limiting access to game or stock-quote sites from company computers, or reduce potential employer liability by blocking access to pornography sites.

But, ChoiceNet's utility is not limited to content control. ChoiceNet can give ISPs a competitive edge by letting them use their existing network infrastructure to offer value-added services such as a multi-player game server or a fee-based content server. Previously this would have required installation of a separate infrastructure to keep users from roaming at will among Internet sites once access had been established; now it can be done simply by setting up different accounts for different services and using ChoiceNet to control access to those services.

ISPs can also use ChoiceNet to lease out network usage for specific purposes. For example, a corporation can offer prospective customers access to its on-line marketing materials -- but not to the rest of the Internet -- using the ISP's existing dial-in points of presence (POPs). The ISP can track access and bill the corporation using Livingston's RADIUS accounting services.

Server-Based Technology More Scalable, Manageable Than PC Applications

Bruce Byrd, Livingston director of marketing, said, "As a general-purpose access-control technology, ChoiceNet can serve as the enabling platform for many new applications as the Internet broadens in size and scope. Many early users, however, will focus on Internet content control for children and corporate employees. The chief failing of existing content-control products, such as Surfwatch and Cybersitter, is that they are PC applications: the filtering software and all site lists must reside on every PC. And whenever there's a site update, an ever-larger list file must be downloaded over the Internet to each PC, taking several minutes and consuming hard-disk space. In addition, these programs may themselves need to be updated to work with newer versions of web browsers or PC operating systems.

"With ChoiceNet, neither the filtering application nor the authorized (or unauthorized) sites reside on the PC. When a user tries to access a given site, the local dial-in communications server or router goes to the ChoiceNet server to check that user's site list. This is infinitely scalable and much easier to manage."

ChoiceNet addresses three additional drawbacks of PC-based products. First, these products offer fixed sets of vendor-selected lists which cannot be customized for a particular user (e.g., to permit access to safe-sex instruction but block all other sex-oriented material). Second, they use a "deny access" approach where any undesirable material must specifically be disallowed; thus newly added -- and potentially undesirable -- Internet sites are automatically accessible until the next time the vendor updates its software. ChoiceNet avoids this problem by offering a "permit access" approach that assumes nothing is allowed unless specifically indicated ("deny access" can be used, however, if the user prefers). Finally, PC-resident software is inherently insecure, subject to deactivation by a computer-knowledgeable adult or a precocious child "hacker."

How ChoiceNet Works

The four components of ChoiceNet are the ChoiceNet server, which resides on a UNIX workstation and holds downloadable user-specific filters and site lists that can contain thousands of host names or addresses; the ChoiceNet client, included with the ComOS system software on all Livingston routers and communications servers; the Livingston RADIUS server, which contains user profiles and performs user authentication and accounting; and an optional PC notification application that tells users when access to a site has been denied.

When a user logs into a network and is authenticated, the specific filter name specified in his RADIUS user profile is downloaded to the local PortMaster communications server from the RADIUS server. If the user's filter is not resident on the PortMaster, it is downloaded from the ChoiceNet server. When the user tries to access a particular Internet site, the filter is queried to see whether such access is permitted for that user. The PortMaster requests a lookup of the site list stored on the ChoiceNet server and, based on the result, either permits the access or denies it and sends the user a message

Availability -- But No Pricing (It's Free!)

ChoiceNet is a standard feature included free with all Livingston communications servers and routers shipped beginning in May. Users of already installed Livingston equipment can obtain the ChoiceNet server via the Internet from Livingston's web site, http://www.livingston.com/.

The ChoiceNet server operates on most UNIX platforms, including SunOS, Solaris, Solaris x86, SGI Irix, AIX, HP/UX, Alpha OSF/1, Linux, and BSDI.

LIVINGSTON'S CHOICENET PHILOSOPHY

LIVINGSTON'S CHOICENET AND THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT (CDA) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Livingston Enterprises, Inc., founded in 1986, specializes in dial-up access and LAN-to-LAN interconnectivity. Best known for its Internet connectivity products, Livingston supplies its PortMaster Communications Server and FireWall IRX Router technology to more than 1,500 Internet Service Providers worldwide. Livingston products come with free software updates and lifetime technical support. The privately-held company is located in Pleasanton, Calif.


Lotus NotesView 4.0 Management Tool
LOTUS ANNOUNCES LOTUS NOTESVIEW 4.0

GRAPHICAL TOOL ENABLES CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT OF LOTUS NOTES NETWORKS

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- Lotus Development Corp. today announced Lotus NotesView 4.0, a graphical management tool that makes it easier for Notes Network Administrators to control and monitor Lotus Notes networks. NotesView 4.0 is the first tool to provide centralized, real-time management of enterprise Notes networks, including support for the enhanced administration and management features of Lotus Notes Release 4, such as the administrative control panel, mail tracing and Web retriever requests made by the InterNotes Web Navigator.

NotesView 4.0 also supports existing Notes Release 3 facilities to allow administrators to leverage existing systems and ease their migration to Release 4. In addition, NotesView 4.0 allows monitoring of other aspects of the Notes messaging environment through support of the Lotus Notes Message Transfer Agents (MTAs) for SMTP/MIME, X.400 and cc:Mail (See "Lotus Notes MTAs Enter Widespread Field Test," 4/2/96). NotesView is unique in its ability to enable network administrators to manage and control their company's messaging, groupware and Internet infrastructure from a single, integrated, easy-to-use environment.

"NotesView 4.0 brings the current graphical, centralized management capabilities for Notes to the next level," said Steve Sayre, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, Lotus Development Corp. "With the hundreds of enhancements to Notes Release 4 in administration, scalability and Internet integration, a tool like NotesView is invaluable to customers to manage their entire Notes environment."

EXPLOITING THE POWER OF NOTES RELEASE 4

NotesView Release 1.0 for the Notes Release 3 environment provided administrators with the ability to monitor and control Notes Servers and gain real-time access to Notes network information from one or decentralized, multiple management stations. NotesView Release 4.0 updates those capabilities to monitor features that create the performance improvements, such as multiple replicators and the single copy object store, as well as the administration tools introduced in Notes Release 4. Some of the new NotesView 4.0 features that are specific to managing the Notes Release 4 environment include:

* CONTROL OVER THE SINGLE COPY OBJECT STORE - To reduce the number of copies of a message needed, Notes Release 4 implements a single copy object store that stores a message once and provides recipients with pointers for access. NotesView has the ability to monitor the current size of the object store, the percentage used, the number of items with multiple links, as well as execute a purge.

* SERVER PASSTHRU MONITORING - Notes' Server Passthru feature designates one server to be a point of entry to the network allowing a user or administrator to access any server on the network, regardless of location or network protocols. NotesView has the ability to display which servers have Passthru capabilities and what remote servers the Passthru server can access. In addition NotesView can determine which groups and users have access through the Passthru server.

* ACCESS TO ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL PANEL - Notes Release 4 provides a single graphical console to perform many administrative tasks such as managing users and groups, as well as viewing message logs and managing several servers simultaneously. NotesView has the ability to launch the Administrative Control Panel and through that, manipulate and change the configuration of Notes Servers.

* MONITORING OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTS - Notes Release 4 implements administrative agents to, for example, make all necessary changes to user names in server access groups, groups and access control lists (ACLs) when needed. NotesView provides notification if the agent fails.

* REPLICATOR CONTROL - Notes Release 4 implements multiple replicators that can perform simultaneous replication over a number of servers. NotesView has the ability to view the status of multiple replicators. In addition, NotesView has capabilities for:

* JOB SCHEDULER ACTIVITY - NotesView has the ability to display when the next scheduled mail routing and replication cycles will occur.

* DATABASE ACTIVITY - NotesView has the ability to monitor replication activity, reads, writes, and usage since last reboot.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE INTERNET

In addition to the enhanced administration and management features in Notes Release 4, NotesView 4.0 can also access and manage the InterNotes Web Navigator. The InterNotes Web Navigator adds browser functionality to the Notes client allowing users to search and retrieve content from the World Wide Web with all links intact, incorporate it into the Notes environment, and share it with others through the collaborative power of Notes, including caching for mobile and disconnected use. NotesView 4.0 enables administrators to monitor and control Web retriever tasks including tracking the number of HTTP, Gopher, and FTP requests. It also can quantify the load received or sent per hour; the URL requests that have failed or succeeded; and it can start or stop the Web retriever task.

MANAGING THE EXTENDED REACH OF THE LOTUS NOTES MTA'S

NotesView 4.0 also expands its monitoring capability beyond the Notes network through support of the Lotus Notes MTAs. The Lotus Notes MTAs provide extended messaging connectivity to the Internet (SMTP/MIME) and X.400-based enterprise messaging systems for Lotus Notes and Lotus cc:Mail. NotesView 4.0 can monitor the status of the MTA mail routers, the total mail delivered, and the average delivery time. In addition, NotesView 4.0 incorporates usability enhancements and expanded platform support for the SNMP and Mail Reflector server agents. The agents now run on OS/2, Windows NT, NetWare, HP-UX, AIX and Solaris. In the future, NotesView 4.0 also will provide support for IBM's SystemView for AIX.

AVAILABILITY

NotesView will be available mid year 1996 through Lotus Business Partners and Lotus Authorized Corporate Resellers. For more information, in North America, call Lotus at 1-800-346-1305. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Lotus Notes provides an ideal communications infrastructure by combining enterprise-ready, client/server messaging and the global access and distribution of the World Wide Web, together with a platform for rapidly developing and deploying strategic groupware applications. Notes enables individuals and organizations to communicate with colleagues, collaborate in teams, and coordinate business processes within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve improved business results.

Lotus Notes supports all major operating systems: IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac OS, UNIX platforms including IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer, and Microsoft Windows and Windows NT. Notes is also available as a NetWare loadable module for the Novell environment. Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

All prices and terms are for the U.S. only. Notes software prices are estimated for retail prices for volume purchases through Lotus' Passport program.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

A copy of this release and other company information is also available via fax by dialing 1-800-57-LOTUS within the U.S. and Canada or 201-946-2336 outside the U.S. and Canada. Questions concerning the service should be directed to Lotus' corporate communications department at 617-693-5625.


Lotus Leads with 15 Million Comm Seats
LOTUS LEADS WITH 15 MILLION COMMUNICATIONS SEATS

NOTES RELEASE 4.1 LAUNCHED WITH SUPPORT FOR NINE NEW CLIENTS, FIVE NEW SERVERS, INCLUDING DIGITAL ALPHASERVER SYSTEMS

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- Lotus Development Corp. has announced its installed base of communications software seats, including Lotus Notes and Lotus cc:Mail, now exceeds 15 million, more than one and one-half times the installed base of its nearest competitor.

At the NetWorld + Interop show and conference opening here today, Lotus also announced it will begin shipments this month of Lotus Notes Release 4.1, adding support for nine new clients and five new server platforms, including Digital Equipment Corp. AlphaServer systems running Microsoft Windows NT. Notes Release 4.1 also includes the new InterNotes Web Publisher Release 4.0, enabling businesses to create, manage and administer their internal Intranet and public Web sites using Lotus Notes.

Lotus Notes provides an ideal communications infrastructure by combining enterprise-ready, client/server messaging and the global access and distribution of the World Wide Web, together with a platform for rapidly developing and deploying strategic groupware applications. This enables users to communicate, collaborate and coordinate within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve dramatically improved business results.

Notes Release 4, which shipped in January, has topped Microsoft Exchange and Novell Groupwise in every computer industry trade magazine review, based on its multi-platform support and superior combination of client/server messaging, Internet integration, and groupware.

Lotus Chief Operating Officer Jeff Papows said, "Information Technology managers charged with building a robust infrastructure for messaging, groupware and the Web are rejecting incomplete or roll-your-own approaches and selecting Lotus Notes because it meets the needs of individual departments, as well as the enterprise as a whole. Whether you have the power of a Notes client or just a Web browser, Notes unifies management, directory, administration, security and business application development for customers integrating messaging, groupware and the Web."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., has used Notes since 1991 and currently has 6,000 users with plans to move to 12,000 seats this year.

According to Paul Wohlleben, director of the Office of Information Resources Management at the EPA, "One of our new Notes Release 4 pilots will help us better manage the process of making EPA grants. Constituents such as other government organizations, independent groups such as Indian tribes, and even individual citizens can connect over the World Wide Web to our Notes environment using any standard Internet browser. Then we can use Notes internally to handle the workflow associated with processing applications through the lifecycle of the grant. Notes' superior support for forms, unique ability to handle workflow routing and management, and security via certificate-based authentication makes it a powerful tool that goes far beyond simple messaging or a static Web page."

A MESSAGING PRODUCT YOU WON'T HAVE TO EXCHANGE

In anticipation of Microsoft's initial entry into the client/server messaging market, Lotus is delivering to attendees at Networld+Interop more than 50,000 copies of its Notes Mail demonstration CD and offering free training sessions in a classroom setting. Notes Mail, which is a client in the Lotus Notes family, provides users with a simple and consistent set of mailbox and message management tools to process and organize large volumes of mail, as well as participate in discussions and access the Web.

IT managers and administrators will find the CD particularly valuable for exploring Notes connectivity, management, security, and scalability, as well as typical business applications. Las Vegas taxicab drivers have been hired to issue the free CD, which will also be made available through the Web and Lotus Business Partners.

Lotus also announced at Networld+Interop a new Migration program and toolset to help users of Microsoft Mail, as well as Lotus cc:Mail and IBM Office Vision migrate to Lotus Notes. Additionally, Lotus announced an updated version of its NotesView 4.0 graphical management tool for Notes networks.

Lotus Notes Release 4.1 begins shipping April 19. This latest release adds support for:

NEW NOTES 4.1 CLIENTS: Apple Macintosh 68000 and PowerPC, IBM OS/2 Warp and Warp Connect, Microsoft Windows NT Intel and Alpha, IBM AIX, HP-UX and Sun Solaris x86 and SPARCsystems

NEW NOTES 4.1 SERVERS: OS/2 SMP, Novell NetWare, Windows '95, NT Alpha, and Solaris x.86.

Notes Release 4.1 will be available in Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, International English, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. The International English versionwill support Thai. Lotus Notes Release 4.0 has been shipping since January on the following platforms:

EXISTING CLIENT PLATFORMS: Microsoft Windows 3.1 and Windows 95

SERVER PLATFORMS: HP-UX, IBM AIX, IBM OS/2 Warp and Warp Connect, Sun Solaris, and Microsoft Windows NT.

Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

All prices and terms are for the U.S. only. Notes software prices are estimated for retail prices for volume purchases through Lotus' Passport program.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

A copy of this release and other company information is also available via fax by dialing 1-800-57-LOTUS within the U.S. and Canada or 201-946-2336 outside the U.S. and Canada. Questions concerning the service should be directed to Lotus' corporate communications department at 617-693-5625.


LOTUS NOTES MTAS ENTER WIDESPREAD FIELD TEST

PROVIDES NATIVE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN LOTUS NOTES/CC:MAIL, INTERNET AND X.400 MESSAGING PROTOCOLS

LAS VEGAS, NV., April 2, 1996 -- Lotus Development Corp. today announced its native Internet Simple Mail Transfer Protocol/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (SMTP/MIME), X.400 and cc:Mail message transfer agents (MTAs) have entered widespread field test. The Lotus Notes MTAs provide extended messaging connectivity to the Internet and X.400-based enterprise messaging systems for Lotus Notes and Lotus cc:Mail.

Unlike connectors in competitive messaging systems, Lotus provides true MTAs, which allow Notes R4 servers to exist natively within other messaging networks. For instance, the SMTP MTA allows administrators to build an Intranet SMTP infrastructure using Notes R4 servers, as well as providing traditional gateway functions between Lotus Notes Mail and SMTP. Users benefit from the ability to natively relay messages in any one of the three supported environments -- Lotus Notes/cc:Mail, SMTP/MIME and X.400. Because the messages are not translated by a gateway, they retain maximum message fidelity.

"Our messaging needs require a solution that can handle various enterprise and interenterprise messaging environments," said Scott Hertz, product manager for BellSouth Atlanta. "As our network topology becomes increasingly sophisticated, relying solely on gateways as a solution becomes an administrative challenge. The SMTP/MIME MTA will allow our 3,000 users to effectively and efficiently communicate with Internet and other intranet users without compromising message integrity."

"Lotus provides customers the means to leverage heterogeneous environments across the enterprise and interenterprise," said Michael Zisman, executive vice president and CEO, Lotus Development Corp. "Many messaging vendors today only provide a gateway approach which can be cumbersome and limited. The Lotus Notes MTAs represent the next evolution in delivering messaging flexibility and connectivity to network administrators and users that is unmatched in the industry."

By eliminating the need for gateway connectors, Lotus Notes MTAs provide network administrators with greater ease and flexibility in centrally and remotely managing large scale messaging environments. Benefits include:

* SUPPORT FOR GROUPWARE FEATURES - Allows recipients to perform a "reply-to-all" and allows senders to address messages directly from, for example, as they appear on a business card;

* DISCONNECTED, REMOTE ACCESS AND SINGLE POINT OF MANAGEMENT - Gives administrators more flexibility to manage networks regardless of physical location on or outside the network;

* DYNAMIC ROUTING - Increases message efficiency and speed of delivery by automatically routing messages through the best possible and available path;

* DELEGATION OF MIME/UUENCODING DOMAIN PREFERENCES - Saves the administrator the task of predefining MIME or uuencode preferences for every recipient domain by allowing users to choose either preference. This helps reduce administration and increases the number of successfully delivered messages;

* MESSAGE ENCAPSULATION - Allows Notes and cc:Mail messages to cross either X.400 or SMTP networks without losing fidelity, field attributes or security features. For example, many firewalls only permit SMTP messages to pass. In this case where SMTP is the only protocol available between Notes-to-Notes environments, the MTA encapsulates Notes Mail messages, passes the message, and allows the recipient to open the Notes message as if it came directly from a Notes server;

* SERVER SUBFORMS - Eases administrative tasks with an easy-to-use interface similar to the interface in Lotus NotesView and Lotus cc:Mail View;

* DOMAIN MANAGEMENT - Controls both server global and foreign domain set-up and management for simple and flexible execution.

Although effective, gateways only bridge dissimilar networks. The strength of the MTAs are their inherent ability to act as "brouters," which bridge dissimilar networks like a gateway, but are also capable of relaying native messages like a router; a faster solution that keeps messaging contents unaltered. The MTAs replace the current Notes SMTP gateway and the Lotus Mail Exchange Facility (LMEF) that previously allowed Notes users SMTP and cc:Mail communications.

AVAILABILITY

The Lotus MTAs are scheduled to ship mid-year 1996 and will run on supported Notes Release 4 platforms. Pricing has not yet been announced. For more information about Lotus products, visit Lotus' home page -- http://www.Lotus.com -- or call Lotus at 1-800-343-5414 or 1-610-640-9600.

Lotus Notes is the leading client-server platform for developing and deploying strategic groupware applications that help organizations communicate, collaborate and coordinate strategic business processes within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve improved business results. More than 8,000 companies and 4.5 million people use Notes to improve key business processes such as customer service, sales and account management, and product development. Lotus Notes supports all major operating systems including IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac OS, UNIX platforms including IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer, and Microsoft Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT. Notes is also available as a NetWare loadable module for the Novell environment.

Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

A copy of this release and other company information is also available via fax by dialing 1-800-57-LOTUS within the U.S. and Canada or 201-946-2336 outside the U.S. and Canada. Questions concerning the service should be directed to Lotus' corporate communications department at 617-693-5625.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.


Lotus Notes Network Release 2.0
LOTUS ANNOUNCES LOTUS NOTES NETWORK RELEASE 2.0

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY, 28.8 KBPS X.25 SUPPORT, DIRECT CLIENT ACCESS, WALNUT USER FORUM, AND ENHANCED CONTENT HELP RAPIDLY GROWING WORLDWIDE NOTES COMMUNITY EXPLOIT FULL POWER OF NOTES

CAMBRIDGE, MA, April 1, 1996 -- Lotus Development Corp. announced today that Release 2.0 of the Lotus Notes Network (LNN) will be operational and available to Lotus Business Partners and corporate Notes users at the end of this month. LNN 2.0 offers more connectivity and access options and expanded content to help the Notes community enhance its investment in groupware through extended communication and collaboration.

The Lotus Notes Network is a Lotus sponsored Notes-based service that connects Lotus Notes customers to each other in the world's largest and fastest growing Lotus Notes community. LNN 2.0 offers three features that dramatically increase access to the network -- Internet connectivity, support for 28.8 kbps X.25 through CompuServe, and direct access to LNN servers by individual client machines. In addition, LNN is now delivering exciting new content to the Lotus Notes community, including the WALNUT user discussion group, regarded as the premier Lotus Notes user discussion platform.

According to David Champagne, senior vice president, Lotus Services Group, LNN 1.0, launched in May 1995, proved to be an invaluable resource for helping the rapidly growing Notes community exploit the full potential of their Notes investment. "Now, LNN Release 2.0 makes it easier for users, corporate IT managers, groupware consultants, application developers, and industry analysts to take advantage of all that LNN has to offer. Internet connectivity is an absolutely vital development that brings LNN to users everywhere in the world. X.25 connectivity ensures reliable point-to-point data transmission, and the enhanced content available through WALNUT and other sources will help users find better business solutions through Notes."

BROADER ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND X.25 SUPPORT

Point-to-point X.25 service, provided through CompuServe, and Internet connectivity extends the reach of the Lotus Notes Network globally. Subscribers can send and receive Notes mail across the Internet and also communicate with non-Notes users through the LNN SMTP gateway. Meanwhile, the enhanced X.25 service offers maximum reliability at faster transmission speeds (up to 28.8 kbps where available), which helps reduce users' connection time and costs. LNN provides users of both access methods, the benefits of Notes' renowned security features, including sophisticated encryption and decryption capabilities, access level restrictions and digital signature technology.

Commenting on the new connectivity options, Ernie Smither, General Manager of the LNN Business Group said "Lotus Notes and the Internet are ideal partners in the inter-enterprise marketplace. With the explosive growth of the Internet, many LNN subscribers who are already on the Internet can now access LNN at ISDN speeds, saving time and money while attaining more content on LNN. For other subscribers who prefer the outstanding reliability, security and improved speed of the CompuServe X.25 transport, LNN will continue to support X.25 access at an even lower price."

DIRECT CLIENT ACCESS ELIMINATES NEED TO MANAGE SERVER

All LNN subscribers can now access the network right from their desktop without having to set up and maintain a Notes server dedicated to an intermediate LNN connection. This gives individuals anytime, anywhere access to LNN, even from remote locations. This is particularly valuable for the mobile user and for organizations with limited server resources.

ENHANCED CONTENT REDUCES TRAINING COSTS AND FUELS CUSTOMER GROWTH

LNN subscribers enjoy reliable mail delivery and a rich collection of shared applications. Lotus Education, Consulting, Customer Support, Business Partners, and Sales programs all host databases on LNN, offering valuable information on Lotus products and services. These databases include the Notes, cc:Mail and SmartSuite Knowledge Bases, Lotus' industry-leading support database; numerous technical forums; LNN White Pages, a voluntary directory of LNN subscribers; Lotus education and technical certification requirements databases; and Lotus Notes:Newsstand, a virtual electronic newsstand offering more than 100 business and trade publications, including PC Week, Communications Week, American Banker and more, in native Notes format.

Lotus Business Partners can also take advantage of a complete library of Lotus-created slide shows and white papers in a new database on LNN called Communications Presentations II. With the ability to selectively request and receive these tools via Notes mail and the more powerful selective replication feature of Notes R 4, many Lotus Business Partners find this information invaluable in supporting their sales and marketing efforts.

"To succeed in the service business requires offering a broad variety of information that is accessible and useful to both customers and partners," says Bob Johnson, Director of Software Services at Dataquest. "Efforts like LNN 2.0 offer a wider range and depth of technical and marketing insight to more people, who can access what they need, when they need it to make key business decisions."

A growing number of Business Partners are hosting valuable technical and marketing information of their own on LNN. Mark Ramos, Product Manager at Granite Software, says "I rely on the Business Partner Forum to help me develop, support, and distribute my product. Because the participants are sophisticated and technically savvy, we have been able to identify and team up with like-minded organizations for marketing and consulting -- LNN is practically a direct line to the customers and prospects we want."

To help subscribers reduce the amount of time they spend replicating databases, LNN takes advantage of Notes Release 4's new selective replication features. LNN also distributes free CDs on a quarterly basis. The first CD a user receives contains LNN's total database content, which helps first time subscribers avoid the lengthy replication required to download LNN content. Subsequent editions of the CD offer new or significantly enhanced versions of popular databases like Knowledge Base.

WALNUT FORUM PROVIDES INVALUABLE INFORMATION FROM NOTES USER BASE

The appointment of LNN as the primary host of WALNUT, the Worldwide Association of Lotus Notes Users and Technologists, coincides with Release 2.0 of LNN. In addition to the WALNUT discussion database, which is open to all LNN subscribers, Premium WALNUT databases are available exclusively on LNN to WALNUT Premium members. Premium members receive voting privileges, available discounts on Notes conferences, a Notes and WALNUT newsletter subscription, training materials, participation in the WALNUT SHEL process (Suggestions, Help and Enhancements for Lotus) and membership in one Regional Interest Group (RIG).

Gary Clare, President of WALNUT, explained that while WALNUT Premium membership services will be available solely on LNN, the WALNUT forum will continue to be accessible through CompuServe and WorldCom. Describing the advantages of the new partnership, he said, "By teaming up, WALNUT and Lotus will bring together Notes users from two of the best and most prestigious Notes user communities in the world today.

"It will be even easier for users and Lotus Business Partners around the world to share information and tips and forge meaningful collaborative relationships. For example, Lotus uses the WALNUT SHEL process to gather Notes user input on the most popular and desirable product features."

EASY REGISTRATION PROCESS, ENHANCED SYSTEM SERVICE AND SUPPORT

Lotus Notes Release 4 customers can take advantage of the new Internet features to directly access the LNN Internet server and commence the registration process electronically. Notes users who prefer the X.25 transport option can download the registration software through the Lotus Home Page on the World Wide Web, or request an enrollment kit from the LNN Customer Operations Support hotline, 1-800 357-0051 or 617 693-3969.

LNN also provides 24x7 network support, using the advanced messaging capabilities of Notes to keep subscribers abreast of new network features and service alerts. The new LNN Subscriber Digest includes a state-of-the-art tracking program that allows callers to submit their own incident reports and to monitor the status electronically. LNN subscribers also can use the new LNN Subscriber Digest database to send messages to LNN technical and marketing personnel, to post questions, to view responses to others' questions, and to request private database hosting list and access control list management changes.

PRICING INFORMATION

LNN pricing has been restructured in 1996 to reflect the flexible connection options and transport choices available to LNN subscribers. Individual connections to LNN cost $300 U.S. annually ($25 U.S. per month). Enterprise subscriptions, which include an unlimited internal redistribution license, are just $900 U.S. annually ($75 U.S. per month). With an enterprise subscription, most LNN information may be replicated across a subscribing organization so that more users can take advantage of the content*.

Internet fees and X.25 hourly charges are payable to the transport provider. In the case of X.25 services, CompuServe is the authorized provider. In 1996 CompuServe will be offering X.25 hourly service with double the rated speed of LNN's current X.25 provider. Internet fees are controlled by a user's Internet access provider.

* Information providers on LNN can make separate redistribution licensing agreements with users.

Lotus Development Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center. Lotus Notes Network (LNN) is a Lotus-sponsored, Notes-based electronic community for Lotus Business Partners and Lotus customers that enables them to collaborate, share information, broaden workgroups and access extended-enterprise applications and services from Lotus and each other.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

A copy of this release and other company information is also available via fax by dialing 1-800-57-LOTUS within the U.S. and Canada or 201- 946-2336 outside the U.S. and Canada. Questions concerning the service should be directed to Lotus' Corporate Communications Department at 617-693-5625.

All prices and terms are for the USA only.


Lotus Notes Rel 4 Migration/Coexistence Pgm
IBM AND LOTUS DEVELOPMENT CORP. ANNOUNCE COMPREHENSIVE LOTUS NOTES RELEASE 4 MIGRATION AND COEXISTENCE PROGRAM

CUSTOMER-CONTROLLED MIGRATION SOLUTIONS FOR MICROSOFT MAIL, IBM OFFICEVISION AND LOTUS CC:MAIL USERS

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- IBM and Lotus Development Corp. today announced the Lotus Notes Release 4 Migration and Coexistence Program. The Migration and Coexistence Program is a comprehensive enterprise program designed to facilitate customer-controlled migrations from IBM OfficeVision, Lotus cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail. The program also provides extensive coexistence options that include the Lotus OfficeVision Calendar Connector, the Lotus cc:Mail Message Transfer Agent (MTA) and special coexistence packages from SoftSwitch for host-based systems that ease migration. In addition, the program also introduces the Lotus Notes Migration and Coexistence Center, which will offer hands-on training, information and consulting services.

"Messaging systems today are clearly viewed as mission-critical applications, and IBM and Lotus understand the importance of a smooth migration at a customer-controlled pace," said Michael Zisman, executive vice president and CEO, Lotus Development Corp. "This comprehensive program lets users choose where they want to go and how they want to get there, with the least possible disruption to their business processes."

TOOLS FOR RAPID MIGRATION

The Microsoft Mail to Notes Release 4 and cc:Mail to Notes Release 4 migration tools allow customers to migrate their directories, messages with attachments and folders to the Notes Mail R4 environment. The tools leverage Notes' distributed architecture and object store to migrate large numbers of mailboxes simultaneously using multiple Notes servers to provide a rapid migration. In addition, the systems administrator can choose to migrate multiple post offices (PO) to a single Notes server or a single PO can be split and migrated to different Notes servers. Notes servers use a single object store, which allows enterprise organizations with large mail files to save disk space.

Microsoft Mail to Notes Release 4 migration tools migrate the following:

 Microsoft Mail directories to Notes server name and address book;

 Messages with attachments to Notes Mail documents;

 Personal address book to user's local name and address book;

 Personal folders to Notes Mail folders;

 Distribution lists to groups in the Notes server name & address book;

 Shared folders to Notes discussion databases.

 cc:Mail to Notes Release 4 migration tools migrate the following:

 cc:Mail directories to Notes server name and address book;

 Messages with attachments to Notes Mail documents;

 Private directory to user's local name and address book;

 cc:Mail archives to Notes Mail archive database;

 Private folders to Notes Mail folders;

 Public mailing lists to groups in the Notes server name & adr book;

 Private mailing lists to groups in the user's local name & adr book;

 Bulletin boards to Notes discussion databases;

 cc:Mail shared message store to single copy object store in Notes.

The Lotus Notes Release 4 Migration and Coexistence Program provides the most comprehensive plan on the market today for converting OV/VM, OV/MVS and OV/400 directories and mail files to Lotus Notes Release 4.

IBM OfficeVision to Notes Release 4 migration tools migrate the following:

- OfficeVision directories to Notes server name and address book

  as person documents;

- OfficeVision messages with files to Notes mail documents;

- OfficeVision nicknames and distribution lists to Notes Local Name

  & Address Book in aliases and groups;

- OfficeVision note logs to Notes mail documents in folders;

- OfficeVision Calendar information to the Notes Calendar;

- Office Vision Document Library to the Notes Document Library.

ROBUST COEXISTENCE OFFERINGS

To alleviate coexistence problems that can lead to costly disruption during migration, Lotus is offering specially priced migration packages for SoftSwitch Central. Packages include software, installation and support for customers migrating to Notes R4. SoftSwitch, a subsidiary of Lotus Development Corp., is the leading provider of electronic mail switches that link disparate electronic messaging systems for businesses. These specially priced solutions will provide seamless integration and enhanced communications, including connectivity, directory synchronization and management, between heterogeneous platforms during migration. The solutions, available on mainframe operating systems, UNIX and OS/2, provide robust, high fidelity, manageable messaging infrastructure for seamless coexistence during migration. To support cc:Mail customers during migration to Notes R4, the cc:Mail MTA will provide seamless communications between Notes R4 and cc:Mail, including directory synchronization, message transfer and a single management environment.

LOTUS NOTES MIGRATION AND COEXISTENCE CENTER: EXPERT MIGRATION RESOURCE

The Lotus Notes Migration and Coexistence Centers will offer training, information, migration to, and coexistence with, Notes Release 4 from a wide range of platforms and products, including popular host-based, LAN, and other systems. The Center will be equipped with major hardware and software platforms, and will also be staffed with industry consultants to provide customers and Business Partners with hands-on experience and methodology training. The Centers are currently open in Dallas, Texas and Boeblingen, Germany.

LOTUS NOTES SERVICES: PROVIDING DIRECT LINKS TO MIGRATION AND COEXISTENCE EXPERTS

IBM and Lotus offer a comprehensive and integrated set of service offerings to customers migrating to Notes R4. Lotus Consulting and IBM ISSC offer on-site services for environment analysis, strategy development, migration and coexistence implementation and project management.

In addition to telephone support, including 24X7 operation, IBM and Lotus Customer Support provide migration/coexistence services such as on-site support, to assist with installation, and a dedicated Account Manager and customized migration briefings, which are designed to enable customers to successfully manage their own migrations.

IBM, Lotus Education and Lotus Authorized Education Centers use innovative task-based curricula to train users, systems administrators and application developers on Notes R4. Additionally, Lotus Education is now offering Accelerated Value Method (AVM) seminars. AVM teaches participants to develop Notes systems that deliver strategic business value.

LOTUS BUSINESS PARTNER TOOLS AND SERVICES

In addition to its own comprehensive migration and coexistence offerings, Lotus has over 12,000 Lotus Business Partners who have developed hundreds of tools and offer thousands of qualified experts who can address virtually any migration and coexistence scenario. Lotus will continue to recruit new partners to meet ongoing customer requirements for assistance. For a list of Lotus Business Partners providing migration services, please see Lotus' web site at http://www.lotus.com.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Microsoft Mail to Notes Release 4 migration tools will be available for general distribution in May, 1996. The cc:Mail to Notes Release 4 migration tools will be available for general distribution in April, 1996. Both tools are available at no cost by downloading them from Lotus' web site at http://www.lotus.com.

The IBM OfficeVision to Notes Release 4 migration tools and the Lotus OfficeVision Calendar Connector coexistence tool will both be available in the second half of 1996. Pricing for these tools has not been announced. The special packaging of Soft*Switch products are currently available from Lotus, IBM and SoftSwitch. Prices begin at $25,000 per package and include software, installation and support.

Lotus Notes provides an ideal communications infrastructure by combining enterprise-ready, client/server messaging and the global access and distribution of the World Wide Web, together with a platform for rapidly developing and deploying strategic groupware applications. Notes enables individuals and organizations to communicate with colleagues, collaborate in teams, and coordinate business processes within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve improved business results.

Lotus Notes supports all major operating systems: IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac OS, UNIX platforms including IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer, and Microsoft Windows and Windows NT. Notes is also available as a NetWare loadable module for the Novell environment. Lotus Development Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

All prices and terms are for the U.S. only. Lotus, Lotus Notes, Lotus cc:Mail and SoftSwitch are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corp. Notes is a trademark of Lotus Development Corp. cc:Mail is a registered trademark of cc:Mail, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Lotus Development Corp. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

A copy of this release and other company information is also available via fax by dialing 1-800-57-LOTUS within the U.S. and Canada or 201-946-2336 outside the U.S. and Canada. Questions concerning the service should be directed to Lotus' corporate communications department at 617-693-5625.


Lynx Extends PosixWorks with LynxOS V2.4
Lynx Extends PosixWorks with the Release of Version 2.4 of LynxOS

BOSTON, April 2, 1996 -- Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. today announced an upgrade of PosixWorks, the company's development framework for embedded, real-time applications. The enhancements are available with the new LynxOS Version 2.4 operating system and will be demonstrated this week at the Embedded Systems Conference East in Boston. LynxOS v2.4 extends Lynx' industry leading support of POSIX by providing full conformance with POSIX.1b which extended the POSIX standard to include real-time features.

In addition, LynxOS supports POSIX.1c by providing the threads extensions that give developers the ability to partition concurrent aspects of their program into independent threads of execution, making them more logical and maintainable.

"As companies continue to turn to off-the-shelf solutions for their embedded software development needs, they can't afford to have proprietary solutions -- often because they need to reuse their code for future applications," said Inder Singh, president and CEO of Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. "Now that POSIX has codified its real-time extensions, programmers will be able to simplify their design process, thereby saving time-to-market and cost-to-market on the more complex, cutting edge applications."

LynxOS v2.4 is available for X86 and Pentium, PowerPC (601, 603, 603e, and 604), Motorola 680x0, and microSPARC/microSPARC II. A unique industry advantage is that LynxOS development tools can be run either natively on the platforms noted above or in cross development mode targeting all four platform families from SunOS and Solaris 2.x. In addition an AIX cross development system is available for PowerPC targets. LynxOS v2.4 continues support of microprocessor hardware memory management units.

Additional enhancements to LynxOS include:

* Enhanced networking features with the addition of Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) capabilities. The LynxOS Development Package comes bundled with SNMP master and sub agents allowing users to equip their applications with remote monitoring capabilities.

* Increased PowerPC support with continuing support of Motorola, IBM PowerPC boards but also the added support of Force Computer and Creative Electronic Systems (CES) board families. Improved software installation with the addition of CD-ROM support for the X86 and PowerPC platforms. Installation is made easier with better installation guides and scripts. Also, a new user guide has been added that provides a useful overview that describes how to quickly use LynxOS, development tools, and utilities. Added PS/2 mouse support for the growing base of LynxOS laptop users.

* Solaris 2.x Cross Development System support. Additional improvements have been made in libraries, including better PowerPC math libraries.

LynxOS v2.4 provides features and capabilities that are needed by the embedded real-time industry today. LynxOS provides a deterministic real-time embedded operating system with predictable, stable and reliable performance on the microprocessor families used in today's leading embedded applications.

PosixWorks is Lynx's suite of embedded real-time products that includes LynxOS development tools, TotalView, and TimeScan. PosixWorks and POSIX/UNIX standards provide system integrators and application builders with improved time-to-market and reduced cost-to-market. By using LynxOS and writing applications to the POSIX and UNIX standards, significant software and product development investments can be preserved when developing families of products and future life-cycle upgrades to product lines. POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface for Computer Environments) is an IEEE Standard (IEEE 1003.1) and an ISO Standard (ISO 9945-1).

LynxOS v2.4 will be available for delivery in May of 1996. PosixWorks Prices start at $7,995.00.

Derek Taylor

Lynx Real-Time Systems

408-879-3900 x111

http://WWW.Lynx.COM

Jason Lorber

Eastwick Communications

415-255-6279 or JPLorber@aol.com


Air Duct Design Program
AIR DUCT DESIGN PROGRAM FEATURES AUTOMATIC FITTING "C" FACTORS, EQUAL FRICTION, CONSTANT VELOCITY, STATIC REGAIN SIZING

MC2 Engineering Software is offering a powerful upgrade of its long-popular DD4M air duct design program for microcomputers. The software offers features not usually found on microcomputer engineering programs, including the latest in input screens with pop-up windows, cursor control, use of arrows, function keys and "escape" from any position in the program. All inputs are fully error-checked by the program, with error messages and full recovery from almost any situation. Prompts are clear and logical and "help" messages are available from any cursor position. The 80 help messages, which vary from a sentence to several screen pages, give most of the information in the program manual, making reference to it almost unnecessary. The program automatically sets itself up for color or monochrome monitors.

The new program follows the methods of the 1985 ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals. The calculation of fittings is greatly facilitated, since the program automatically calls up the necessary data for all 100-plus "standard" fittings listed in ASHRAE Fundamentals (and in SMACNA 15D) and prompts for such special inputs as bend angle, outlet area or branch flow that may be required to automatically calculate the "C-factor" for each. DD4M faithfully calculates C-factors, interpolating the C-factor tables of the ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook. The program is "smart" enough to reject many fitting misapplications and erroneous inputs. Up to six fittings are allowed in each duct section.

Fittings may be input with or without screens, perforated plates or orifices. Obstructions and depressions in duct sections may also be entered. Butterfly, gate, airfoil blade and parallel blade dampers are accepted and settings may be adjusted so as to approximately balance the system during the design stage. Fittings with extractors, splitter vanes, branch dampers and other devices are accepted. In addition to the ASHRAE and SMACNA fittings for which entries are automated, the program accepts unlimited entry of other devices and fittings by equivalent feet, direct drop or "C-factors".

The program calculates the pressure drop of each section and its fittings in "real time" as it is entered, and automatically sizes the regain methods, individually or mixed. The program's recommendation may be overridden, of course, making the program useful for retrofit analysis as well as new work.

The program reports the progressive changes in duct total pressure, velocity, friction rate and other important information. Separate calculations are automatically made for the continuing main duct and branches in the case of wyes and tees. The key design parameters (friction rate, velocity or pressure drop per section) may be changed during the design, if the user wishes.

This powerful program calculates round, rectangular, oval or flexible duct and accepts roughness factors. Calculations are altitude-, temperature- and humidity-corrected. Factors which occasionally change during system design such as duct shape, roughness or the designer's desired friction rate, may be altered at any time by the use of function keys which pop-up windows for these purposes. The user may enter standards for seldom-changed factors to avoid frequent reentry.

Function keys are used to call up help messages and call up windows to display lists and detailed descriptions of "standard" fittings. Job files are kept on disk with all inputs and outputs. Inputs and outputs in the job file are readable by many CAD programs, Lotus and similar spreadsheet and graphics programs so that the user may use the outputs within his CAD program or develop graphs and charts as he wishes.

This advanced program uses fast, compiled code and assembly language routines to provide almost instantaneous screen functions and calculations in "real time" as inputs are made. Screens are clear and highly interactive, permitting immediate change of incorrect entries, and quick communication between various parts of the program.

DD4M is suitable for air conditioning and heating use, for commercial and industrial ventilation jobs, for dust or fume removal systems, and for material handling applications. There are no program limits on air velocity in the system.

This version of DD4M calculates exhaust as well as air distribution systems, a feature not found in many duct design programs. The program accepts up to 1000 duct sections if a hard disk is used, arranged in up to 200 paths.

DD4M displays or prints a complete duct section-by-section tabular print out of the job showing pressure drops and absolute pressures and permits change and immediate recalculation to eliminate unusual sizes and to arrive at a better balance for the system. Dampers in the system may be "adjusted" within the program so as to explore system balancing possibilities during the design stage. The program prints a schedule of fittings and duct pieces required by the job, sorted by size, for costing and fabrication purposes.

The DD4M program is complete with a manual and example problems which are described in the manual and supplied as job files on the distribution diskette for demonstration purposes. DD4M is available for all IBM and compatible microcomputer models, in 5- 1/4 or 3-1/2 inch disk MSDOS disk formats. A minimum of 480K RAM, two floppy disks, and a dot matrix or daisy wheel printer are needed for operation of the DD4M. Hard disk operation is supported. A utility is provided for automatic hard disk installation. A demonstration disk is available to potential users.

Much effort has been expended throughout the DD4M program to make the software as convenient, useful and error-proof as possible. It is sufficiently easy for use by inexperienced designers, yet is powerful, flexible and fast enough for the biggest and toughest commercial jobs.

MC2 has specialized in the development of engineering software for microcomputers since 1977, and has long been the leader in this field. More than 25 programs are now offered for most engineering disciplines, including mechanical engineering, energy management, hydraulic, structural, solar energy, fire sprinkler design and electrical engineering. The Miami firm has more than 7000 users of its programs, in over 65 countries around the world.

MC2 Engineering Software may be reached at telephone number 305-665-0100, fax number 305-665-8035, or by mail at 8107 SW 72 Ave. #425E, Miami, FL 33143.

MC2 Engineering Software's Internet address is MC2EngSoft@AOL.com and may be reached on America OnLine at MC2EngSoft and on CompuServe at MC2EngSoft@CompuServe.com. Functional demonstration disks of MC2 software may be downloaded through AOL by selecting "Go To" then "Search Software Libraries" then type in "MC2 Engineering."


Electric Short Circuit Current Program
ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT PROGRAM USES LATEST IMPEDANCE MATRIX MATHEMATICS, HANDLES 700 BUS LEVELS

MC2 Engineering Software has announced a new version 4.0 of its electrical short circuit current software E3M, employing a Bus Impedance Matrix solution to the short circuit current calculation. The program uses a direct matrix building procedure for speed and allows large networks to be handled with no direct limits on numbers of buses. The program may be used on either radial or looped systems, supplied by utilities, by generators, or by both.

Large networks are handled by reduction to a "mesh equivalent" which allows particular areas of interest to be studied using relatively small, fast equivalent matrices without any sacrifice in accuracy.

The E3M program reports out three-phase bolted symmetrical, asymmetrical, instantaneous peak fault currents, line-to-line symmetrical currents, and single-phase symmetrical fault currents. It also reports X/R ratios, Z-values and voltage drops at normal loads throughout the system. A per-unit methodology is used.

E3M Version 4.0 will display the detailed conditions at each device branch and fault, or go directly to its listing of results for each fault in the system. The detailed list is presented in a "pseudo line diagram" which incorporates the full description of each device along with the conditions at that point.

The program calculates power factors throughout the system and outputs a DXF file to disk to facilitate transfer of inputs and outputs to CAD programs. E3M carries tables of the electrical characteristics of all standard sizes of nearly thirty different types of equipment including all types of cable and wire, buses, breakers, fuses, switches, transformers, and overhead wire. Non- standard transformers are accepted, and heavy rotating equipment such as large motors and generators.

Windows have been provided to permit onscreen conductor sizing automatically or through ampacity tables. Inputs are made through modern, full-function screens with default values wherever possible, "help" messages at every input, input checking to assure reasonable values, error messages, broad use of function keys with pop-up screens, and almost no risk of loss of data. Inputs and output printouts are formatted for clarity and are suitable for client presentation.

The E3M program has application in electric utilities, industrial plant systems, commercial building electrical systems, malls, airports, university complexes, hospitals and municipal systems. E3M lends itself to initial design work or system maintenance, where a model of the system can be updated periodically to keep constant control of system breaker protection. The program has been applied to shipboard use by U.S. Navy contractors and is used by several of the biggest names in the electrical industry in the U.S.

E3M Version 4.0 is supplied on non-protected disks and runs on all IBM-compatible microcomputers, automatically setting itself up for monochrome or color and other machine characteristics. Customer assistance is supplied to registered users at no charge via telephone hot line. A demonstration disk is available.

The E3M program has been widely accepted in the electrical engineering community since it was first introduces by MC2 in 1980. MC2 Engineering Software has specialized in engineering software for microcomputers since 1977 and has long been a leader in this field. MC2 program EN4M for Energy Consumption in Commercial Buildings and Economic Analysis of Energy Saving Alternatives is widely used by electrical engineers.

MC2 offers more than twenty programs for most engineering disciplines, including mechanical, HVAC, hydraulic, fire sprinkler design, electrical engineering, structural engineering, energy management, solar energy and project management. The Miami firm has more than 7000 users of its programs, in over sixty countries worldwide. MC2 Energy Software may be contacted by telephone at 305-665-0100, by fax at 305-665-8035, or by mail at 8107 SW 72 Ave. #425E, Miami, FL 33143.

MC2 Engineering Software's Internet address is MC2EngSoft@AOL.com and may be reached on America OnLine at MC2EngSoft and on CompuServe at MC2EngSoft@CompuServe.com. Functional demonstration disks of MC2 software may be downloaded through AOL by selecting "Go To" then "Search Software Libraries" then type in "MC2 Engineering."


Fire Sprinkler System Hydraulic Design Pgm
NEW SCREENS, AUTOMATION, WATER GRAPH NOW AVAILABLE ON FIRE SPRINKLER HYDRAULIC DESIGN SOFTWARE

New versions of the widely used HP4M and HP6M Fire Sprinkler System Hydraulic Design Programs have been announced by MC2 Engineering Software. The HP4M program designs grid type sprinkler systems and the HP6M handles tree and loop systems. The new releases feature totally new screens for user inputs which run in color or black and white, allow use of function keys, arrows, the escape key, single stroke input of default values and many other conveniences. The programs also print expanded semi-log water graphs of water supply and demand curves of pressure versus flow. Fire pumps may be included, as the prime water source or together with a street water source, and are shown on the water graphs.

The new HP4M and HP6M input screens use state-of-the-art technology to display instant windows of prompts, help messages and reference data. Function keys allow selection among 17 different pipe material types, and the program thereafter automatically makes use of correct pipe internal diameters when nominal diameters are input by the user. The screens automatically know the equivalent lengths of most fittings in all pipe sizes, and Hazen-Williams "C" factors for the 17 pipe materials. Other values for diameters, "C" factors and equivalent lengths may be input by the user, of course.

The new HP4M and HP6M screens automatically display "default" values for most inputs, even density and design area based on the hazard classification of the job. The HP4M automatically suggests pipe sizes for all lines, below and above ground, based on the dimensions, design area and height of the system. These selections may be overridden by the user, of course, through the interactive screens. A schematic diagram of the system is displayed as well as printed by the HP4M. After first inputs for a new job, HP4M and HP6M display the inputs for instant change at any time. The inputs are automatically saved to disk to eliminate the risk of losing data in a power failure.

Screen prompts are carefully worded to be easily understandable, and over one hundred "help" and "error" messages are available in each program at the touch of a function key, to help the user.

All inputs are carefully checked by the program to insure they are reasonable, and a large part are further checked to make sure they are sensible in the context of other inputs for the job. The programs are exceptionally well protected against input errors and will recover from almost all error situations, usually with clear error messages or warnings.

The MC2 programs HP4M and HP6M have for more than ten years enjoyed a reputation as the most easily used hydraulic calculation programs in the market. The new releases are even more highly automated and "user friendly". The HP4M program requires only 34 numeric inputs for a typical "regular" grid system, of which 19 have default values already calculated and presented by the input screens, thus inputs for a regular system usually take less than five minutes - an experienced user can make them in three or four.

The HP4M program automatically sizes the design area and numbers the pipes, loops and heads in the system. This numbering scheme is displayed and printed on the schematic diagram of the job. The program automatically finds the location of the remote head and "proves" it by calculating the right and left design area offsets. HP4M will even handle systems where the physically most remote head is farther from the water source than the head that is hydraulically most remote. Equivalent lengths of fittings are automatically corrected for the "C" factor in use. NFPA formulas and methods are followed throughout in the calculations.

The new HP4M input screens facilitate the input of almost any kind of "irregular" layout - grid systems with elevator wells in the middle of the building, short lines, missing heads, non-rectangular buildings, branches on riser nipples, pendant heads on downcomers, and many other variations. In such cases the program automatically sets up the "regular" system, and presents a quick-entry screen for the "irregular" pipe sections. The irregular pipes may be entered globally - all the riser nipples at one time, for example.

The HP4M allows system design to be easily optimized to take full advantage of all water pressure available. The user can change near main, far main and branch line diameters globally - i.e. one entry each - and can quickly access and change underground, riser and individual overhead pipe section diameters. This permits smallest possible pipe sizes and therefore lowest installation cost.

The programs print out flow, pressure and velocity at every point in the system, from street main to end head. Printouts are exceptionally easily read and set up for direct presentation to underwriters. They make an impressive presentation, complete with the names of the design firm and contractor, as well as the full job description, input and output data, and the water graph.

The HP4M also includes a printed schematic of the layout, and assists with costing by printing out a list of pipe and fitting requirements.

The new versions are available for all IBM and "compatible" microcomputers. They need 448K bytes of RAM and run on either floppy or hard disk machines, with color or monochrome screens. Almost all dot matrix printers will handle the output of the programs.

MC2 Engineering Software provides technical service at no charge through a "hot line" during normal business hours. MC2 also offers the HP3M Hardy Cross Water Distribution System calculation program for fire water distribution systems, overhead systems fed through existing grid systems and many other special applications.

R. S. McClintock, president of MC2, commented that the price of the HP4M program was being held at the existing level of $995 despite the large increase in power and convenience of the program. The price of the HP6M Tree System Design program has been set at $245, although it is available at substantially less as part of a set with the HP4M alone, or with the HP4M and the HP3M Hardy Cross program. The set HP3M/HP4M/HP6M is priced at $1295, and HP4M/HP6M at $1145. Shipment on all three programs is immediate. Current licensees of HP4M and HP6M can obtain updates at greatly reduced prices, depending on the date on their current diskettes.

MC2 Engineering Software has been developing and marketing engineering software for seventeen years. There are now over 7000 users of the company's programs in over 60 countries around the world. MC2 offers programs in many engineering disciplines in addition to hydraulics - Mechanical Engineering, Electrical, Energy Management, Structural Engineering and Project Management to name a few.

The company is located at 8107 SW 72 Ave., Suite 425, Miami, Florida 33143. The telephone number is 305-665-0100, and the FAX number 305-665-8035. The company may be reached on America OnLine as MC2EngSoft, on Compuserve as 75114,3337 and on Internet as 75114.3337@compuserve.com . Functional demos can be downloaded in AOL:- first select "Go To" then "Search Software Libraries" then type in "MC2 Engineering."


Steven Jobs - Internet World'96 Keynote
Steven Jobs Joins Mecklermedia's Spring Internet World '96 Keynote Line-Up

April 3, 1996, Westport, CT--Mecklermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: MECK) announced the addition of NeXT chairman and CEO, Steven P. Jobs, to its roster of keynote speakers for Spring Internet World, the world's largest business-to-business Internet trade show, scheduled for San Jose April 29 to May 3.

Steven P. Jobs is chairman and CEO of NeXT. He founded NeXT with five colleagues in September, 1985. Jobs also co-founded Apple Computer, Inc., co-designed the Apple II computer and oversaw the growth of Apple to a two billion dollar company. At the same time, he led the development of the Macintosh computer and the subsequent growth of Apple's Macintosh division into a billion dollar division.

Also keynoting Spring Internet World '96 are Larry Ellison (chairman and CEO of Oracle), Bill Gates (chairman and CEO of Microsoft), Richard Hronicek (president of Pacific Bell Internet Services), Bill Joy (founder and vice president of research at Sun Microsystems), Philippe Kahn (chairman of Starfish Software), Tim Krauskopf (co-founder and vice president of research at Spyglass) and Steve Markman (executive vice president and general manager IAMG, Novell).

Spring Internet World '96 is the largest Internet event in North America. More than 350 exhibitors will fill 240,000 square feet of exhibit space at the San Jose Convention Center and other facilities. The five-day meeting will be the launching pad for new Internet products and services. More than 40,000 Internet trade professionals are expected.

Mecklermedia Corporation, based in Westport, Connecticut, is the leading provider of Internet information through its publications INTERNET WORLD, WEB WEEK, WEB DEVELOPER, and its Internet World Trade Shows, Web Developer Seminars, and iWORLD Web site, http://www.iworld.com.


Adobe Reprices Acrobat Capture
Adobe Reprices Acrobat Capture To Bring Powerful Dcoument Imaging Capabilities To A Wider Customer Base Adn Expanded Distribution Channels

Mountain View, Calif., (April 1, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated announced that effective today Adobe Acrobat Capture software version 1.01 is now available at the suggested retail price of $895.00. The new pricing will open broader distribution channels for the product enabling customers in smallto mediumsized businesses to easily purchase the powerful document Capture software through major mail order and retail software outlets.

Acrobat Capture software combines document imaging, optical character recognition (OCR), page decomposition and other technologies to convert paper based information into Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files, a standard file format that is widely used on the World Wide Web corporate networks and CD-ROM for the cross platform distribution of electronic documents. Like OCR, Acrobat Capture converts bitmapped page images acquired from a scanner or from a fax card into electronic text. But unlike OCR, Acrobat Capture also preserves the exact formatting, page layout, text and graphics from the original paper pages in a single cross platform file.

Customers that have proof of purchase of Acrobat Capture software between March 1 and April 1, 1996, can get a free copy of Acrobat Capture 1.01 or Adobe Acrobat 2.1 for Workgroups (SRP $1,595). For more information, customers should contact 1-800-272-3623.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Go On Assignment w/Nat'l Geographic Online
GO "ON ASSIGNMENT" WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ONLINE

Magnet Interactive Takes National Geographic Online And Into The Future

WASHINGTON, DC -- Roam the wild African plains, plunge into the depths of the darkest oceans, climb the world's highest peaks and make your own discoveries with the world-renown National Geographic Society -- all via the Internet. On June 20, National Geographic will be available on the World Wide Web and CompuServe. Designed and developed by Magnet Interactive Communications (MIC), a leading online interactive communications agency, the web site takes National Geographic's resources and services online opening a world of discoveries to a whole new generation of National Geographic explorers.

MIC will construct an original, content-intensive web site that not only highlights National Geographic's current services and resources, but adds an entirely new component. Assuming the role of a National Geographic explorer, the user will be able to search for sunken treasure on a virtual dive with explorers, travel up a Peruvian mountain to find a 500-year-old mummy, learn how to become a National Geographic photographer, play a game that teaches how to edit a magazine or study wildlife while learning about geography, history and diverse civilizations. The user will delve into National Geographic's award-winning books and renowned maps, send electronic postcards to friends from exotic locales and talk to the editors, photographers, cartographers and other experts on the staffs of National Geographic magazine, World magazine and National Geographic Traveler.

"Magnet was chosen as our lead developer after an extensive due diligence process," said Larry Lux, National Geographic's vice president of electronic publishing. "We feel that they have the unique mix of creative energy and technical expertise necessary to bring National Geographic to life online."

"Magnet is thrilled to be the interactive agency chosen to bring over a century's worth of amazingly rich content into the electronic age," said Basel Dalloul, chairman and CEO of Magnet Interactive Group, Inc. "Magnet shares National Geographic's commitment to creating an unrivaled, innovative online experience that is of the high standard for which the organization is known."

Due to the content-intensive nature of the web site, MIC will use advanced back-end database technologies to configure the site so that it can be easily updated - daily, weekly and monthly. MIC will also utilize the latest in online commerce technologies to ensure secure online transactions.

Magnet Interactive Communications is a full service, interactive marketing, entertainment and online communications agency serving clients such as Kellogg Company, Mercedes, Radisson, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Dow Jones Inc. A subsidiary of Magnet Interactive Group, Inc., Magnet Interactive Communications is located in Washington, DC. For more information, please explore Magnet's World Wide Web site at http://www.magnet.com.

The National Geographic Society is the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization with 9.2 million members. Millions more are introduced to the world's people, places and animals each month through National Geographic Television, one of the largest and most respected producers of television documentary films in the world.

Contact: Michelle Seebach, Magnet Interactive Communications

Voice: 202-471-5800, ext. 4024

Email: michelle@magnet.com

Contact: Mary Jeanne Jacobsen, National Geographic Society

Voice: 202-857-7759


Microsoft Exchange Server Available

First Messaging Server With Integrated Groupware and Internet Connectivity

LAS VEGAS - APRIL 2, 1996 -Today at Networld+Interop '96, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Microsoft Exchange Server, the first integrated messaging and groupware server designed to provide users and system administrators with native open and secure access to the Internet.

Microsoft Exchange Server contains e-mail and built-in groupware to allow group scheduling, discussion databases, document sharing and other custom applications to improve business productivity. In addition, it enables system administrators to monitor and troubleshoot the messaging system of an entire corporation - including Internet mail connections and usage - from a single workstation.

Microsoft Exchange Server enhances the Microsoft BackOffice family of server applications for distributed intranet and Internet computing, which is based on the Windows NTR operating system. It also has cross-platform support for other 16-bit and 32-bit operating systems.

More than 60,000 users at corporations, government agencies and universities have already deployed Microsoft Exchange Server. More than 130 software developers have or will announce compatible products, and 30 of these products are expected to ship within 90 days of the Microsoft Exchange ship date. In addition, 12,000 Microsoft Solution Providers (SPs) have been educated to support Microsoft Exchange.

"Today we are shipping a comprehensive messaging product with integrated groupware and Internet connectivity that will meet the needs of companies today and in the future," said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of Microsoft's desktop and business systems division. "A dedicated development team's design goals for this product - reliability, performance and stability - ensure companies can bank their mission-critical business on it, and we have 40 early adopter companies who already have."

In addition to the external support for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft offers several new services, including preventive support that provides continuous remote-server monitoring and server-restoration, and consultative migration and planning services to assist customers with the deployment of Microsoft Exchange.

INTERNET MAIL, X.400 CONNECTORS AND APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND MIGRATION TOOLS INCLUDED

Also available with Microsoft Exchange Server are the native connectors that allow Microsoft Exchange Servers to connect to the Internet, X.400 systems and Microsoft Mail servers. Internet Mail Connector is a multithreaded service that provides Internet connectivity with MIME and UUENCODE support for attachments. In addition, Microsoft Exchange Server provides an open foundation for application development with the Visual BasicR programming systems-based Microsoft Exchange Forms Designer. Microsoft is also providing tools to help customers migrate to Microsoft Exchange Server from other messaging systems, such as Lotus cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, IBMR PROFSR, DEC ALL-IN-1, and Verimation Memo.

PRICING MEETS CUSTOMER NEEDS

The full-featured version, Microsoft Exchange Server Enterprise Edition, which includes the X.400 Connector, Internet Mail Connector (SMTP/MIME), Microsoft Exchange Connector and the Microsoft Exchange Server, costs approximately $1,970, quantity one. Microsoft Exchange Server, the messaging server with integrated groupware, costs approximately $699, quantity one. The client access license, which provides e-mail, group scheduling and application development tools, costs approximately $54.

Microsoft also offers upgrade discounts for customers migrating from Microsoft Mail for PC and AppletalkR Networks. These customers receive the Microsoft Exchange Connector at a $400 discount if they license Microsoft Exchange Server, or save $500 if they license the Enterprise edition.

Microsoft also announced the availability of cross-platform Microsoft Exchange clients for the Windows 3.1 and WindowsR for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 95, Windows NT Workstation and MS-DOS operating systems, for 16-bit and 32-bit mixed environments. Microsoft Exchange clients are available with Microsoft Exchange Server as well as separately in the Microsoft Exchange Client Pack. Microsoft Exchange Client for the Macintosh is currently in beta testing and scheduled to be released this summer.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

Microsoft Exchange Internet Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/


Wang & PC DOCS Expand Strategic Alliance
WANG AND PC DOCS EXPAND STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICE AGREEMENTS EXTEND DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD

CHICAGO (April 1, 1996) -- Wang (NASDAQ:WANG) and PC DOCS, Inc. (NASDAQ:DOCSF, TSE:DXX) today announced joint initiatives that will improve document management technology and service solutions for both companies' customers around the world. These initiatives encompass standards-based product integration efforts as well as expanded service, support and reseller offerings, representing an alignment of the two companies' technology and service strategies. The announcements were made at the AIIM '96 Show and Conference in Chicago.

Wang's Software Business Unit and PC DOCS announced the following standards-based technology initiatives:

 PC DOCS will integrate and resell Wang's storage management software,

 Avail HSM, with its DOCS Open enterprise document management

 solution.

 Wang will provide a standards-based interface for DOCS Open within

 its OPEN/image and OPEN/workflow for NT software.

 Wang and PC DOCS will work together to develop and support integrated

 desktop and workgroup imaging, workflow, and document management

 solutions.

"The technology developments announced today expand our document management offerings and extend both our companies' commitment to implement and advocate standards-based integration of imaging, workflow, storage and document management," said David Goulden, senior vice president, Wang Software.

"We understand there is no one single way to meet all of the needs of our diverse customer base, whose business models, software choices, and technology approaches can result in a variety of combinations that may evolve over time," continued Goulden. "Working closely with companies such as PC DOCS, we can offer our customers the best integrated yet open client/server solutions for document-intensive organizations. This approach preserves our customers' freedom of choice while giving them access to best-of-breed document management solutions."

"Strengthening our relationship with Wang will bring our customers the benefits of additional integration of our award-winning document management solution with Wang's leading imaging, workflow, and storage management solutions," said Larry Bohn, executive vice president and general manager, PC DOCS. "We already have a strong track record of working together and will be able to leverage this to optimize our new initiatives."

Also as part of the announcement, Wang's Service Business Unit and PC DOCS announced initiatives that will expand service, support, and sales efforts to benefit customers worldwide.

 Wang is designated the first Global Enterprise Support Partner

 and is expanding its support offerings for DOCS Open customers

 to provide global enterprise-wide services, including assessment,

 design, implementation, support, migration, and on-site training.

 Wang is designated a PC DOCS Authorized Training Center Partner

 and will open new centers in North America.

 Wang is designated a PC DOCS Premier Integrator Partner and will

 join an elite group of PC DOCS exclusive integrators.

"The new service initiatives announced today leverage Wang's ability to provide PC DOCS customers with comprehensive support services, from on-site user training to full systems integration," said Larry Bohn, executive vice president and general manager, PC DOCS. "We've been impressed with the level of support Wang has provided throughout our relationship and are pleased to be able to now offer one-stop support capabilities for global, multi-location customers through a trusted partner."

"Working with one of the most popular and respected document management solutions providers in the industry today, we see tremendous opportunity for our PC DOCS service offerings," said William P. Ferry, president, Wang Services. "We've developed a valuable knowledge-base and expertise through our partnership and look forward to extending these capabilities to the growing PC DOCS customer base."

WANG

Wang Laboratories, Inc. is a recognized worldwide leader in workflow, integrated imaging, document management and network storage management for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks. Information about Wang and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.wang.com.

PC DOCS

PC DOCS, Inc. sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators, and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management systems for a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal and other professional service organizations.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., The Quartex Corporation, Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc. and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies and the professional services industry, in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WANG, PLEASE SEND E-MAIL TO INFO@WANG.COM.


Novell Offers Free GroupWise Licenses
Novell Offers 50 Free GroupWise Licenses To NetWare Customers Running Microsoft Mail

Easy Migration To The Industry's Most Scalable Messaging System Challenges Microsoft Exchange

NETWORLD+INTEROP, Las Vegas, -- April 2, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced a GroupWise promotion targeted at NetWare customers running Microsoft Mail. As MS Mail users look to upgrade to an advanced messaging system, Novell will offer up to 50 GroupWise 4.l client licenses, a Message Server NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) and the Microsoft Mail Migration Utility-free. The promotion will last for 60 days following the shipment of Microsoft Exchange.

The GroupWise Universal In Box provides a common store for all incoming messages, allowing users to handle calendaring, scheduling, routing and tasks as well as receive faxes, Internet mail and voice mail messages in one place -- whether it is via the LAN, Internet, the telephone or a remote location. A common store for messaging and appointments is not offered with Exchange or MS Mail, which rely on secondary products such as Schedule Plus to handle scheduling and calendaring.

"Microsoft customers, particularly MS Mail customers, have been waiting a long time for Exchange to ship. With this GroupWise promotion, we are giving our NetWare customers who use MS Mail the opportunity to upgrade to our proven advanced messaging system," said Stewart Nelson, vice president and general manager of Novell's GroupWare Division. "NetWare customers considering a move from MS Mail to Exchange must install NT servers solely for the purpose of using Exchange; this will result in substantially increased administrative overhead." -- One GroupWise user, Joe AuBuchon, program manager, information systems at McDonnell Douglas said, "We considered Microsoft Exchange previous to choosing GroupWise 4.1 and found it did not meet our various enterprise requirements. Therefore, we are committed to GroupWise and future GroupWise next-generation solutions."

"As companies migrate from file-sharing mail to the next generation of client/server mail products, they have the opportunity to reassess which vendor's strategy best suits their needs," said David Marshak, senior vice president of The Seybold Group, a Boston-based market research firm. "GroupWise 4.1 and the forthcoming GroupWise XTD could be a logical alternative for companies making this move."

Advantages Of GroupWise Over Exchange

The promotion further leverages three key advantages of GroupWise over Exchange: a true Universal In Box with multiple access points, tighter network administration and proven scalability of GroupWise and NetWare.

Tightly synchronized with NetWare, GroupWise administration is performed by the same utility program, NWAdmin, thus offering unparalleled administrative efficiencies, according to Novell.

With the forthcoming GroupWise XTD, all GroupWise users, post offices, gateways, and servers exist in NetWare Directory Services as objects in the Directory Tree. This allows all administration and management to be done through this single point of administration.

Finally, GroupWise XTD management will be integrated with NetWare's ManageWise tool, allowing administrators to leverage integrated management functionality across the enterprise.

In contrast, Exchange and Windows NT have separate administration programs which require NetWare customers to administer their Exchange system, the NT domain directory and NetWare separately.

Furthermore, GroupWise's support for multiple server platforms means it is completely scalable and can be easily integrated into heterogeneous environments, thus allowing organizations to maintain their current investment in equipment and operating systems. Supported server platforms include NetWare 4.X and 3.X, OS/2 and UNIX, with additional support planned for Windows NT with GroupWise XTD.

And, GroupWise natively supports a total of 16 gateways for seamless integration between the GroupWise system and foreign systems. In contrast, Exchange supports only three gateways: X.400, SMTP and MS Mail.

GroupWise XTD Offers Additional Advantages

"The first-generation, unproven Exchange will not offer advanced messaging functionality, such as document management integration and workflow, both of which will be tightly integrated with GroupWise XTD," added Nelson.

For more information about this promotion, customers can call (800) 258-5408 or visit Novell's home page at http://www.novell.com.

Novell (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


White Pine Releases eXodus for Macintosh 6.0
White Pine Software Releases eXodus for Macintosh 6.0

 -- The First Complete X11R6 Server for MacOS

 -- The First Open Transport 1.1 Native X server

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA (April 2, 1996) -- White Pine Software, Inc., today announced a major new release and immediate availability of eXodus for Macintosh, its market leading X Window Server for Macintosh, Power Macintosh, and other MacOS compatible computers. This new version compliments White Pine's leadership role in X Server technology and contains a broad range of software enhancements, many of which are focused on delivering the most important benefits of emerging Macintosh and X technology to the desktop user.

eXodus 6.0 is the first X server available that is Open Transport 1.1 "native" and fine tuned for Apple's MacOS System 7.5.3, both of which were released in March. Open Transport is the new communication subsystem of the MacOS, designed to take full advantage of the PowerPC and PCI bus architectures predominant in current Macintosh models. "X on the Macintosh is taking another big step forward thanks to the simultaneous availability of Open Transport and the OT-native eXodus," states Killko Caballero, White Pine's Chief Technology Officer.

eXodus 6.0 is also the first complete X11R6 server for MacOS. A product of the non-profit X Consortium Inc., X11R6 is the current release of the X protocol standard. Based on X11R6, eXodus fully implements the advances made recently in X technology, including new font types and features, new X extensions such as XSYNC, XTEST, and BIG-REQUESTS, and a handful of new window management features. eXodus includes many new font sets, including the 100dpi, Speedo, Type1, Asian, and CDE groups.

An essential element of the 6.0 release is plug-and-play seamlessness with the Common Desktop Environment (CDE). CDE is a standard established by a group of professionals representing most of the major Unix workstation vendors. Its essential goal is to offer a unified desktop interface for all Unix workstations, and potentially other computers. eXodus has been enhanced, tested, and certified to be compliant with a variety of CDE products including Solaris CDE, TriTeal TED, and Digital Unix CDE. "Unix users have been waiting for good CDE-based products for a long time," says Steve Roche, Director of Product Marketing at White Pine. "They can rest assured that CDE compatibility will remain absolutely essential in current and future releases of eXodus."

Another highly notable emerging technology that has been addressed in eXodus 6.0 is Windows-vi -X. A number of products, including NTrigue from Insignia Solutions, Inc., provide access to MS Windows applications from X servers. eXodus has been designed to overcome certain compatibility limitations inherent with running Windows applications on a Macintosh. The result is that eXodus can be easily set up to connect to Windows NT hosts that have NTrigue or similar software installed, and run sessions with one or more Windows applications appearing seamlessly on the Mac desktop.

Further broadening its support for popular remote connectivity options, eXodus 6.0 introduces White Pine PPP, a PPP and SLIP driver for the MacOS. White Pine PPP has many key features and is compatible with a wide variety of other connectivity products in addition to eXodus. With support for SLIP, PPP, Tek Xpress and Apple Remote Access included in every package, eXodus now offers the most comprehensive remote connectivity support of any X server available today.

This release introduces our customers to the eXodus CD-ROM, which is included in every package, in addition to standard diskette media. The CD-ROM includes the basic installation package, as well as information and tools which previously had not been feasible. In addition to extra eXodus for Macintosh components like new font sets, the CD-ROM includes on-line manuals, demo software including eXodus for Windows, and Adobe Acrobat readers in English, French and German languages. The CD-ROM is built in a "hybrid" format, and is thus usable on both Macintosh and MS Windows systems.

For over a decade, White Pine Software has pioneered desktop connectivity solutions for major corporations, government agencies and educational institutions worldwide. White Pine offers a "one stop" connectivity source - with X server and network file services, host connectivity, and Internet applications - for distributed, multi-platform environments. White Pine is the leader desktop and host connectivity solutions for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and UNIX-based platforms, and continues to provide the most comprehensive technology for both the Internet and the Intranet. For more information visit http://www.wpine.com or call 603-886-9050.


GroupWise WorkFlow Increases Efficiency
GroupWise WorkFlow Increases the Efficiency of Work Processes

Anyone that can use E-mail can use GroupWise Workflow to move work faster through their organization

NETWORLD+INTEROP, Las Vegas, -- April 2, 1996 -- Building upon the value already offered by the GroupWise 4.1 Universal In Box, Novell, Inc. today unveiled GroupWise WorkFlow. This breakthrough product offering gives the more than 5.5 million GroupWise users the ability to create, define and participate in electronic work processes from the familiar environment of GroupWise.

GroupWise WorkFlow reduces the impact of traditional work process obstacles, such as misfiled documents and lost inter-office mail, which act as bottlenecks that make business office processes slow down or even grind to a halt. By reducing the impact of these obstacles, GroupWise WorkFlow helps knowledge workers move work faster through their organizations.

"To date, the personal computing industry has focused on making the individual rather than overall work processes more productive, thereby creating islands of productivity throughout an organization," said Stewart Nelson, vice president and general manager, Novell GroupWare Division. "The GroupWise Universal In Box was Novell's first step in linking these islands of productivity. With GroupWise WorkFlow, Novell is providing GroupWise users with additional tools to bridge the islands of productivity and decrease the costs associated with moving work."

"GroupWise is currently one of our hottest-selling products, and workflow is one of the hottest topics on our customers' minds," said Mike Murray, systems engineer, MicroAge of Memphis Tennessee. "The integration of GroupWise WorkFlow with the Universal In Box finally gives our customers a compelling reason to implement a workflow solution."

"GroupWise WorkFlow is an absolute world-beater of a product," said Connie Moore, director, Giga Information Group, a leading Information Technology Advisory Group. "When we look back two years from now, the GroupWise WorkFlow introduction will be a defining moment in developing workflow for the mass market."

Creating a Workflow

Jointly developed with FileNet Corporation, GroupWise WorkFlow enables GroupWise users to become workflow authors. With its point-and-click user interface, GroupWise WorkFlow makes constructing a workflow as simple as dragging icons, which represent people and objects in the system, to the WorkFlow Canvas and drawing arrows to link these icons in sequential, broadcast or conditional routes.

The GroupWise address book allows workflow authors to assign people to each workflow step. With each step in the work process, the author can include detailed instructions, attach documents and objects required to complete the task, define specific responses and establish security levels for each participant. Once a workflow is implemented, the author can receive the status of the work in process, which shows exactly who has the work and what they've done with it.

Participating in a WorkFlow

GroupWise WorkFlow, tightly integrated with GroupWise, makes participating in workflows as simple as using E-mail. If a user has been defined as a workflow participant, theywill receive a message in their Universal In Box when it is time for them to participate in a particular work process. Opening the message displays the assignment in a simple dialog box with instructions for completing the task. Users can respond to the workflow author, asking questions and making clarifications, and when the task is completed, GroupWise WorkFlow automatically routes the message to the next participants.

For more information about GroupWise WorkFlow, customers can call 1-800 NET-WARE or visit Novell#s home page at http://www.novell.com.

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Microsoft Win32 Driver Model
Microsoft Announces Win32 Driver Model; Windows Hardware Development Simplified

Unified Driver Architecture and Interfaces for Windows 95 and Windows NT, Component of Simply Interactive PC Framework Unveiled at WinHEC 96

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the Win32 Driver Model, which provides a common driver architecture for the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. With the Win32 Driver Model, a single device driver can be written for both operating systems, making it faster and easier for hardware developers to create higher-quality drivers and innovative hardware at lower cost.

The Win32 Driver Model is a core technology for Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC (SIPC), unveiled here today to leading PC hardware engineers and executives attending the WindowsR Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC 96). SIPC is the framework for PCs that are as simple and convenient to use as consumer appliances and will become the center of entertainment, communications and productivity in the home and office. SIPC technologies that will use the Win32 Driver Model include new Plug and Play device support for the USB and 1394 buses, as well as the OnNow initiative, which was also announced here today (see related release).

"The Win32 Driver Model is a critical step in our strategy for Windows 95 and Windows NT to share technologies," said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft. "With the Win32 Driver Model, hardware developers can create drivers for Windows as easily as software developers now create Windows-based applications using Win32 APIs. The result will be a broader range of innovative, high-performance hardware for the entire Windows family."

"Cirrus Logic is a leader in software-rich silicon solutions for multimedia, communications and storage applications," said George Alexy, senior vice president of marketing for Cirrus Logic. "The Win32 Driver Model will greatly streamline our driver development efforts by allowing us to concentrate on a single set of drivers that exploit the full feature set of our chips for Windows 95 and Windows NT. For the industry in general, we think a unified driver architecture promises a new level of simplicity."

WIN32 DRIVER MODEL ARCHITECTURE

The Win32 Driver Model's architecture provides a modular class-minidriver structure. A logical class driver defines generic support for a new bus or standard device command interface. A simple minidriver is used to extend class drivers to support a specific physical device interface.

The Win32 Driver Model provides hardware separation between bus and reusable device class drivers so they can be developed independently. For USB, Microsoft is developing both a generic Win32 USB class driver and a generic Win32 device class driver for input devices, such as mice, keyboards and joysticks. The USB class driver that Microsoft is developing can be extended by a minidriver to support specific USB host controller interfaces such as OpenHCI and Universal HCI. The input device class driver can be used without modification on another bus. Hardware vendors can use a standard minidriver or easily innovate with the Win32 Driver Model by writing a minidriver for devices with new capabilities.

The Win32 Driver Model will maximize system responsiveness and throughput by providing extremely low latency services and fewer ring transitions, which interactive applications demand. All Win32 Driver Model drivers execute in Ring 0 and have access to low latency services.

AVAILABILITY

Microsoft plans Win32 Driver Model support for OnNow, USB and 1394 in upcoming OEM service releases of Windows 95 later this year and in Windows NT soon thereafter. Device class support will initially include audio, input and imaging. Other device classes will be added based on market demand. A beta driver development kit (DDK) will be released at an industry Win32 Driver Model design review conference to be held at Microsoft on May 15.

Additional information on the Win32 Driver Model is available on the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Simply Interactive PC Framework
Microsoft Unveils Simply Interactive PC Framework

Microsoft, Hardware Companies to Extend the PC to the Family Room; SIPC Components, Technologies, Prototypes Shown at WinHEC 96

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. Chairman and CEO Bill Gates today unveiled the Simply Interactive PC (SIPC) framework of hardware technologies for Microsoft Windows operating system-based PCs. According to Gates, the technologies of SIPC will make the PC platform the center of entertainment, communications and productivity in both home and office, providing the ease of use and convenience of a consumer appliance.

Gates described and demonstrated key technologies and prototypes for SIPC to more than 3,000 PC hardware engineers and executives gathered here for the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference 96 (WinHEC 96). The demonstrations included enhanced audio, processed and driven from the PC through a consumer stereo system; unparalleled high-performance 3-D graphics; connectivity between the PC and consumer electronics devices via Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394; DVD playback of digitally perfect audio and video; and sealed-case concept PCs that never need to be opened for users to connect and add new devices.

Leading hardware companies, including Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., endorsed the SIPC framework and its associated technologies. Gates invited the PC hardware industry to join with Microsoft and begin making SIPC a reality immediately.

"While the PC is easier to use today, we should not be satisfied," Gates said. "SIPC technologies will make the PC as easy and convenient to use as other home appliances. PCs will not only be more interactive and fun, they'll also be easier to connect to consumer devices like VCRs, stereos and TVs. As the PC becomes a central device for entertainment and communications, it will be placed with these consumer devices in the family room."

SIPC is a general hardware framework, rather than a specific reference platform. Key technologies for SIPC, announced today, include the OnNow design initiative for systemwide power management and instant accessibility and the Win32R Driver Model, which simplifies driver development and improves time to market and quality of new hardware. SIPC technologies will benefit PCs used in offices as well as in the home.

SIPC GIVES NEW MEANING TO "SIMPLICITY"

Simplicity and convenience are cornerstones of the SIPC framework. Unlike today's PCs, which can take minutes to boot up each time they're turned on, SIPC systems will be instantly available at the touch of the on button, much like other popular consumer electronics products. A consumer with no experience using a personal computer will be able to sit down at an SIPC system and immediately complete tasks such as playing a game, watching a movie or TV program, browsing the World Wide Web, connecting to a stereo or VCR, listening to voice mail or writing e-mail.

Extending or connecting SIPC systems to other devices will be as easy as plugging in an extension cord. SIPC technologies include support for new ways to connect to consumer electronics devices and PC peripherals using the 1394 and USB buses. Also, while today's PC users may dread opening the PC case, SIPC systems will not need to be opened. It will be possible for connections to be made while the SIPC system is turned on, with no need to reboot.

CONSUMERS BENEFIT FROM SIPC'S INTERACTIVITY

Consumers will be drawn to the interactive experience of an SIPC system. SIPC systems will deliver 3-D graphics and audio comparable to leading consumer platforms by taking advantage of Microsoft ActiveX and DirectX technologies, for example, playback of DVD movies using the ActiveMovie API. SIPC systems will also provide connectivity to popular consumer electronic devices such as camcorders via a 1394 digital pipe. Another important peripheral to an SIPC system will be a large display with high resolution.

NEW WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH SIPC

SIPC systems will provide fast access to the Internet and will support critical-mass high-speed data pipelines, such as ISDN and cable modems, to the home. SIPC systems will support state-of-the-art Web browsing, with enhancements to Microsoft Internet Explorer, and provide full support for e-mail, voice messaging, conferencing and faxing, making them complete home or office communications centers.

WIN32 DRIVER MODEL KEY FOUNDATION FOR SIPC

The Win32 Driver Model is a key foundation technology for SIPC. SIPC technologies that will use the driver model include new Plug and Play device support for 1394 and USB, and the OnNow initiative. Because the Win32 Driver Model provides a driver-common architecture for both the WindowsR 95 and Windows NTR operating systems, hardware developers can write a single driver for both systems, making it faster and easier to create drivers for innovative hardware.

SIPC TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY

* "APPLIANCE" EASE OF USE AND CONVENIENCE. The SIPC will be instantly accessible and easily extensible externally through DeviceBay, USB (low speed) and 1394 (high speed). This will allow connectivity to consumer electronics, such as stereos, VCRs, camcorders, TVs and DSS/cable boxes. SIPC also means users can immediately perform tasks such as playing a game, browsing the Web, watching a movie, or listening to voice messages with no prior experience with the PC. It also means no user-serviceable parts, much like a TV or stereo today.

* LIFELIKE ENTERTAINMENT AND MULTIMEDIA. The SIPC will include outstanding 2-D and 3-D graphics, high-fidelity audio, extremely low latency, the ability to handle multiple rich data streams, and large displays.

* INTERNET AND COMMUNICATIONS. The SIPC will have fast access to the Internet through caching and support for all critical-mass high-speed data pipelines. It will always be able to access an Internet browser and extensions. It will also provide voice messaging, conferencing and fax capabilities.

Additional information about SIPC, including white papers, is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware. Live transcripts of Bill Gates' keynote will be made available via a hot link from the WinHEC World Wide Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/events/winhec.htm.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft & Hwr Community OnNow Initiative
Microsoft and Hardware Community Announce OnNow Initiative For Instantly Available PCs

OnNow is Key Component of Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC Vision; Builds on ACPI Standard Also Announced Today at WinHEC 96

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. and key computer hardware companies today announced support for OnNow, a broad industry initiative to create PCs and peripherals that are instantly ready to operate at all times. OnNow PCs will turn on instantly like VCRs or TVs, without rebooting, and will respond automatically to incoming faxes, voice mail and e-mail even when they appear to be turned off. OnNow will be supported in future releases of the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems.

Major companies announcing support for OnNow include Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp., Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. The OnNow initiative is a result of requests from PC manufacturers for a systemwide approach to power management. The OnNow architecture was shaped by the hardware industry at an open design preview held at Microsoft in December.

OnNow improves upon current PC power management systems by enabling the operating system to play a central role. Software applications and every hardware device can participate in power management, and OnNow delivers a standard way to implement power management across all PC platforms.

"Users are demanding that PCs become more convenient to access and use in the home and the office," said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "They want their PC to be instantly available to answer the phone, display new e-mail, browse the Internet or run an application. Consumers don't want devices that take a long time to warm up or that use unnecessary energy. OnNow is a major step forward in advancing the PC platform to a new level of usability by integrating the hardware, operating system and applications, so the entire platform operates the way consumers expect."

OnNow is designed for a broad range of PCs, not just the notebook computers for which current power management systems are designed. Current power management extends notebook battery life through hardware- and BIOS-specific power management, but it can lack coordination with the operating system and applications. Without using information from these other parts of the PC platform, current power management systems can't operate at maximum effectiveness. Unlike with current power management, OnNow allows for power control of individual devices in a PC.

Because current power management is designed primarily for notebook PCs, applications developers have been slow to use their features in mainstream applications. With OnNow, developers can write one application for both notebooks and desktop PCs and exploit the power management features provided. Consumers will also benefit by having a common application feature set for both notebook and desktop PCs.

OnNow is a key component of Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC (SIPC) framework for PCs that are as simple and convenient to use as home appliances. The OnNow initiative and SIPC framework were announced to hardware engineers and executives here on the opening day of the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference 96 (WinHEC 96). OnNow is based in part on the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) open specification also announced today by Microsoft, Intel and Toshiba. An industry review draft of the proposed specification was released today. ACPI is a new interface to the system board that enables both Windows NT and Windows 95 to implement operating system-directed power management on a broad array of PCs, including servers, business systems and consumer PCs.

ONNOW POWER MANAGEMENT FEATURE SUMMARY

 COMMON ARCHITECTURE AND INTERFACES BETWEEN WINDOWS 95 AND WINDOWS

 NT. Now, there are common architecture and interfaces for power

 management for both Windows 95 and Windows NT. Moreover, ACPI-

 compliant systems enable identical hardware and drivers to be

 used for both Windows 95 and Windows NT.

 THE PC IS READY FOR USE IMMEDIATELY when the consumer presses the

 on button.

 THE PC WILL RESPOND TO WAKE-UP EVENTS, such as faxes, e-mail or

 user requests to browse the Internet, even when it appears to

 be off. In its "apparent off" state, the machine consumes

 little energy but will respond to external events.

 APPLICATION SOFTWARE WILL ADJUST ITS BEHAVIOR WHEN THE PC'S POWER

 STATE CHANGES. The operating system and applications will work

 together intelligently to operate the machine in accord with the

 consumer's needs and expectations, and to deliver effective power

 management. For example, applications will proactively participate

 with the operating system and hardware in shutting down the machine

 to conserve energy.

 ALL DEVICES INSTALLED IN THE MACHINE OR ADDED BY THE CONSUMER WILL

 PARTICIPATE IN THE POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, unlike current power

 management plans that exclude new peripheral devices. The OnNow

 system can change the power state of any conforming device. For

 instance, a peripheral such as a modem or CD-ROM will be turned

 off when the device is not in use by the application.

ONNOW DESIGN INITIATIVE ARCHITECTURE SUMMARY

 ENHANCED CORE OPERATING SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY for power management.

 In the OnNow architecture, the operating system can direct power

 management by coordinating activities at all levels and defining

 the power-state transitions for the overall system. Microsoft

 plans to enhance future versions of the WindowsR operating

 system with this capability.

 A DEVICE DRIVER MODEL FOR POWER MANAGEMENT that supports per-device

 power management. To meet these needs, Microsoft today also announced

 the Win32R Driver Model, a unified driver model for Windows

 95 and Windows NT.

 A NEW SYSTEM BOARD INTERFACE FOR POWER MANAGEMENT that implements

 operating system-directed power management and enables per-device

 power management of devices on the system board. Intel, Microsoft

 and Toshiba designed ACPI to meet these needs.

 ENHANCED DEVICE AND BUS HARDWARE power management capabilities.

 The OnNow initiative provides a framework for establishing power

 management interfaces and power-state definitions in bus and device

 hardware.

 AN APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE THAT INTEGRATES APPLICATIONS INTO POWER

 MANAGEMENT by improving the flow of control and information through

 the application interface. For instance, a presentation application

 can request the display to remain on even though the machine is

 otherwise idle.

Additional information about the OnNow Design Initiative is available on the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Bill Gates Announces Microsoft Exchange
Bill Gates Announces Microsoft Exchange; Outlines Microsoft's Vision For Business Computing

Microsoft Booth Highlights Internet Kiosk, Scalability Wall

LAS VEGAS - APRIL 2, 1996 - As a part of his NetWorld+Interop '96 keynote address, Bill Gates today announced that Microsoft Exchange Server is shipping and demonstrated Microsoft Corp.'s vision for business communications and computing over the Internet.

Microsoft Exchange Server includes e-mail and built-in groupware to allow group scheduling, discussion databases and document sharing, for users to view and share information stored in public folders. In addition, it enables system administrators to monitor and troubleshoot a corporation's entire messaging system - including Internet connections and usage - from a single workstation.

Microsoft is demonstrating two Internet-based public kiosks in its booth, providing one-stop access to information about Microsoft Exchange, the Microsoft BackOffice family of products and all other information on the Microsoft home page on the World Wide Web. The Microsoft kiosks, running on the Windows NT Workstation operating system, are tied via ISDN lines to the Internet where they access Windows NT Server systems running Microsoft Internet Information Server and Microsoft BackOffice at Microsoft's Redmond, Wash., campus.

The Scalability Wall showcases the scalability, performance and stability of Microsoft Exchange and the hardware it supports while simulating more than 10,000 simultaneous Microsoft Exchange connections on a single server. Other booth highlights include 26 Microsoft Exchange partners, two Windows NT Server-based stations, and demos running Microsoft Internet Information Server, Internet Assistant, Microsoft Internet Explorer and FrontPage along with applications from Internet partners. The Network Operations Center (NOC), which is the backbone of the InteropNet conference network, is also running on Microsoft BackOffice and Windows NT Server. Microsoft was recognized as a Silver-level InteropNet contributor based on the value of products and labor it donated to the NOC InteropNet team.

MICROSOFT THEATER SESSIONS ON MICROSOFT BACKOFFICE PRODUCTS AND THE INTERNET

Microsoft theater presentations at NetWorld+Interop '96 take place from 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and include information on the Microsoft Exchange Server, "Taking Messaging and Groupware to a New Level"; Windows NT Server, "The Internet Working Foundation"; the Windows NT Workstation and WindowsR 95 operating system, "Planning Your Desktop"; and the Internet and intranets, "Using Microsoft's BackOffice to Bring It All Together." Microsoft will run training sessions on Microsoft Exchange on Wednesday, April 3, in the Mirage Hotel, Ballroom J, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Also this week, Microsoft technologists will share their expertise on the Internet, messaging and groupware with NetWorld+Interop '96 participants at four conference sessions highlighting corporate networking and intranet use, commercial online services, Internet security and SNA internetworking. A schedule of these sessions can be found on the NetWorld+Interop '96 Web page at http://www.interop.com/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION ABOUT MICROSOFT EXCHANGE:

Microsoft Exchange Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/


Xilinx Foundation Swr for CPLD/FPGA
XILINX DELIVERS FIRST COMPLETE, STANDARDS-BASED, SHRINK-WRAPPED SOFTWARE FOR PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC

New Xilinx Foundation Software Series Removes Barriers for Entry Level Users to Design with HDLs and Easily Migrate to Higher Density Solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1, 1996 -- Xilinx, Inc., (NASDAQ:XLNX) today announced the Xilinx Foundation series, a fully integrated set of software solutions that support a broad range of CPLD and FPGA design requirements. The easy-to-use, Windows-based software provides access to industry standard Hardware Description Languages (HDLs), synthesis, schematic entry, gate level simulation, and the Xilinx XACTstep implementation tools. The Xilinx Foundation series allows users to shorten design cycles and the learning curve associated with designing with industry standard HDLs.

"Today's designers need easy-to-use, technology-independent software solutions to support the rapid innovation of new PLD families without having to learn new design methodologies," said Kenn Perry, Xilinx director of software marketing. "The Xilinx Foundation series provides an entire suite of standards-based design tools leveraging an easy-to-learn VHDL design environment."

Integrated, Standards-Based Features

Since the Xilinx Foundation tools are integrated into a common design management environment, users have access to all technology from design entry to implementation to verification. As a result, the new series provides ease and flexibility when designing with industry standard languages. For example, an integrated, push-button HDL editor provides the user immediate HDL assistance during mixed design entry. Among its variety of world-class features, the new software series includes the following:

* HDL Wizard makes language-based design easy and efficient in both VHDL and ABEL-HDL. It includes an HDL editor with built-in intelligence for learning HDL, language templates for cutting and pasting of common HDL functions, and color coding of HDL key words for leading the user through the text entry process.

* VHDL Synthesis provides a simple, low cost tool for synthesizing VHDL text files and supports fully compliant IEEE 1076 code. Proven compile times show a designer can synthesize a 2,000-3,000 gate design in two minutes. Design files are non-proprietary, technology-independent, and Synopsys-compatible. As a result, designs created with VHDL can be reused even if the target device changes.

* ABEL-HDL Design provides easy migration from PAL designs to higher density Xilinx CPLDs and FPGAs. It includes push-button design flow with hierarchical design entry and JEDEC file conversion, enabling reuse of existing PAL codes. A fitter architecture with automatic device selection allows designers to focus on design functionality.

"Xilinx' business strategy with its new series of programmable logic design tools is an industry breakthrough," said Rita Glover, president and principal analyst of EDA Today, Phoenix, Arizona. "The openness of the Xilinx Foundation series breaks down the barriers that have previously held customers captive to particular silicon architectures. Users will welcome the ability to do CPLD and FPGA design in a standards-compliant, technology-independent environment that is also low cost and easy to use."

Pricing and Availability

The Xilinx Foundation software solutions are available now on PC platforms running Microsoft Windows 3.1. Availability on Microsoft Windows '95 and Windows NT platforms will be announced later this year.

XILINX FOUNDATION SERIES

Product Includes Price Family/Device Support Foundation XABEL-CPLD Simulation, ABEL-HDL design support, Xilinx CPLD implementation tools $495 XC7300 family XC9500 family Foundation BASE Schematic, simulation, ABEL-HDL design support, Xilinx CPLD and FPGA implementation tools $995 XC7300 family XC3120A/3130A/3142A XC3020A/3030A/3042A XC4003E XC5202/5204 Foundation BASE VHDL VHDL synthesis, schematic, simulation, ABEL-HDL design support, Xilinx CPLD and FPGA implementation tools $1,495 XC7300 family XC3120A/3130A/3142A XC3020A/3030A/3042A XC4003E XC5202/5204 Foundation STANDARD Schematic, simulation, ABEL-HDL design support, XBLOX, floorplanner, Xilinx CPLD and FPGA implementation tools, support for up to 20,000 gates $4,995 XC3100A family XC3000A family XC4000E family XC5200 family XC7300 family Foundation STANDARD VHDL VHDL synthesis, schematic, simulation, ABEL-HDL design support, XBLOX, floorplanner, Xilinx CPLD and FPGA implementation tools, support for up to 20,000 gates $5,995 XC3100A family XC3000A family XC4000E family XC5200 family XC7300 family Founded in 1984, Xilinx is the world's largest supplier of programmable logic solutions comprising industry leading device architectures and world class design software. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company pioneered the market for field programmable gate array (FPGA) semiconductor devices that provide high integration and quick time-to-market for electronic equipment manufacturers in the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, and high reliability/military markets.

Note to editors: For more information on Xilinx, access our World Wide Web site at http://www.xilinx.com.


EDS Moves Users to Microsoft Exchange

Eighteen E-mail and Groupware Systems Replaced

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 2, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that EDS has selected Microsoft Exchange Server for the Windows NT operating system as the messaging and workgroup server software for its employees around the globe. EDS, the world's leading information and technology services company, will use Microsoft Exchange to replace its current installations of approximately 18 messaging systems.

EDS is already running Microsoft Exchange in a global network that includes Tokyo, London, Seattle, the company's Texas headquarters, and locations in Michigan and Virginia. EDS expects that the full rollout of Microsoft Exchange to its sites in 40 countries will take 18 months. For the initial phase of the rollout, EDS has agreed to purchase 68,000 licenses to convert the majority of its work force to Microsoft Exchange.

"We must have the best tools so EDS employees are able to collaborate and communicate with each other, as well as with the 8,000 customers we serve," said Todd Carlson, CIO at EDS. "The use of Microsoft Exchange as part of our Internet and intranet strategy will enable us to make the transition from multiple messaging systems to one system over time rather than all at once. It also will allow us to communicate seamlessly with our customers and suppliers."

"This is a tremendous recognition of Microsoft Exchange from a company with superb mastery of information technology and its application to business solutions," said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "EDS' adoption of Microsoft Exchange is validation of our close work for more than a year with customers, developers, manufacturers and channel partners to deliver the open, integrated messaging and groupware product they want and need."

EDS participated in Microsoft's Early Adopter program to evaluate, shape and test Microsoft Exchange. EDS was the first company to put Microsoft Exchange Release Candidates 1 and 2 into production mode and the first to implement Microsoft Exchange in a global network.

Microsoft Exchange Server contains e-mail and built-in groupware to allow group scheduling, discussion databases, document sharing and other custom applications to improve business productivity. In addition, it enables system administrators to monitor and troubleshoot the messaging system of an entire corporation - including Internet mail connections and usage - from a single workstation.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft DirectPlay for Multiplayer Games
Microsoft Brings Multiplayer Games to the Internet With DirectPlay

Enhances DirectPlay With Next-Generation Tools for Game Developers and Online Services; First DirectPlay Internet Components Announced at Computer Game Developers Conference To Broad Industry Support

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. - APRIL 2, 1996 - In another enhancement to its highly successful DirectX technology family, Microsoft Corp. today announced the Microsoft DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture, a set of technologies for online games and online game service providers. The DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture, announced to hundreds of developers gathered here today at the 10th annual Computer Game Developers Conference (CGDC), lays the foundation for an entire multiplayer gaming industry.

This exciting technology extends the successful Microsoft DirectX APIs to the Internet and enables the creation of both sophisticated online games and virtual online "lobbies" that coordinate multiplayer games and drive a new generation of online game services.

Game players will soon be able to engage in contests with friends or strangers over the Internet, "meet" each other in virtual game lobbies to coordinate online match-ups, and choose from a wide selection of online gaming services to make it all happen. In addition to enabling new opportunities and business models, the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture is a complete solution that can be utilized by every online gaming service currently up and running or in development.

"There's nothing more realistic than playing a fast-action game against human opponents," said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft. "DirectPlay and the PC extend this realism to the Internet. The online world is the next big step for game developers and consumers: Broad industry support for DirectPlay proves it."

The DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture includes the following components:

 DIRECTPLAY, part of the DirectX API set, which enables multiplayer

 gaming across any network supported by a DirectPlay Service Provider.

 DIRECTPLAY SERVICE PROVIDERS, which offer drivers that enable networks

 to host DirectPlay games. Currently supported networks include

 simple modem connections between two computers, local area networks

 supported by the Microsoft

Windows 95 operating system, and the DWANGO online gaming service. These drivers are currently shipping. The DirectPlay Service Provider for the Internet is in alpha form and is being demonstrated to developers at the CGDC.

 DIRECTPLAY LOBBY CLIENT, which enables game players using DirectPlay

 to find opponents and organize games online using DirectPlay Lobby

 Servers.

 DIRECTPLAY LOBBY SERVER, which coordinates game players seeking

 online opponents and facilitates the setup of new online games

 and the creation of online gaming environments.

 DIRECTPLAY GAME SERVER, which handles online games among multiple

 opponents and coordinates billing.

 DIRECTPLAY CLIENT BILLING API, which enables fee-based DirectPlay-

 compatible games using any online money provider.

INDUSTRY EMBRACES INTERNET GAMING INITIATIVE

Leading game companies and online services plan to bring the Internet-based online gaming experience to their users via the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture. Developers are already shipping sophisticated multiplayer games using the DirectPlay API released last fall. The added components of the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture now enable them to offer name-brand, online gaming services using the Internet or their own private networks, engendering a broad selection of compelling online games for users.

"The DirectPlay Internet Architecture gives us the flexibility we need to develop state-of-the-art multiplayer games for the Internet," said Howard Marks, executive vice president of Activision Studios. "Microsoft's successful extension of DirectX to the online world will allow game players everywhere to enjoy the power and excitement of multiplayer DirectX games."

"We're enthusiastic about the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture," said David Foster, vice president of business development at UUNET Technologies Inc., a leading provider of Internet Services. "UUNET has considerable experience with server-based offerings, and DirectPlay gives us the potential to host game servers for our new and existing customers."

"With the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture, Microsoft has stepped up to the plate to deliver a specification that makes it easy for us to deliver a whole new gaming experience to our customers," said Konstantin Othmer, executive vice president of products at Catapult Entertainment Inc. and former director of graphics at Apple Computer Inc. "By eliminating the headaches of writing to multiple APIs, the Microsoft initiative enables developers and online game service providers to speak a common language and deliver the most dynamic gaming experience possible to end users."

The following additional companies support the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture:

3D/EYE Inc., Angie Ciarloni, (770) 937-9000 ext. 1227; e-mail, angiec@atlsrv01.eye.com

Activision Studios, Maryanne Lataif, (310) 473-9200

Catapult Entertainment Inc., Susan Baldwin, (408) 366-1735 ext. 263; e-mail, Susan@catapent.com

The Dream Designers, Somora Saint, (310) 589-9781; e-mail, dreammail@ix.netcom.com

DWANGO, Glenn Mandel, (212) 696-2000 ext. 240; e-mail, gmandel@tsipr.com

Imagination Network, Cindy Wilson, (415) 548-2545; e-mail, cindy.wilson@imagin1.com

Kali, Jay Cotton, (706) 542-5765

Looking Glass Technologies Inc., Michael Sack, (617) 441-6333; e-mail, msack@lglass.com

LucasArts Entertainment Co., Tom Sarris, (415) 444-8222; e-mail, tsarris@lucasarts.com

Maxis, Patrick Buechner, (510) 927-3782

Mindscape Inc., Michael E. Duffy, (415) 897-9900

NCompass, Lydia Loizides, (604) 606-0950; e-mail, ncompass@sfu.ca

OnLive! Technologies Inc., Trudy Nicolay, (408) 777-2173; e-mail, trudy@onlive.com

SegaSoft, Steve Payne, (415) 802-4455

Starwave Corp., Jayne Von Der Embse, (206) 936-9097

UUNET Technologies Inc., Paula Jagemann, (703) 206-5888

Virtual Studios Ltd., Ian Copone

In addition, other leading Internet companies, online services and game developers are working with DirectPlay and plan announcements later this year.

DELIVERY AND AVAILABILITY

At the Computer Game Developers Conference today, Microsoft released extensive technical information about the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture to developers. An initial group of developers also received an alpha version of the DirectPlay Service Provider Developer Kit. The Service Provider kit, a key component of the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture, enables any network or communications service vendor to create the software needed to host DirectPlay games on its service. DirectPlay is network- and protocol-independent, which allows any communication service provider to support DirectPlay with ease.

The client-side components of the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture are scheduled for release this August. The server-side components are planned to be released by the end of the year, potentially enabling the first Internet-based DirectPlay games to be released by the 1996 holiday season.

Interested game developers can obtain more information about DirectPlay and the DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture by visiting the Microsoft home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.microsoft.com/devonly/. The DirectPlay Internet Gaming Architecture components listed previously will be delivered to developers via the Microsoft Developer Network Level II. Developers interested in Microsoft Developer Network membership can call (800) 759-5474 in the United States or Canada, or (303) 684-0914 outside North America to obtain local contact information. Microsoft Developer Network Level II memberships cost approximately $495 per year.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Channel Partners Profit from Exchange Server
Early Training Initiative Paves Way for More Than 11,000 Microsoft Channel Partners to Profit From Release of Microsoft Exchange Server

CHANNEL PARTNERS TO PROFIT FROM RELEASE OF MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER

Distributors, Resellers and Solution Providers Prepare for Enormous Market Opportunity

LAS VEGAS - APRIL 2, 1996 - Today at NetWorld + Interop '96, Microsoft Corp. announced that thousands of distributors, resellers and Solution Providers worldwide are ready to provide service and support for Microsoft Exchange Server.

Since July 1995, more than 1,000 independent Microsoft Solution Provider companies have been trained on Microsoft Exchange Server. Today, more than 200 Authorized Training and Education Centers (ATECs) offer Microsoft Exchange training and certification.

"We have never done more - or started earlier - to prepare the channel with training and education for a major product launch," said John Neilson, vice president of the organizational customer unit at Microsoft. "As a result, customers will have value-added services for Microsoft Exchange from day one. In addition, channel companies will have all the tools they need to take advantage of the enormous market opportunity that Microsoft Exchange and related professional services represent."

"Microsoft Exchange Server entering the groupware market will provide many opportunities for Microsoft Solution Providers and independent software vendors to assist customers in creating customized business solutions," said Ian Campbell, director of collaborative technologies at International Data Corp. "These companies can expect their sales opportunities to increase by taking advantage of the solid foundation and rich development environment provided by Microsoft Exchange Server."

TRAINING AND TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR SMALL, MEDIUM-SIZED AND LARGE RESELLERS

The Microsoft Solution Provider Exchange Specialist initiative is the industry's first comprehensive business development program for channel companies. It is one of four Solution Provider Specialist initiatives - along with programs focusing on the Internet, 32-bit desktops and host-systems connectivity - that Microsoft offers to its more than 11,000 Solution Provider companies. The Microsoft Solution Provider Exchange Specialist initiative offers participants exclusive benefits, including access to resources, technical assistance and marketing support. Microsoft Exchange Specialists receive a business development kit with product software, documentation and discounts on ATEC training.

Also available to independent value-added resellers are Microsoft Exchange Reseller Action Packs, which give small and medium-sized resellers a quick and cost-effective way to prepare for Microsoft Exchange. The Action Pack includes self-paced training materials and discounted software so resellers can save time and money as they gain expertise in Microsoft Exchange. The Microsoft Exchange Reseller Action Pack is available through distributors.

"Microsoft Exchange provides a world-class platform for global messaging and information-sharing solutions," said Link Simpson, president of Software Spectrum Technology Services Group. "We have invested early in getting our consulting organization up to speed to help our customers develop, deploy and maintain solutions around Microsoft Exchange. We already have Microsoft Exchange in production in more than 10 consulting offices across North America and have implemented the Microsoft Exchange Services Guide into our service offerings."

The Microsoft Exchange Service Guide is a customizable step-by-step guide that provides Microsoft Solution Provider Specialists with the process and tools they need to provide their customers the best possible service.

Microsoft Solution Providers are independent organizations working with Microsoft that include a wide range of companies and individuals, such as system integrators and installation experts, VARs, developers, consultants and technical support and training organizations. These Solution Providers add value by offering their customers a full range of services, such as vertical and horizontal solutions, line-of-business applications, and client-server implementation and systems integration, including multivendor expertise and training.

Businesses in North America can request information about the Microsoft Solution Provider program or can enroll by calling (800) SOL-PROV (765-7768). In other countries, businesses should contact their local Microsoft subsidiary.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Advanced Config & Power Management Spec
Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba Propose Advanced Configuration And Power Interface for Easy, Flexible Power Management

INTERFACE FOR EASY, FLEXIBLE POWER MANAGEMENT

Draft Specification Now Available; Industry to Collaborate on Final Definition

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 1, 1996 - Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. today announced the first draft of an open industry specification to enable easy implementation of power management on notebook, desktop and server PCs, thereby providing an architecture for device control of system power state. The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) will allow system manufacturers to deliver operating system-directed power management such as the OnNow industry initiative for instantly available PCs, also announced today.

The ACPI specification is a cross-platform interface, designed to support the MicrosoftR WindowsR 95, Windows NTR, and other operating systems. Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba are actively soliciting broad industry participation in shaping the final ACPI specification, which is scheduled for release in August. ACPI-based PCs are expected to be available in the second half of 1997.

ACPI defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface that allows designers a standard way to integrate power-management features throughout a PC system, including hardware, operating system and application software. This enables the PC to automatically turn on and off peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives and printers, as well as consumer devices connected to the PC such as VCRs, TVs, phones and stereos. With the ACPI technology, peripherals will also be able to activate the PC. For example, inserting a tape into a VCR could turn on the PC, which then would activate a large-screen TV and stereo system.

ACPI specifies a register-level interface to core power-management functions and a descriptive interface for additional hardware features. This gives system designers the ability to implement a range of power-management features with different hardware designs while using the same operating system driver.

"ACPI is the advanced interface that we need to build robust, effective power management into both the Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems," said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "It is the foundation for our OnNow initiative, also announced today, and will allow the industry to broadly deliver instantly available PCs."

"Today's ACPI specification signals a major advancement in power management for the PC platform," said Stephen Nachtsheim, vice president at Intel. "It enables the operating system to direct power management on a wide range of mobile, desktop and server PCs. Intel intends that our future processors, chipsets and OEM system products will support this new specification."

"ACPI takes power management to a new level," said Tom Scott, vice president and general manager for the computer systems division of Toshiba. "We'll use it to further improve the effectiveness of power management in our products and to better integrate with the operating system. ACPI represents a great hardware-software partitioning of power-management technology, yet offers us the ability to innovate and differentiate in our hardware products."

Additional information on ACPI, including the draft specification, will be available on the ACPI World Wide Web site at http://www.teleport.com/~acpi/. Comments on the ACPI specification can be sent to acpi@teleport.com.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with approximate annual sales of $2 billion, Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. is composed of seven divisions that manufacture and market a wide range of business and information-oriented products in the United States. Products include portable computers, hard disk drives and CD-ROMs, plain-paper copiers, facsimile systems, electronic key telephones and PBX systems.

TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of the $53.8 billion Toshiba Corp., the sixth largest computer and electronics manufacturer, and the world's 18th largest corporation in terms of sales. Toshiba Corp. is a world leader in high-technology products with 173 major consolidated subsidiaries worldwide. For dealer referral and product literature call (800) 999-4273.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Commitment to Microsoft Platforms
Microsoft Underscores Commitment To Supporting Document Management, Imaging, Work Flow With Expanded Presence at AIIM Trade Show

Windows NT, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server Selected as Top Platform by Leading Solution Developers

CHICAGO - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the continued and growing commitment of numerous solution developers to providing imaging, document-management and work-flow applications for the Microsoft Windows NT Server network operating system, the Microsoft SQL Server database and the Microsoft Exchange Server messaging system.

Increasingly, corporate IS users are choosing Windows NT Server and Microsoft SQL Server as the platform to run mission-critical applications. As a result, more and more solution developers are offering technologies for Microsoft's high-end server environment.

"We are pleased to see the support from leading vendors in this industry," said Rich Noffsinger, industry sales and marketing manager for document management, imaging and work flow at Microsoft. "The solution developers we are working with are demonstrating their commitment and enthusiasm for Windows NT Server, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange Server by making Microsoft the platform of choice for their applications. There is no question that the tremendous momentum toward Microsoft solutions makes the customers the big winners."

The imaging, document-management and work-flow solution vendors supporting a Microsoft platform include Action Technologies Inc., Cardiff Software Inc., Documentum Inc., FileNet Corp., Keyfile Corp., Micro Dynamics Ltd., Optika, PC DOCS Inc., Saros Corp., ViewStar Corp., Wang Laboratories Inc. and Watermark Software Inc.

Most of these solution developers will feature their applications in the Microsoft booth (No. 1839) at the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) trade show, to be held April 1-3 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

VENDORS DEMONSTRATE COMMITMENT TO MICROSOFT PLATFORMS

FileNet Corp. is committed to a Microsoft platform on several fronts. Not only has it ported its own WorkFlo and Visual WorkFlo products to Windows NT, but it recently acquired three companies - Saros, Watermark Software and Greenbar - whose customers primarily use Microsoft platforms. Thus, FileNet has a complete line of Windows NT-based imaging, work-flow, document-management and computer-output-to-laser-disk (COLD) computer report-management applications.

"Windows NT Server has become an important platform for us to satisfy our customers worldwide," said Jordan Libit, vice president of marketing at FileNet, based in Costa Mesa, Calif. "It has proven itself a cost-effective platform to deliver critical applications throughout an enterprise."

This demand for support of Microsoft platforms has come not only from FileNet's customers, but also from the company's resellers. Currently, FileNet has more than 400 resellers selling its products for Windows NT Server.

Keyfile Corp., based in Nashua, N.H., has witnessed a similar surge in demand for support of Microsoft's high-end platform. In early 1995, Keyfile began to provide its work-flow products for Windows NT. Today, 90 percent of the company's customers order its Keyfile document-management and work-flow product for the Windows NT platform.

"Virtually all of our new customer shipments today are Windows NT-based," said Roger Sullivan, vice president of marketing at Keyfile. "In this industry, you either run on Windows NT or you go out of business. There is no middle ground."

PRICE, PERFORMANCE DRIVE MOVE TO MICROSOFT PLATFORM

Why has Windows NT gained such rapid and widespread acceptance from performance users in the corporate environment?

According to Sullivan, Keyfile's customers, which include large engineering firms and financial concerns with millions of dollars at stake, rely on Keyfile and Windows NT to manage their businesses. They want to ensure that the flow of work within their companies proceeds smoothly between offices and departments, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and worker accountability.

In addition, end users running mission-critical applications such as Keyfile want a high-end platform that is stable and easy to implement.

"With Windows NT, implementation is one clean process," said Sullivan. "It's up and running right away, eliminating a lot of aggravation for our business partners, VARs and customers. Besides, corporate America and the world are adopting Windows NT at a phenomenal rate."

In fact, the combination of Windows NT with Keyfile has been so compelling that the company now is tightly integrating its work-flow product into Microsoft Exchange Server through a new product called Keyflow.

Documentum, an enterprise document-management vendor in Pleasanton, Calif., recently began implementing its Documentum Server solution for Windows NT in response to the demands of its customers.

"The feedback from our customers was that Windows NT is a platform that they want to see Documentum support on both clients and servers," said Dick Hoffmann, director of partner development at Documentum. "Our product needs an environment that is highly scalable and powerful so it can operate in very large companies. The Windows NT platform worked perfectly for us."

Who were these Documentum customers clamoring for a port for Windows NT? They were some of world's largest pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies. They wanted a cost-effective, high-performance platform to drive the demanding, robust Documentum software that enables them to create and manage complex, compound documents.

Similarly, customers of Micro Dynamics Ltd. (MDL) are moving to Windows NT. "By offering support for the powerful Windows NT Server, MDL continues to respond to the evolving needs of its customers for increased productivity, competitiveness and profit," said Bill Newell, president and CEO of MDL, based in Silver Spring, Md.

MICROSOFT, WANG BRING WORK FLOW TO THE INTERNET

Wang Laboratories Inc. - Microsoft's preferred imaging and work-flow vendor - developed its Open/image and Open/workflow products for Windows NT and Microsoft SQL Server after witnessing the widespread acceptance of the platform. "We saw Windows NT take off," said Ellen Rome, director of the Wang/Microsoft Alliance at Wang, based in Billerica, Mass. "Because of its power, cost-effectiveness and great security features, we knew it would become a very popular operating system. Time has proven us right."

Wang is now incorporating features into its work-flow products to enable work flow over the Internet using the Windows NT platform, a capability to be demonstrated at a joint keynote address by Microsoft and Wang at the AIIM show on Monday, April 1, at 8:30 a.m.

In addition, Wang and Microsoft are working closely to define and take advantage of the messaging API (MAPI) Workflow Framework specification, which joins production work-flow systems with messaging-based systems, such as Microsoft Exchange. Wang also is developing the imaging capabilities scheduled to be embedded in the next release of Windows NT, which will further enhance the platform. Moreover, the company is working with Microsoft to develop storage-management capabilities for Windows NT.

"It really is very simple," Rome said. "Customers are demanding comprehensive work-management solutions that run on the Windows NT platform, and we want to deliver solutions that meet our customers' needs."

DEVELOPERS ANSWER DEMAND FOR WINDOWS NT

Optika, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., has found that its customers want not only scalability and superior price/performance, but also exceptional network management.

"The combination of WindowsR-based clients and Windows NT-based servers provides a consistent environment," said A.J. Wand, market analysis manager at Optika. "This homogeneity makes the whole network easier to manage."

Optika has designed and optimized its FilePower product line to support Windows NT and the Microsoft BackOffice family. FilePower is a robust product suite that includes imaging, document management, COLD computer report management and work-flow processing.

John Tarabini of ViewStar Corp. agrees that Windows NT simplifies network management while providing a scalable, powerful computing environment. Two years ago, Alameda, Calif.-based ViewStar became one of the first work-flow vendors to commit to Windows NT. Since then, the company has run all its software on Windows NT.

"Those bets have paid off handsomely for us," Tarabini said. "Among our customers, it's not even a question anymore. Virtually all of our new customers are installing Windows NT."

Another solution provider, Burlington, Mass.-based PC DOCS, also suited its DOCS Open document-management product for Windows NT after hearing from customers.

"There were a number of factors involved," said Beth Parker, marketing communications manager for PC DOCS. "Ease of deployment and maintenance of Windows NT, and the combination of Windows NT and Microsoft SQL Server, especially. But more than anything, it was customer demand. We just see the industry moving toward Windows NT."

At the AIIM show, PC DOCS will introduce additional features for DOCS Open for Windows NT and will announce compatibility with Microsoft Exchange.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

Document Management Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/industry/docman/


Dolby to Bring High-Quality Audio to PCs
Microsoft and Dolby to Bring High-Quality Audio to PCs; Demonstrate New Technology at WinHEC 96

Dolby Supports Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC Vision as a Home Entertainment Device

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. and Dolby Laboratories Inc. said today they intend to bring high-quality Dolby Surround Sound audio to personal computers, giving developers and consumers an exciting new dimension to interactive PC software. This alliance is another step toward Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC vision to make the PC platform a center of entertainment, providing the ease of use and convenience of a consumer appliance.

Microsoft and Dolby signed a letter of intent to jointly develop technologies and specifications to support the use of Dolby's industry-leading theater-quality sound systems, including Dolby digital AC-3 technology to decode multichannel audio for use by six-speaker Surround Sound stereo systems.

The companies made the announcement and demonstrated the technology here today at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC 96). They also demonstrated a digital video disk ROM (DVD-ROM) movie clip on a PC using the MicrosoftR ActiveMovie API and Dolby digital AC-3 technology.

"The PC is about to take on a new, starring role in the home as a leading entertainment device, and our agreement with Microsoft is a major step toward making that happen," said Ed Schummer, vice president at Dolby. "Microsoft's vision is compelling and exciting, and we're delighted to participate in making it happen."

"Bringing the PC to the home entertainment center requires giving it the best possible audio abilities," said Carl Stork, director of Windows platforms at Microsoft. "With the support of Dolby - the leader in quality audio standards - we're working to make that happen."

Also here today at WinHEC 96, Microsoft announced other key technologies for the Simply Interactive PC (SIPC), including the OnNow design initiative for systemwide power management and the Win32 Driver Model for more powerful integration of PCs and peripheral devices. SIPC technologies also include support for new ways to connect to consumer electronics devices such as the IEEE 1394 bus and Universal Serial Bus; the ActiveX and DirectX technologies for real-time interactive 3-D graphics, audio and video; advances in PC telephony; and enhancements to the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser.

Additional information about the Simply Interactive PC is available on the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/.

Dolby Laboratories Inc. is the developer of audio signal processing systems used worldwide in consumer audio and video products, on consumer audio and video entertainment software, and in professional sound applications that include music recording, broadcasting and motion- picture sound. The privately held company has its world headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, and European headquarters in England.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


MAPI-Based Workflow Spec Now Available
MAPI-Based Workflow Specification Now Available

MAPI Workflow Framework Offers Foundation for Interoperability And Powerful Messaging-Based Workflow

CHICAGO - APRIL 1, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. and Wang Laboratories Inc. announced today the first public availability of the specification for the MAPI Workflow Framework (MAPI-WF). MAPI-WF provides a standards-based mechanism to allow production and messaging-based workflow systems to interoperate. It also extends MAPI, the Microsoft messaging API, to create a robust foundation for mail-based workflow solutions. The two companies plan to provide the first demonstration of interoperability using MAPI-WF at the Workflow Canada Conference in Toronto in June.

"The MAPI Workflow Framework will provide customers with a universal way to initiate, route and track workflow processes within messaging environments," said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft. "Our work with Wang and others in the workflow community in defining interoperability significantly expands the value of workflow by making full use of a well-established standard - MAPI."

"The availability of this specification allows customers to exploit the benefits of both production and messaging-based workflow in an integrated manner," said Bob Weiler, president of the software business unit at Wang. "Standards such as MAPI-WF help provide the foundation for enterprise-capable work management."

The MAPI Workflow Framework was originally presented at an Open Design Meeting at Microsoft in November and has undergone changes both as a result of feedback from ISVs and as a result of work to bring the specification in line with interoperability objectives of the Workflow Management Coalition (WFMC). The MAPI Workflow Framework has been proposed to the WFMC as an implementation of the yet-to-be-released WFMC Interface 4 interoperability specification. Following review and approval, MAPI-WF is expected to become the first available implementation of this WFMC standard, the publication of which is expected later this year.

The MAPI Workflow Framework is an extension to MAPI, a specification supported on millions of desktops today, including those that use Microsoft Exchange, LotusR cc:Mail&#153; and others. With MAPI-WF, a MAPI-compliant messaging system can be used to create and transport workflow items with a robust set of routing and tracking services, as well as exchange workitems with production systems that comply with the specification.

The framework includes the following key components:

 A command message interface, a set of defined MAPI messages and

 properties used to build workflow items and request workflow services

 A routing model, a means for defining workflow routing

 An OLE/COM interface, an object-oriented programming interface

 for creating workflow-enabled applications

Wang will provide support for interoperability using the specification in a future release of its OPEN/workflow production work management system for the Windows NTR operating system.

A SIGNIFICANT RESULT OF THE WANG AND MICROSOFT ALLIANCE

The work between Microsoft and Wang is a significant result of the broad alliance between Wang and Microsoft announced in April 1995. This alliance will bring improved document imaging and work-management capabilities to users of the Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. As part of the alliance, Wang was designated Microsoft's preferred workflow and imaging vendor and is working closely with Microsoft to help define the MAPI Workflow Framework for enabling interoperability between product and messaging systems such as Microsoft Exchange.

ABOUT WANG

Wang Laboratories Inc. is a recognized leader in workflow, integrated imaging, document management and network storage management for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks.

ABOUT MICROSOFT

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


NetManage Intranet Server for Windows NT
NETMANAGE RELEASES INTRANET SERVER FOR WINNT, INTERNET-STANDARDS WORKGROUP COLLABORATION

Package features the IntraNet Forum Server, the best-of-breed technology for distributed discussions across any size corporate space

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 1, 1996 -- NetManage (NASDAQ: NETM), the leader in Intranet solutions for the enterprise, announced today the availability of the IntraNet Server for the Windows NT platform. The software package features the IntraNet Forum Server, which adds a new dimension to the common Web-centric view of company Intranets by offering the most practical system for corporate on-line project collaboration, based on open NNTP standards.

The IntraNet Forum Server provides a powerful yet simple and affordable shared communication framework for any size office environment. Tailored for corporate Intranet use, the software creates virtual conference rooms for secure on-line planning sessions, brainstorming, policy distribution and other mission critical collaboration.

"So far, most corporate Intranets have focused solely on Web technology. Complete Intranet solutions, however, will consist of using whatever is the best Internet technology to solve a specific business need," says Willie Tejada, vice president of product marketing at NetManage. "There is no question that NNTP is the best technology for group discussion and collaboration on an Intranet, but this product is the first NNTP server specifically for the corporate space."

EFFICIENT, SECURE

The IntraNet Forum Server organizes on-line group communication with an efficiency and performance that Web and e-mail servers cannot match. Discussion threads provide intuitive context for collaboration, help speed decision making and offer ready-to-archive capsules of company history. The server creates a framework for organizing ideas under development, so workers can maximize productivity with fewer face-to-face meetings, phone messages and e-mail.

As secure and functional as any proprietary groupware collaboration system, the IntraNet Forum Server combines the infinite scalability, cross-platform access and multi-client support of TCP/IP and Internet open standards together with the administrative ease and cost effectiveness of the NT platform.

CUSTOMIZABLE, AFFORDABLE

Using the familiar development tools for the Microsoft environment, such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Access and ActiveX Controls, administrators can easily customize their collaboration system on the client side to fit the precise needs of their work environment.

Priced at under $1,000 (starting at $495 for an introductory period through Q2), the IntraNet Server is targeted for deployment at the departmental level of company workgroups. The friendly and cost- effective Windows NT environment means no investment in expensive UNIX hardware or the corresponding UNIX system administration expertise.

Team members can stay plugged into centralized, constantly updated information and on-going planning sessions behind their company's firewalls from wherever and whenever they can log into the Net -- their office workstation, their home, the road, or a branch location another continent away.

In addition to standard Intranet firewalls, further security features allow administrators to limit discussions only to those within a company who need to know, including the assignment of read-only or read/write privileges as appropriate.

BEST OF BREED

Objective performance measures of the IntraNet Forum Server outpace any other vendor's offering. An innovation in the server's resource management gives tremendous savings in disk storage space. The server's industrial-strength design is proven to support more than 150,000 messages a-day -- 1.5 gigabytes of traffic -- meaning a scalability from a small office LAN to a world-wide operation of thousands.

Before this enhanced commercial release, the server had already been tested in thousands of installations for two years on the Internet. In previous versions it has long been the first-choice among NNTP discussion servers for Internet Service Providers running Windows NT.

OPTIMAL PRODUCT FOR WINNT

The entire IntraNet Server package is native to the Windows NT environment, as opposed to being retrofitted from a UNIX version. As a result, NetManage's product is fully integrated into the most robust features of Windows NT, such as unattended auto-restart and integration with NT performance monitoring tools.

At the same time, the IntraNet Forum Server is fully interoperable with UNIX news servers, such as INN, as well as with all popular news readers, regardless of the client's operating system.

WEB, NFS FILE &AMP; PRINT SHARING, DNS AND MORE

Other components of the IntraNet Server package include the IntraNet Web Server; the IntraNet NFS Server and the IntraNet LPD Server, for file and print sharing; the IntraNet Directory Server, providing an up-to-date corporate-wide e-mail address book; a Domain Name Server for speed and ease of administering TCP/IP addressing requirements, and a Net Time Server for IntraNetwork-wide clock synchronicity.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The IntraNet Server will be available starting April 2, 1996 for US $995. NetManage is offering the IntraNet server at an introductory price of US $495 during the second quarter in which customers will also get one free copy of our award winning ChameleonNFS for Windows NT a $495 value. This introductory offer is limited to one per customer.

ABOUT NETMANAGE

NetManage, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETM) develops, markets and supports an integrated set of applications, servers and development tools for Intranet collaboration, access and management on the Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT and Mac OS platforms. The company's award winning products include Chameleon, Internet Chameleon and ECCO. NetManage also provides Intranet host access terminal and printer emulation software, Swift, which supports SNA and TCP/IP-based access to IBM mainframe, AS/400 and VAX/UNIX hosts. It also produces X Window System emulation software called XoftWare. Its products are sold world-wide by NetManage's direct sales force and authorized channel partners. Contact NetManage at http://www.netmanage.com or (408) 973-7171.


Keynote Insights on Network-Centered World
Novell Chairman and CEO Offers Insights Into Future of Network-Centered World

Robert Frankenberg Delivers Keynote Address at Networld + Interop

NETWORLD+INTEROP, Las Vegas -- April 3, 1996 -- In a keynote address delivered Tuesday at Networld+Interop, Robert Frankenberg, Chairman and CEO of Novell, Inc., shared Novell's vision of the new era: a network-centered world. He examined the increasingly central role that the Internet plays in today's marketplace, and the information technology industry's shift from client/server to client/network computing.

"We believe that the opportunities in a network-centered world are even greater than they were in the client/server computing era," Frankenberg said to an audience of several thousand technology vendors and business customers from around the world. "The concept of 'client-network' transcends yesterday's market model and recognizes the central role the net will play, in addition to the important roles of clients and servers. It's another way of looking at the Web. Today's Web provides document access service to anyone with a browser; tomorrow's Web will provide other network services in the same way."

Frankenberg emphasized Novell's central role in the creation of the LAN market, the extension of that market to wide area networks that interconnect NetWare LANs, and the extensions of these WANs to the intranet by taking the Internet model and integrating Novell services with web services and browsers. Novell's vision is a global network that includes all the Internet's standards and innovations--such as the World Wide Web, Web browsers, and Sun's Java--as well as Novell's network services such as directory, security, authentication, management and transaction processing. The keynote included demonstrations of important new ways that Novell technology and products provide solutions for small businesses and larger distributed networks across the enterprise. The demonstration showcased 15 Novell products that are shipping or will ship by the end of the year. Novell Directory Services (NDS), the de facto industry standard for finding and managing network-based information and resources, was central to several of the demonstrations, including an electronic commerce demonstration in which a small business user was able to view a file created in an application he didn't have by "renting" the application from a server. Another demonstration focused on a corporate intranet illustrated how a unique web page for every employee--including photo, job title and other information -- can be automatically generated by the Novell Web Server immediately upon request and always be up to date because it draws on information housed in NDS.

Novell also demonstrated its ability to connect people and the information they need anytime or anyplace: a remote worker using NetWare Mobile to connect to his company's network was able to use Mobile IPX to switch to a 2MB wireless connection, without interrupting the flow of data.

Frankenberg also announced a new promotion for Novell's GroupWise e-mail and collaborative computing solution. The promotion targets NetWare customers running Microsoft Mail, who will be able to receive up to 50 GroupWise 4.1 client licenses, free of charge. The promotion will last for 60 days when Microsoft Exchange ships.

GroupWise currently has 5.5 million users worldwide. Frankenberg invited the audience to test the implementation of a GroupWise messaging system for use by all attendees at this year's Networld+Interop. The system allows conference attendees to send and receive all types ofmessages including e-mail, voicemail, scheduling requests, pages and more. At Networld+Interop Spring 1995, over 3 million messages were sent by 95,000 users during the three exhibition days; this year, Frankenberg expects that record to be broken.

Novell (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Novell Authorized CNE Advisor
Novell Announces First Electronic Tool To Determine Return on Investment for IT Certification

Novell Authorized CNE Advisor Assigns Bottom-Line Value to Novell Certifications

LAS VEGAS, Nev., NetWorld + Interop Booth -3965 -- April 3, 1996 -- Novell today rolled out its Novell Authorized CNE Advisor, the first software tool to quantify the return on investment (ROI) that organizations achieve by certifying their network support professionals. The release of the Novell Authorized CNE Advisor complements today's announcement of Novell's delivery of the Novell Business Advisor software ROI tool as well as the release of ROI research from International Data Corp. (IDC) showing that Novell's NetWare 4.1, GroupWise and ManageWise significantly improve business productivity while cutting the costs of using network technology.

The value of Novell's CNE, Master CNE and Certified Novell Administrator (CNA) certifications is readily recognized and well-quantified by industry and Novell data showing that companies rely on Novellcertified individuals globally to support and administer their networks, as well as use Novell certification as a criterion for hiring, "raising" and promoting employees. The Novell Authorized CNE Advisor lets managers recreate -- in terms of computing and human resources -- their information technology (IT) environments online. The tool then calculates (in U.S. dollars or more than 60 global monetary units), the expected ROI from Novell technical certifications.

"The beauty of this tool is that it can be used by managers or employees to explore the bottom-line benefits of Novellcertified support to their organizations," said Jerry S. Christensen, vice president of marketing for Novell Education.

Default parameter values are based on research from IDC and Strategic Research Corp. While based on industry research, the Novell Authorized CNE Advisor is also flexible and customizable. The tool was developed for Novell by Interpose Inc.

Novell Authorized CNE Advisor Endorsements: Aetna, ITTA, NAECs

According to Karen Kocher, manager of information technology and training for Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna Life and Casualty, the Novell Authorized CNE Advisor provides powerful business rationale for companies to invest time and money to certify their support professionals. "For companies, it boils down to how much is going to be saved and how this will affect their bottom line," Kocher said. "The tool demonstrates to management [that] they will receive a return on their investment with people who are Novell-certified."

"The tool is what the industry has needed for a long time," said Doug McBride, executive director of the Austin, Texas-based Information Technology Training Association (ITTA). McBride praised Novell for being the first to market with the tool, and noted that development of an ROI tool has been the number-one request ITTA has from its membership.

"This is a progressive move on Novell's part," said Mark Lamberth, executive vice president of Nashville, Tenn.-based Athena Learning Centers. Lamberth provided copies of the tool to four of his NAEC sites, who had nothing but praise for the tool.

ROI Tool Defined

The Novell Authorized CNE Advisor helps managers and CNEs quantify the value ofcertification to an organization through four sections: Benefits of Certification, Return on Investment Analysis, Create a CNE Roadmap and Exploring Further.

The Return on Investment Analysis is a key element of the tool. By prompting users for answers to some basic questions, the tool breaks down the analysis into three topics: pre-Novell certification, certification process, and post-Novell certification. Pre- and post-Novell certification environments compare the savings in support and downtime reduction.

Availability

The Novell Authorized CNE Advisor is available immediately on the Novell Education website (http://education.novell.com), and will be available free of charge late April at Novell Authorized Education Centers (NAECs) worldwide. To contact NAECs in their area, customers can call 1-800-233-EDUC inside the U.S., or 801-222-7800 worldwide.

The IDC analysis of ROI for Novell products is presented in four white papers: Novell GroupWise: Leveraging Desktop and Network Investments; Novell NetWare 4.1: Reducing Cost of Ownership; Novell ManageWise: Maximizing Returns on Networking Investments; and Maximizing Return- on-Investment of Network Computing (a summary of the preceding three white papers). For copies of these white papers and a copy of the Novell Business Advisor, customers can call 1-800-665-4586 or visit either Novell's web site (http://www.roi.novell.com).

Novell Education Perspective

Novell's training infrastructure has grown to more than 1,450 Novell Authorized Education Centers and 150 Novell Education Academic Partners throughout the world. More than 750,000 student customers will receive Novell-authorized training in fiscal 1996.

Novell (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Novell NetWare Return on Investment Data
Novell Network Solutions Cut Costs, Improve Productivity, Deliver Dramatic Return-on-Investment According to IDC

NetWare 4.1 Up to 22 Percent Less Expensive to Use than NT Server; GroupWise Offers Typical ROI of 334 Percent; ManageWise Pays for Itself in 20 Days

NETWORLD+INTEROP, Las Vegas -- April 3, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced the results of return-on-investment (ROI) research it sponsored from International Data Corporation (IDC) concluding that Novell's NetWare 4.1 is up to 22 percent less expensive to use than Microsoft Windows NT Server. In addition, the research demonstrated significant productivity improvements and cost reductions achieved through business use of Novell's ManageWise" and GroupWise" products and concluded that cost savings can be compounded when these products and NetWare 4.1 are used together.

Highlights of the research, which included extensive interviews with businesses ranging from small companies to global enterprises, show that surveyed companies plan to increase their NetWare 4.1 server licenses by 258 percent in the next 12 months, compared with a 55 percent increase for NT Server licenses. In its analysis of groupware solutions, IDC concluded that Novell's GroupWise generated a typical annual return of 334 percent per user. And, as part of its study of advanced system management tools, IDC found that ManageWise paid for itself through increased productivity and decreased network downtime in an average of 20 days.

Novell also today announced the availability of the Novell Business Advisor, an ROI tool that enables businesses to easily quantify the return-on-investment they can generate from implementing NetWare 4.1, GroupWise and ManageWise solutions. As part of its efforts to help businesses quantify the return-on-investment from a total Novell solution--including the ROI benefits of technology education and training--Novell also this week announced the availability of the Novell Authorized CNE Advisor, the first ROI tool to quantify organizations' investments in vendor technical certifications.

"Novell has clearly taken a leading role in delivering network solutions that maximize return-on-investment," said Lee Doyle, vice president, local area networks and data communications, at IDC. "As networked applications continue to grow and networks get bigger and more complex, technology managers must relentlessly optimize, integrate and upgrade existing systems in order to stay ahead of the game. Our research shows that Novell's NetWare 4.1, GroupWise and ManageWise solutions can help them do this."

"Our Novell network solution translates into measurable improvements on our company's bottom line," said Paul Scholes, LAN Systems Manager at Farmland Foods. "Farmland Foods' profitability depends on our employees being able to communicate and collaborate, on the tools and information they need to do their jobs being always available, and on our network being cost-effective and easy to administer. Novell's NetWare 4.1, GroupWise and ManageWise answer those requirements better than any other network solution available. We're not only getting great technology, but a real solution to real business needs."

NetWare 4.1 Leads Market in Cost-Efficiency

The results of IDC's "cost-to-use" study of NetWare 4.1 show that:

* NetWare 4.1 costs less to use than Windows NT Server. NetWare 4.1 costs from 7 to 22percent less to use than NT Server, primarily because NetWare 4.1 requires 13 to 30 percent fewer people to manage the network. Additionally, NT Server costs from 10 to 35 percent more than NetWare 4.1 in initial implementation costs, which include the costs of hardware, software and labor. The higher costs for NT Server were driven by the need for additional servers (lower performance per server) as well as additional time needed for software configuration.

* NetWare 4.1's performance, capacity and centralized administration translate into measurable cost savings. The centralized network administration provided by Novell Directory Services" (NDS"), the industry- standard directory that ships with NetWare 4.1, results in an overall lower cost of network administration. IDC reports that surveyed LAN managers are seeing "remarkable" improvements in managing their networks under NetWare 4.1: Although companies expected the number of nodes on their networks to grow by 260 percent in the next 12 months, they expected the number of servers on the network to grow by only 163 percent--an improvement of 50 percent.

* NetWare 4.1 leads the market in worldwide licenses shipped, with strong growth anticipated through the end of the century. Independent IDC research shows that NetWare 4.1 surpassed NetWare 3 in network operating system license sales by the third quarter of 1995, making it the number one network operating system. Additionally, companies surveyed by IDC reported high levels of satisfaction with NetWare 4.1, and felt that it had made "major contributions" to network productivity. These companies reported that while 51 percent of their desktops were connected to NetWare 4.1, they anticipate expanding to 83 percent over the next 12 months.

ManageWise Maximizes Return on Network Investments

IDC's ROI study of ManageWise shows that:

* ManageWise dramatically reduces management costs for large and small NetWare networks. Companies surveyed by IDC reported that the implementation of ManageWise saved them almost $1,000 a year per employee by decreasing network downtime, reducing network management and administration costs, and increasing the number of users a single PC staff person can support.

* ManageWise enables companies to manage more with the same number of people. The IDC research shows that on average, companies using ManageWise realize a 35 percent improvement in network manager efficiency. With ManageWise deployed, a network staff person can support 25 percent more desktops and 33 percent more servers, and can decrease travel costs by 50 percent.

* ManageWise is an affordable management solution that pays for itself in weeks. IDC research shows that the cost to implement ManageWise is repaid through cost savings in an average of 20 days. Customers' overall return on investment was 157 percent per 100 managed users.

GroupWise Dramatically Increases Corporate Productivity

IDC's research on the bottom-line impact of groupware applications shows that:

* Organizations that implement GroupWise experience a typical annual return of 334 percent per user. For every GroupWise customer interviewed by IDC, return on investment exceeded expectations. NordicTrack, for example, saw a first year return per user of more than three and a half times first year costs.

* GroupWise improves individual and workgroup productivity at an incremental cost. At Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton, a law firm in Los Angeles, GroupWise cut the time needed to set up meetings by 25 hours per week, enabled assistants to support three lawyers instead of two, and saved $16,000 per year in courier costs. Farmland Foods saved nearly $400,000 in communications costs per year. On average, GroupWise paid for itself in only 3.3 months.

* GroupWise multiplies the returns from existing hardware and software investments. The IDC research indicates improved productivity and reduced administration and management costs as a result of the linkages and common components between GroupWise, NetWare, ManageWise and desktop software.

Novell Business Advisor Provides Financial Facts

To help customers implement network solutions in the most profitable way for their situation, Novell has created the Novell Business Advisor. The Novell Business Advisor contains information and tools that offer objective feedback to businesses making technology purchasing decisions. For instance, using the Novell Business Advisor customers can compare the ROI generated from a move to NetWare 4.1 against the ROI expected from a move to competitive network operating systems. The Novell Business Advisor also allows customers to analyze the costs and benefits of implementing GroupWise and to quantify the benefits ManageWise can provide in reducing management, administration and downtime costs.

Availability of ROI Research, Novell Business Advisor and Novell CNE Advisor

The ROI research conducted by IDC and sponsored by Novell is presented in four white papers: * Novell GroupWise: Leveraging Desktop and Network Investments * Novell NetWare 4.1: Reducing Cost of Ownership * Novell ManageWise: Maximizing Returns on Networking Investments * Maximizing Return-on-Investment of Network Computing (a summary of the preceding three white papers)

For copies of these white papers and a copy of the Novell Business Advisor, customers can call 1-800-665-4586 or visit Novell's web site (http://www.roi.novell.com). The Novell Authorized CNE Advisor, which lets businesses quantify the value of investing in Novell's CNE, Master CNE and Certified Novell Administrator (CNA) certifications, can be downloaded from the Novell Education web site (http://www.education.novell.com).

International Data Corporation is the world's leading provider of information, technology, data, analysis and consulting. IDC has research centers in 40 countries and more than 300 research analysts worldwide; it is a subsidiary of International Data Group, the world's largestpublisher of computer'related information.

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks part of their everyday lives.


ZDS Real Rewards Reseller Incentive Program
Zenith Data Systems launches Real Rewards incentive program for Z-LINK GOLD resellers

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. -- April 1, 1996 -- Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) announced today its Real Rewards incentive program for Z-LINK GOLD reseller owners, sales managers and sales representatives. The initial program, slated to run April 1 through June 30, 1996, will offer a variety of rewards -- including cash, customized lead-generation programs, ZDS products, valuable merchandise, training programs and trips -- for selling eligible ZDS products and achieving targeted sales goals.

"Z-LINK GOLD resellers can win in two ways with the Real Rewards program," said Dan Russo, director of Channel Marketing for ZDS. "They not only can gain valuable cash rewards and merchandise, but also sophisticated lead-generation tools like customized direct mail programs and advertising campaigns. These are 'real' rewards which will help resellers create additional sales opportunities and grow their businesses. In addition, with this program, resellers benefit from working with a manufacturer that is firmly dedicated to the channel and provides high-quality products and high reseller margins."

ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS, PRODUCTS

To win rewards, Z-LINK GOLD reseller owners/managers and sales representatives must attain certain sales goals of eligible ZDS products during the contest period. Eligible ZDS products include the Z-NOTE GT, Z-NOTE MX and Z-NOTEFLEX P notebook computers; Z-STATION GT Pentium- and Pentium Pro-based desktop computers; select Z-STATION VP Pentium-based desktop computers; and Intel-based Z-SERVER systems.

WIDE RANGE OF REWARDS

Four levels of rewards will be awarded to owners and managers who sell a minimum of $150,000 of eligible ZDS products. Winners can choose from customized direct mail or advertising campaigns, evaluation units or training seminars. The top three owner/managers who sell at least $300,000 of eligible products by May 31, 1996, will receive a trip for two to the British Open PGA golf tournament. In addition, owner/manager participants will have the opportunity to qualify for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii.

Four levels of rewards will be awarded to sales representatives who sell a minimum of $75,000 of eligible ZDS products. Qualified candidates can choose from rewards including up to $7,500 in cash, ZDS computers, training seminars and sports equipment. Plus, the top five sales representatives who sell at least $150,000 of eligible products by May 31, 1996, will win a trip to a baseball fantasy camp or golf school.

PARTICIPATION

To participate, Z-LINK GOLD reseller owners and managers simply submit enrollment forms listing eligible sales representatives. At the conclusion of the program, sales representatives need to submit claims documenting sales, including copies of end-user invoices.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the Real Rewards incentive program, call toll-free 1-888-388-REAL, or to become a ZDS Z-LINK GOLD reseller, call 800-365-5568.

ABOUT ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS

Zenith Data Systems offers a full line of personal computer products ranging from high-performance servers and desktops to its award-winning line of notebook computers and wireless mobile products. With more than 1,200 Z-LINK GOLD resellers in the U.S., and sales locations in more than 30 countries, ZDS markets its products to business, education and government. The company is headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Ill., with engineering facilities in Santa Clara, Calif., Billerica, Mass. and Buffalo Grove; and manufacturing facilities in St. Joseph, Mich.

Zenith Data Systems, 2150 East Lake Cook Road, Buffalo Grove, Ill., 60089, (847) 8085000, Fax (847) 8084434, Internet http://www.zds.com.


ODMA Cross-Repository Interoperability Demo
DOCUMENTUM AND PC DOCS DEMONSTRATE ODMA CROSS-REPOSITORY INTEROPERABILITY

TOP DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT FIRMS PARTNER TO DRIVE QUERY EXTENSION SPECIFICATION

CHICAGO, IL, March 29, 1996 - Documentum Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTM) and PC DOCS, Inc., a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCSF, TSE: DXX), are jointly demonstrating a query extension to the Open Document Management API (ODMA). ODMA is a standardized, high-level interface that enables users to transparently access a document management system (DMS) from their desktop applications. The query extension advances transparent access by enabling concurrent access and query support for multiple DMSs, giving desktop application users the ability to simultaneously search repositories from different vendors. The query extension will be voted on at the ODMA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, 1996 at the AIIM show. Both Documentum and PC DOCS plan to incorporate the query extension in products planned for release this summer.

Since its inception in 1994, ODMA has been embraced by application and document management vendors alike. Almost 100 ODMA-compliant applications are currently shipping from top vendors including Wang, WordPerfect and Lotus, with a statement of intent from Microsoft. The purpose of ODMA is to make DMS services available to users of desktop applications in a seamless manner so that these services appear to the user like extensions of the applications.

The query extension is a direct response to customers' requests for searching across multiple, mixed document repositories. It is an incremental, easy-to-implement extension to the base ODMA specification, designed to strengthen interoperability between desktop applications and DMSs. The query extension provides the following functionality:

* Query. Based on the attributes described in the specification, users can query and retrieve information residing in DMS repositories from a single application query window. The system retrieves all documents meeting the specified search criteria, regardless of their location in the enterprise or the type of repository in which they are stored. The query results are then presented back to the user through a single interface. The user is spared the complexities of working with multiple applications and windows, and can be assured of getting complete, accurate results based on the document resources of the entire enterprise.

* Concurrency. The ODMA extension provides an addition to the ODMA Connection Manager that enables an ODMA-compliant application to keep track of multiple registered DMSs, to pass requests to the appropriate repositories, and to retrieve information from them. This shields the user from having to know which repositories the system is connected to, and to specify which repository contains the required information.

"We have PC DOCS installations in several of our offices in southern California as well as a joint venture with a biotech firm on the east coast which uses Documentum," stated Ruby Bishop, manager of Documentation and Publishing for the Regulatory Affairs division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation in Glendale, California. "There are vital documents in both repositories that our users must be able to access, and we want them to be able to retrieve information quickly and easily without having to know where the documents reside. We are pleased to see PC DOCS and Documentum working together to respond to a real market demand that is being driven by an industry standard."

"We are deeply committed to addressing customer requests and driving standards that expand the document management industry," said Jeffrey A. Miller, president and CEO of Documentum, Inc. "Were also committed to providing a smooth path to deployment throughout the enterprise, and that includes customers who have already deployed a mixed-vendor environment. When we evaluated the options for quickly delivering cross-repository querying to our customers, ODMA was the logical choice."

"The industry is accepting and implementing ODMA at an astoundingly rapid pace, said Larry Bohn, executive vice president and general manager of PC DOCS, Inc. "We and Documentum are both active participants in the efforts of the Documentum Management Association (DMA) and recognize its potential for establishing important interoperability directions. We see this new query extension to ODMA as providing a fast path for vendors to bring the value of interoperability to market quickly, while DMAs extensive specifications are still being developed."

"Customers are best served by the standards-based integration of imaging, workflow and document management systems. The widespread acceptance of ODMA validates the importance of the standard and the new extensions respond to key marketing requirements, said David Goulden, senior vice president of product development and marketing at Wang

Laboratories. ODMA offers both a pragmatic and customer-driven approach to integrating DMS services with imaging and workflow."

David Yockelson, AIMS research analyst for the Meta Group, added, "Clients either possessing or acquiring imaging, text, and document management systems are wary of buying into products that cannot be searched consistently or collectively by their users. The ODMA extensions will help users leverage the purchase of best-of-breed compound document management (CDM) products while making the application integration job more straightforward. PC DOCS and Documentum are pushing the standards envelope to further the CDM market and help users address document pain points today.

ABOUT DOCUMENTUM

Documentum, Inc. (http://www.documentum.com) develops, markets and supports a family of object-oriented, client-server document management products that specifically address the challenges of managing intellectual capital effectively across large enterprises. Documentum is the leader in providing document management for Global 500 corporations. Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Documentum sells the Documentum EDMS through a direct sales force, systems integrators, and affiliated distributors in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Documentum has more than 150 customer sites in pharmaceutical, process and discrete manufacturing and government applications around the world.

ABOUT PC DOCS

PC DOCS, Inc. sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators, and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management systems for a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal, and other professional service organizations. PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., The Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc. and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the legal industry in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.


Premier Desktop GIS Available as Components
Premier Desktop GIS Now Available as Components

ESRI Announces MapObjects for Windows

Redlands, California-ESRI, the world leader in geographic information systems (GISs) and mapping software, has announced the development of MapObjects for Windows, an object-linking and embedding (OLE) Custom Control (OCX) for use by applications developers in building mapping applications or incorporating mapping components into existing applications.

ESRI's MapObjects for Windows is an OCX and a set of OLE-compliant programmable objects that let application developers embed dynamic map displays in Windows applications. OLE is the most widely supported object-based software integration architecture available today. Reusable OLE components, which developers use to build applications, are becoming the standard building blocks for development and integration. OLE custom controls, or OCXs, provide a powerful substrate upon which developers can craft products.

Developers can use MapObjects with popular programming environments, such as Visual Basic, Delphi, PowerBuilder, Visual C++, and other industry-standard development environments, to build custom, OLE-compliant mapping and GIS applications.

Benefits for Application Developers

MapObjects reduces the amount of programming needed to deliver a customized solution that includes desktop mapping or GIS functionality. In addition, by operating in standard development environments, MapObjects lets application developers choose from a wide variety of interchangeable components. MapObjects also provides the technology to enable a variety of applications that are not easily built with standard GIS software. Examples include:

 o Data publishing

 o Non mapcentric applications (e.g., adding mapping components to a

   spreadsheet or database application)

 o ESRI's Spatial Database Engine (SDE) display and query interfaces

 o Lightweight, small footprint map data viewers

 o Highly customized specialty applications for specific markets

"MapObjects is just what applications developers have been asking for," says Bernie Szukalski, MapObjects product manager at ESRI. "By giving developers the ability to add mapping functionality to existing applications, we'll see amazing growth in our developer community and new market potential for developer products."

Requirements

Hardware: MapObjects and applications built with MapObjects are targeted for the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. The minimum hardware requirements for using applications built with MapObjects are the same as for Windows 95 (486 DX processor at 33 MHz with 8 megabytes of RAM). Applications built with MapObjects will not run under Windows 3.x or earlier versions of Windows.

Software: MapObjects can be used to build applications in development environments that support the use of OLE controls such as Visual Basic 4.0, Delphi, and forthcoming versions of PowerBuilder.

Data: MapObjects can be used with shapefiles, georeferenced images, and SDE databases. The same extensive collection of sample data packaged with ESRI's ArcView GIS Version 3.0 will be included with MapObjects.

Availability

ESRI began beta testing MapObjects for Windows in February 1996. Final product availability is scheduled for May 1996.

ESRI was founded in 1969 as a research group devoted to improving methods of handling georeferenced data. ESRI is the leading developer of GIS software with over 100,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also performs consulting and data automation services related to geographic information management. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has a network of U.S. and international offices as well as more than 300 distributors of its software and data around the world.


Novell GroupWise DMS Certification
Novell Affirms Commitment to Make GroupWise DMS Certified

DMS Certification Will Place GroupWise on the Department of Defense's Approved Product List

OREM, Utah -- March 28, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced that GroupWise, Novell's advanced messaging system, will undergo Defense Messaging System (DMS) certification testing in accordance with the Department of Defense certification process. Department of Defense policy makers have established a "dual track" acquisition strategy for DMS products -- products included in the Loral Acquisition Contract, as well as products that are not a part of the Acquisition Contract, such as GroupWise, are eligible for DMS certification and approval for purchase by government agencies within the Department of Defense.

"Any messaging product that is certified as DMS compliant by government approved testing will qualify for DMS use," said Emmett Paige, assistant secretary of defense for command, control, communications and intelligence. "Further, it is not mandatory for messaging products to be part of the Loral contract in order to be considered for purchase by the Department of Defense. The Loral team will be the first products to be tested, providing they maintain their schedule, but others will follow them closely and we expect that the Novell GroupWise product will be one of them."

"DMS compliancy requires a rigorous battery of testing which ensures upgraded security processes, improved interoperability, and enhanced X.400 capabilities and X.500 directory services. Once GroupWise has been tested and certified to be DMS compliant, it will be completely accessible to federal agencies for purchase," said Tom Clarke, program manager for DMS within the Department of Defense.

GroupWise has won support from a number of government agencies including divisions of the Air Force, Navy, Army, FBI, the House of Representatives and the Department of Justice. Mel Stanley, Novell master license agreement manager, of Hill Air Force Base said, "Our agency chose GroupWise for its ease-of-use, advanced messaging, seamless integration into the network and office environment and for its Universal In Box. Once GroupWise becomes DMS compliant, we look forward to military messaging and DMS access."

Another primary goal of DMS, as deemed by the Department of Defense, is to foster the use of flexible, advanced messaging solutions that leverage existing network investments. Once GroupWise is DMS certified, Novell will be in a unique position. Since there are approximately one million Novell NetWare users in the Department of Defense, GroupWise with DMS certification will present the Department of Defense and other government agencies with a key messaging solution and DMS messaging strategy, that preserves their current network investment.

Once DMS certification is established, GroupWise will integrate command and control messaging, offer DMS secured E-mail, FORTEZZA security, DMS access and military messaging in formats required by DMS. Additional features of GroupWise that DMS users will benefit from include integrated E-mail, calendaring, scheduling, faxing, Internet messaging, task management and the Universal In Box. The Universal In Box enables users to access information in a single user environment. For more information on GroupWise and DMS, government agencies can call (703) 713-3500.

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Netscape Proxy Server 2.0 Avail in Beta
NETSCAPE ANNOUNCES NETSCAPE PROXY SERVER 2.0 FOR REPLICATING AND FILTERING WEB CONTENT

SERVER TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL BANDWIDTH AND REDUCED RESPONSE TIMES AT NETWORLD+INTEROP NETWORKING TRADE SHOW

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 2, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NCSP) today announced that Netscape Proxy Server 2.0 software will be available this week for downloading in beta form on the Netscape Internet site. Netscape Proxy Server 2.0 provides replication-on-demand for work groups by intelligently caching frequently accessed Internet documents inside the corporate firewall to conserve bandwidth and reduce response times for clients on corporate "Intranets" or the Internet. The product is part of Netscape's newly announced Netscape SuiteSpot integrated suite of Web server software.

To demonstrate the product's capabilities, Netscape also announced that Netscape Proxy Server is being used by Networld+Interop, one of the largest networking trade shows, to replicate content from the Internet for its attendees and exhibitors. Using Netscape Proxy Server, the show's "InteropNet" network is providing the bandwidth and reliability exhibitors require to run thousands of Internet demos and exhibitions at the show. Exhibitors on InteropNet can take advantage of a Netscape Proxy Server by pointing their web client at "proxy.interop.net:8080" in the proxy configuration menu.

"The rapid growth of the Internet and corporate Intranets for communication and collaboration has created a whole new set of challenges for network administrators," said Atri Chatterjee, director of server marketing at Netscape. "Network administrators must provide employees with fast, reliable, encrypted network access to mission-critical enterprise applications while controlling access to restricted network resources. Netscape Proxy Server's replication model cost-effectively addresses these issues."

Netscape Proxy Server features a replication model that conserves network bandwidth and reduces response times for clients on a network. It dramatically reduces network traffic and user response times by using Netscape's high-performance server architecture and a highly efficient, intelligent cache to retrieve and store up to 128 gigabytes of images, audio and video clips, Java applets, file archives and Web pages. The product also provides content filtering to enable network administrators to block access to specific sites by user and by document. In addition, the server offers replication-on-command through new scripting features.

Netscape Proxy Server was designed for organizations widely deploying Internet clients such as Netscape Navigator 2.0. Internet service providers such as @Home can use Netscape Proxy Server to improve the speed and reliability of their service and to leverage their investment in network infrastructure.

"@Home is dedicated to providing the fastest access to the Web. Effective caching of content is critical to fulfilling our vision of providing true broadband Internet service," said Milo Medin, vice president of Network for @Home. "We have worked closely with Netscape to ensure that Netscape Proxy Server provides a superior caching solution and allows us to easily manage the hundreds of servers we have across the country. I would strongly advise any ISP to seriously consider use of Netscape Proxy Server as an extremely cost-effective way to enhance their users' experience surfing the Internet. It really makes a difference."

Enterprise customers can use Netscape Proxy Server to replicate content from the Internet and corporate Intranets. Deploying Netscape Proxy Server can help companies provide faster, better service to their employees and ease the costs and complexity of network management.

"Netscape Proxy Server has smoothly handled our Internet and Intranet access for more than a year. As a result, we've reduced our network traffic and improved response times," said John Hilgart, emerging technology specialist at BASF Corporation. "Netscape Proxy Server provides intelligent replication and cache management which has simplified network management and improved performance. In addition, the Netscape Server Plug-In Application Programming Interface (API) has allowed us to customize access control and integrate Netscape Proxy Server more tightly into our existing environment."

Netscape Proxy Server provides unique features that make replicating and filtering Web content seamless and transparent. They are:

* Efficient, transparent replication of Web documents on demand to reduce network traffic and improve response times. Netscape Proxy Server automatically routes requests for Web documents and returns them from the cache if present and fresh. This replication model is optimally designed for large, distributed networks like the Internet or a corporate Intranet. Netscape Proxy Server also supports replication-on-command.

* Content filtering and access control, which provides fine-grain controls over network access by using URL-based wildcard expressions to limit access to documents, directories or sites and by allowing user name/password combinations or wildcard expressions to regulate users. Both user databases and filters can be imported or accessed from external sources.

* Enterprise and network management, or proxy scripting, to simplify network management. The server works with the automatic proxy configuration in Netscape Navigator, allowing the intelligent and efficient "routing" of Web traffic among a network of proxy servers based upon network topology, document request patterns and network/proxy availability. Support for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), encrypted remote administration from major platforms, and advanced logging and reporting enhance the manageability of large proxy networks. The Netscape Server Plug-In API allows integration with other network systems and infrastructure, such as firewalls and authentication systems.

* Enhanced network security & reliability, which provides a single control point for Web traffic to the enterprise. Security features include three mechanisms for protected access through a firewall, complete logs of server transactions, and reverse proxying to allow the protection of a Netscape server (or another Web server) behind a firewall. Netscape Proxy Server also can provide access to critical data by responding when the network or the remote Web server is unavailable.

Netscape Proxy Server is initially available for beta testing on major UNIX operating environments. The beta version can be downloaded at no charge beginning this week from the Netscape Internet site (http://home.netscape.com). The server will also be available on Alpha and Intel versions of Windows NT later this year. Pricing for Netscape Proxy Server is US$995. Customers who buy before June 30, 1996 will receive the Netscape Proxy Server 1.1 immediately and a subscription for one year which includes an upgrade to the final 2.0 version of Netscape Proxy Server as well as all major and minor upgrades until June 1997.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).


Web Review Web-Centric News Feed Program
WEB REVIEW OFFERS FREE "WEB-CENTRIC" NEWS FEED PROGRAM

Daily Internet-Related News Available to Qualified Web Sites

SEBASTOPOL, CA--Web-based news magazine Web Review (http://webreview.com) announced today that it is launching a new "Web-centric" news service free to qualified Web sites. Participating sites can choose to upload up to five news services that are created each day by a team of Web Review investigative reporters. These news products include Net Daily News, Internet News Talk (news feed in Real Audio), Web Addict, Tipsheet, and Trends.com.

"The Web Review News Feed service is a great way for Web sites to keep their audiences informed about the cutting edge of Web news and technology developments" says Mark Jacobsen, Senior VP of Business Affairs at Songline, creator of Web Review Magazine. "And it allows Web Review to share our investigative style of Web journalism with a broad Web audience."

DAILY NEWS FEED

NET DAILY NEWS and INTERNET NEWS TALK: Editor-in-Chief Stephen Pizzo, an award-winning investigative reporter and New York Times Best Selling Book author, leads a staff of cyber journalists who produce the Net Daily News (http://webreview.com/dailynews) and Internet News Talk (news and commentary delivered via Real Audio). These Net-savvy investigative reporters cover developments in news, business, and technology affecting the Internet, from Washington DC to Silicon Valley.

WEB ADDICT: Wes Thomas, Web Review's own cyber scientist, produces this daily column which offers a fix of breaking news on the coolest Web products and hottest technologies. (http://webreview.com/addict/)

TIPSHEET: Kirsten Alexander snoops and scoops the latest reports on Net happenings, personalities and entertaining sites in her witty column. (http://webreview.com/tipsheet/)

TRENDS.COM: Dave Sims, Web Review's business editor, summarizes daily trends in business uses of the Web. (http://webreview.com/trends/)

"People started asking about sharing our daily columns months ago, so we decided to turn these into news feed services. Webreference.com is one of the first to link to Net Daily News," says Richard Koman, Managing Editor of Web Review. Webreference.com can be found at http://www.webreference.com.

For more information, contact Mark Jacobsen at markj@songline.com or 707/829-6520.

Web Review, launched in the fall of 1995, is published by Songline Studios and has achieved critical acclaim for its news, features, and quality coverage of the World Behind the Web. Web Review is published weekly, with daily news column updates.

SONGLINE STUDIOS

Songline Studios specializes in developing innovative, interactive content for online audiences. The company was founded in June 1995 by Dale Dougherty, developer of the Global Network Navigator (GNN). In addition to Web Review, current projects include the interactive multimedia soap opera Ferndale (http://www.ferndale.com) and Songline Guides, a series of books that address different communities of interest on the Internet. Songline Studios is affiliated with O'Reilly & Associates and America Online.


ATS & NuIQ Windows Check Processing Module
ATS and NuIQ ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF SOFTWARE TO PROCESS CHECKS ON THE INTERNET

Will bring check-based Electronic Commerce to next-generation Internet servers

Los Angeles, CA -- March, 1996 -- Automated Transaction Services, Inc., a leading provider of Electronic Commerce (EC) solutions, has teamed up with NuIQ Software, Inc., a leading bulletin board software developer, to release the first check processing module for Windows Interface Protocol (WIP) based online/Internet servers.

WIP is a graphical protocol which allows for the transmission of programs, 24-bit color graphics, fonts, and stereo sound over the Internet and dial-up connections in a client/server interface similar to America Online(R). Software that currently supports the WIP protocol include the MindWire Internet Applications Server (by Durand Communications Network, Inc.) and Powerboard BBS (by NuIQ Software, Inc.). eSoft, Inc., developers of TBBS and IPAD (Internet Protocol Adapter) have stated that they will release a WIP compatable version of their BBS platform soon.

The module follows a standard for Electronic Commerce (EC) created by ATS. ATS's Online Electronic Banking standard already allows operators of online systems to accept check payment on several bulletin board platforms and over the World Wide Web. "This new module for the WIP protocol will allow for online transactions using a new Internet/dial-up protocol that many system operators find easier to use than HTML," said NuIQ President and CEO Scott Brown. "WIP screens can be created using a simple drawing program, whereas HTML screens must be 'programmed'," he continued.

In short, the OEB module allows users to pay for products and services with checks, online. Instead of having to send a check to the company offering the product or service, the user 'fills out' a check online. The module features a Windows graphical user interface (GUI) that actually looks like a regular check. After information such as check number and bank account number are entered and verified, the user's name is graphically signed on the check in cursive writing, as is the amount the check is written for.

Windows Interface Protocol menus are created using an easy-to-use drawing program called the WIP Builder. Implementing the OEB module on a WIP compatable host program (such as MindWire or Powerboard BBS) is as simple as associating an icon or button on a WIP screen, such as a screen from an on-line shopping mall, to the program. The OEB module can be used in services such as online graphical databases, shopping malls, subscription services, and more. "For entreprenuers looking for a technology on which to base online business," said ATS VP of Operations David Goldfarb, "the addition of ATS's transaction processing solution may make the selection of a BBS system a robust alternative to a Web server," he continued.

Users can access online services which use the WIP protocol using a WIP-compatable client. WIP clients can be acquired from the Durand Communications FTP server at ftp.durand.com. "Internet users used to browsing the world wide web can access WIP-based services just as easily and inexpensively with WIP clients," said Brown.

The OEB module is available for free for a limited time from NuIQ Software and Automated Transaction Services. "This is the first time that we have made an Online Electronic Banking module available for free. We are confident that this software will be popular enough to make up for any profits we would have made by charging for the software," said William Parodi, President of ATS. NuIQ and ATS guarantee that the product will be available at no cost to online service operators (Sysops) for three months from today, the date of the software's release.

Online service operators (SysOps) interested in the module should contact NuIQ at 1-800-844-6526 or ATS at 1-800-435-6981.

Automated Transaction Services, Inc., has focused on the real needs of small and medium-sized businesses for a true Electronic Commerce product that can enable them to reach their customers online today. ATS's products are a combination of industry-standard and custom applications which meet today's needs for security and flexibility in a rapidly changing environment. ATS attributes their competitive position in the Electronic Commerce market to high integrity, emphasis on customer support, and diligence in meeting the needs of financial- industry partners.

Automated Transaction Services (ATS), Inc., corporate offices are at 2026 Bridgegate Court, Westlake Village, California 91361. Tel: 800-435-6981. Fax: 805-379-9772. www http://www.versanet.com/ats

NuIQ Software, Inc., is a leading publisher of electronic bulletin board software. Released in 1991, Powerboard BBS was one of the first BBS software packages to offer a built-in scripting language. The software was also the first to include a RIPscrip menu developer for offering a high resolution graphical interface to BBS callers. NuIQ is the first and currently the only publisher to offer a BBS software package for the visually impaired. In late 1995, NuIQ unveiled Powerboard 2.0, the first BBS software package to support the Windows Interface Protocol (WIP).

NuIQ Software, Inc., corporate offices are at 415-A Richbell Road, Larchmont, New York 10538. NuIQ can be reached at 1-914-833-3479; fax 1-914-833-3623; bbs 1-914-833-1479; www http://www.nuiq.com


Olicom CrossFire Token Ring Switch
Olicom Introduces The CrossFire Token-Ring Switch

Boosts Bandwidth for Token-Ring Networks and Smoothes Migration to ATM

APRIL 2, 1996, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK -- Olicom (NASDAQ: OLCMF), a leading supplier of high-performance networking solutions, today introduced the CrossFire Token Ring switch -- the first in a range of LAN switch solutions that give managers of Token-Ring networks the ability to cost-effectively extend existing investments, boost productivity, and migrate to ATM.

With today's announcement, Olicom further strengthens its position as a price/performance leader in the rapidly growing Token-Ring switch market. As part of its LAN switch product strategy, Olicom recently announced a long-term agreement with Cisco Systems that includes joint development of Token-Ring technology for future generations of Token-Ring switch products. (Reference: Cisco and Olicom Forge Long-Term, Strategic Token-Ring Alliance, March 26, 1996.)

"Token-Ring enterprise customers want affordable ways to get the most out of existing LAN investments without getting stuck with limited technology. The simplicity, attractive pricing, and low cost-of-ownership offered by the CrossFire Token-Ring switch delivers not only unprecedented investment protection, but also an open door to ATM," said Erik Johannsen, Director of Product Marketing at Olicom. "Our goal is to deliver cost-effective dedicated bandwidth to enterprise desktops. The CrossFire switch is the first step toward that goal," Johannsen added.

High-performance Switch Architecture

The CrossFire Token-Ring switch provides 8 ports and can be expanded to 12 ports. Each port supports a shared or dedicated 4 or 16 Mbps Token-Ring segment. An expansion slot can be used to add a Universal Expansion Module (UEM) for either four Token-Ring ports, two Token-Ring fiber ports, or one ATM 155 Mbps port that supports LAN emulation.

When transferring data between rings, each Token-Ring port supports three options: cut-through, store-and-forward, and adaptive-cut-through switching. Cut-through switching provides the lowest latency (delay) and best performance. Store-and-forward provides increased fault tolerance, but higher latency. Adaptive-cut-through uses cut-through mode by default, but, based on a user-defined error-rate threshold, automatically changes to store-and-forward. This "best of both" mode provides optimal performance and fault-tolerance without the need for user intervention.

Scalable Bandwidth for Backbones and Servers

In Token-Ring enterprise networks, the demands for bandwidth have been outpacing the supply. The result has been network congestion and bottlenecks. The CrossFire Token-Ring switch provides increased bandwidth in three key areas: the backbone, at server connections, and to desktops.

On the backbone, CrossFire Token-Ring switches can be used to replace traditional bridges and hubs when connecting workgroups to server farms. As a result of the advanced ASIC design and parallel processing architecture in the CrossFire Token-Ring switch, there is an immediate network performance increase. This processing power greatly decreases the time it takes to transfer data from one ring to another -- about 30 times more efficient than a traditional bridge.

To increase bandwidth at servers and desktops, the CrossFire Token-Ring switch uses full-duplex operation -- the ability to simultaneously send and receive network data. This enables a server to concurrently receive data from one end station and send to another. Full duplex is particularly well suited for network servers because they typically run multi-user operating systems and applications that take advantage of simultaneous operation.

For added investment protection, Olicom's most popular adapters, both new and those installed in the field, can be used for full-duplex connections. The full duplex technology used in the CrossFire Token-Ring switch is fully compliant with the IEEE 802.5u standard for Dedicated Token-Ring.

Easy Installation and Low Cost-of-Ownership

By providing essentially "plug and play" installation and automatic configuration, the CrossFire Token-Ring switch offers low cost-of-ownership. For installation into a client/server workgroup, existing workgroup rings are connected to ports on the switch, and servers are connected to individual ports. No changes are necessary to existing application and network operating system software, adapters, network hardware or cabling. When powered up, the switch auto configures itself and self detects the ring speed and type of connection for each port. In most cases, a CrossFire Token-Ring can be installed and made fully operational in minutes.

The stackable architecture of the CrossFire Token-Ring switch permits cost-effective expansion of switched LANs. When adding switches to a LAN, the CrossFire switch's CrossLink feature provides a scalable, high-speed pipe between switches and can be used for building redundancy into the backbone.

Migration to ATM

In mixed Token-Ring and ATM networks, the CrossFire switch serves as an ATM edge device. The ATM 155 UEM, with its support for LAN emulation, provides a high-speed backbone that enables Token-Ring clients to access servers on an ATM network. This further reduces network bottlenecks and permits flexible migration to ATM.

Pricing and Availability

The CrossFire Token-Ring switch will be available in volume in June 1996 at a list price of US $5,600 -- a cost-per-port of $700 in the eight port configuration and $617 in the 12-port configuration.

Olicom develops and markets Token-Ring, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and ATM local area network products. In the Token-Ring market, Olicom is established as one of the world's leading independent suppliers. Olicom products, known for high performance and competitive prices, are distributed worldwide by a network of strategic partners and resellers. The company was founded in 1985 and is listed on the Nasdaq National Market (symbol: OLCMF).

OLICOM USA, INC.

Kevin Kohleriter

Tel: (+1) 214 423 7560

Fax: (+1) 214 423 7261

E-mail: kevink@olicom.com

Web Server: http://www.olicom.com


Seagate Acquires OnDemand Software
SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRES LEADING SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION MANUFACTURER ONDEMAND SOFTWARE INC.

NETWORLD + INTEROP (Las Vegas) April 2, 1996 - Seagate Technology announced the acquisition of OnDemand Software Inc., publishers of WinINSTALL. One of the fastest growing network software distribution manufacturers, OnDemand adds an industry-leading network management technology to Seagate's Enterprise Management Software group (SEMS). OnDemand's product, WinINSTALL, regarded as the best software distribution product by both industry press and IT administrators, automates installation, upgrades and uninstalls of network applications throughout the enterprise.

WININSTALL INTEGRATION

Seagate WinINSTALL is now an integral component of SEMS East overall product strategy to deliver best-of-breed network management applications that are NOS-independent, aid in server and desktop management, and functionally integrate into powerful suite solutions. WinINSTALL supports both 16 and 32 bit applications for all Windows platforms, including Windows 95 and Windows NT. Available as a powerful point solution capable of solving software distribution problems in networks of all sizes, Seagate WinINSTALL is a key component of the new Seagate Desktop Management Suite, which functionally integrates Seagate WinINSTALL, Seagate WinLAND, and the remote control application Proxy. Then integrated together, the new Desktop Management Suite delivers the advanced network management capabilities of inventory-based software distribution, remote software distribution, and remote inventory management.

The acquisition also provides expanded development capabilities, a proven corporate telesales team as well as a unique product integration with Microsoft's Systems Manager Server (SMS) solution to Seagate's software capabilities.

"The integration of WinINSTALL continues to fulfill our commitment to deliver the best point and suite network management solutions to the market," said Tom Yerkes, president of SEMS-East. "WinINSTALL's ability to provide integration and support for all major network management system further illustrates our overall strategy to support our industry colleagues and their platforms."

"We share a common vision and are proud to join the Seagate Software team," said Neal Ater, president of OnDemand Software. "This will enable us to achieve levels of integration previously unobtainable."

Seagate purchased OnDemand Software Inc. for $13 million in cash. In connection with this transaction, Seagate anticipates that it will incur a one-time write-off of in-process research and development of approximately $8.5 to 9 million during its third quarter ended March 29, 1996.

ORGANIZATION

OnDemand currently has a sales, marketing and support organization located in Naples, Florida and a development team located in Takoma Park, Maryland. In the new organization, Ater will serve as chief operating office of Naples and Takoma Park and report to Yerkes. Mel Raff, OnDemand vice president of development will report to Roy Rezac, vice president of development for SEMS-East.

ABOUT SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Seagate Technology, Inc. is a data technology company that provides products for storing, managing and accessing digital information on the world's computer and data communications systems. Seagate is the largest independent disc drive and related component company in the world. Seagate's home page address on the World Wide Web is http://www.seagate.com.

ABOUT SEAGATE ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - EAST

Seagate Enterprise Management Software, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seagate Technology, develops applications and tools in the area of data management, including information management and reporting, enterprise management, and storage management. SEMS-East focuses on LAN management needs and is an industry leader in the development of network management software applications for Microsoft Windows NT and Novell NetWare LANS and WANs. SEMS-East is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and can be contacted at (800) 234-3793.


Origin Launches New Internet Gaming Tech
ELECTRONIC ARTS/ORIGIN LAUNCHES TEST OF NEW INTERNET GAMING TECHNOLOGY

ULTIMA ONLINE DEBUTS WITH OVER 3,000 PARTICIPANTS

AUSTIN, TX., April 1, 1996 - ORIGIN Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), today launched its first Internet test of online gaming with a multiplayer online version of Ultima, one of the most successful and highly-acclaimed series of role-playing games in the entertainment software industry. The Ultima Online test, which begins today and runs for a week, will have more than 3,000 participants from all over world. Players from as far away as Australia, Germany, Japan and Russia are expected to participate.

Requests for participation in the test were so numerous, the company had to stop accepting applications after just one week and limit the number to approximately 3,000, which exceeded the early estimates that perhaps 500 to 1,000 game players would enroll in that time frame. "We were astounded by the reaction," said Richard Garriott, creator of the Ultima series and founder of ORIGIN Systems. "Unlike others who have tried to do gaming on dedicated online services, we are leading the charge for games running on the Internet. We believe the future holds great promise for online gaming and this is our first step in the learning process. Of course, we think we can have lots of fun doing it."

"We believe we have set a new standard for online gaming with rich, fully-rendered graphics and stunning visual effects in millions of colors," continued Mr. Garriott. In the Ultima Online test game, participants will be able to have real-time conversations, engage in combat, purchase necessary items and experience the effects of day and night. The on-screen characters in Ultima Online are fully-customizable, allowing the player to choose attributes such as the gender, hair color and clothing desired. The character then is stored in the game server and can be called up at any time the participant wishes to play.

Ultima Online runs 24-hours a day, the world always evolving and changing, whether participants are playing or not. The game was designed from the ground up to be self-regulating and self-generating. For example, if a dragonSs preferred food is deer, and the players kill all the deer, the dragon may turn on the town (and townspeople!) in search of food. A simulated resource system allows the game to manage itself so that it can generate quests, conversations, non- player characters, and monsters, on its own.

"Basically, we're testing to see how the technology will perform with hundreds of people over the Internet," says Starr Long, Ultima OnlineSs associate producer. "We're interested to see how many players can fit together on a map and how the servers hold up with the demand."

Ultima Online runs under Windows S95 native. Test participants have Internet access and the ability to send and receive TCP/IP packets to and from sites on the Internet (SLIP or PPP). ORIGIN Systems, based in Austin, Texas, develops and publishes state-of-the-art entertainment software, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA has an annual sales rate of over $520 million. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: EA SPORTS, Electronic Arts Studio, Origin Systems Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd. and JaneSs Combat Simulations. EA has subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com


PC DOCS Launches DOCS OPEN 3.0 Doc Mgmt Swr
PC DOCS ENHANCES AWARD WINNING DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION WITH LAUNCH OF DOCS OPEN 3.0

Leading Open EDM Extends Scalability Across Enterprise and Beyond

AIIM Show Booth #543, Chicago, Illinois -- April 1, 1996 -- PC DOCS, Inc., a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International Inc., and a leader in enterprise document management solutions, today announced DOCS Open Version 3.0. The new product offers major advances in document retrieval and searching, enterprise administration, security, mobile workgroup support, document sharing and publishing to groupware platforms and Internet-based access capabilities.

DOCS Open 3.0 was unveiled today in booth number 543 at the AIIM show at McCormick Place in Chicago.

DOCS Open (Document Organization & Control System) is a comprehensive document management platform that is distinguished by its open architecture, allowing easy access, manipulation, control and storage of documents across heterogeneous computing environments.

"DOCS Open 3.0 dramatically enhances the way organizations can utilize and deploy document management software," said Larry Bohn, Executive Vice President and General Manager, PC DOCS, Inc. "Unlike competing products, DOCS Open 3.0 fully addresses the needs of organizations with mixed network and database environments through an open, multi-tiered architecture. This product release reaffirms our commitment to managing large enterprise EDM implementations. It also extends support beyond the enterprise with revolutionary mobile workgroup functionality, expanded groupware application integration and advanced Internet access capabilities."

DOCS Open 3.0 supports the full range of database, networking, operating system and hardware environments, enabling transparent integration of the product within virtually any corporate computing infrastructure. The product's multi-tiered architecture has enabled:

 Enterprise Management Support: DOCS Open 3.0 is fully scalable

 and flexible, offering extended multi-network support, comprehensive

 and configurable document security and an expanded array of advanced

 document search and retrieval capabilities.

 Extended Enterprise Architecture: No competing product matches

 the new product's ability to deliver EDM functionality beyond

 the enterprise - to teams of mobile users, to customers and business

 partners networked via groupware applications, including Microsoft

 Exchange and Lotus Notes, and for secure document management via

 the Internet. In addition, the product supports integration of

 multiple imaging and workflow products and it is ODMA compliant,

 enabling integration with other document management solutions.

Advanced Search and Retrieval

DOCS Open 3.0 offers a more advanced searching interface as well as a robust content search engine based on Verity technology. These capabilities include relevancy ranking, proximity, phrase, sounds like and fuzzy logic. In addition, Version 3.0 supports multiple index servers, accommodating any enterprise's indexing requirements. And continuing PC DOCS's commitment to open systems support, the new product is designed to support multiple content retrieval engines.

Enterprise Administration

For organizations with mixed network environments, DOCS Open 3.0 simplifies supporting different network user IDs across the enterprise with an enterprise naming service that eliminates the complexities of multiple log-ins required by other EDM applications.

Configurable Security

Only DOCS Open 3.0 offers a choice of document security methods. The new Document Sentry Agent (DSA) is an optional 32-bit server module designed for security-intensive environments, such as intelligence agencies and highly regulated industries. The DSA creates a firewall between users and documents. It resides on the document server and acts as a sentry granting user document access one session at a time. At the session's end, all activity performed on the document is recorded in a trusted audit trail owned by the DSA. Because the audit trail is located behind the firewall, it cannot be accessed or changed. In addition, DOCS Open 3.0 offers Hierarchical Directory Service, which provides fully integrated security with the network operating system and allows documents to be secured by users, groups and organizational units.

DOCS Unplugged

DOCS Unplugged (formerly called DOCS Mobile) enhances PC DOCS's award-winning mobile capabilities by providing better document access for dial-in users. In addition, for on-site network users, DOCS Unplugged provides complete EDM functionality if the corporate network becomes inaccessible or goes down, offering a "fail-safe" capability. All documents and document profile information are automatically stored - or "shadowed" - at the user's desktop, ensuring automatic re-synchronization and seamless access to DOCS Open documents.

Mobile Teams

Mobile Teams offers the industry's only remote workgroup EDM support. It extends full document management functionality to remote workgroups that need access to their enterprise's document libraries while working away from the office, for example, audit teams or war rooms. In the Mobile Teams configuration, one member of a peer-to-peer workgroup is designated as the team's client/server and all other members are clients. The server provides library access to the enterprise libraries, thus enabling documents to be accessed and resynchronized as needed.

DOCS Interchange

To facilitate electronic publishing capabilities within a corporation and beyond to customers and business partners, PC DOCS has expanded its DOCS Interchange product family, offering DOCS Interchange for Microsoft Exchange. Now, DOCS Open documents and document profile metadata can be distributed to Microsoft Exchange folders.

The Interchange product family enables corporations to publish document-based information electronically, using groupware products and public networks, while still maintaining control and management of the document life cycle within DOCS Open. The Interchange product family includes DOCS Interchange for Microsoft Exchange and DOCS Interchange for Lotus Notes.

Imaging and Workflow

With the introduction of the Image and Workflow Workbench (IWW) to the DOCS Open architecture, Version 3.0 provides more extensive support for integrating multiple imaging and workflow vendors. This takes the form of an open API utilizing OLE automation, fully integrating imaging and workflow technologies. This approach supports key industry standards, including ODMA and MAPI Workflow Framework.

Internet Products

PC DOCS is building the enabling technology to leverage document management on the Internet. Internet access capabilities from PC DOCS will provide complete access to a DOCS repository from any Web browser, publishing DOCS Open documents to a Web server, and utilizing encryption technology for secure business-to-business document management.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for DOCS Open Release 3.0 remains unchanged, at $349 per user and $795 per server. DOCS Interchange for Microsoft Exchange has a special introductory price of $2,995 per server for a limited time. The Release 3.0 product line will be available this quarter.

ABOUT PC DOCS, INC.

PC DOCS, Inc. (http://www.pcdocs.com) sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management solutions to a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal and other professional services.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., the Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc., and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the professional services industry, in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

Press and industry analysts, please contact:

Beth Parker

Marketing Communications Mgr.

PC DOCS, Inc.

617-273-3800 x210

bethp@pcdocs.com

Doug Black/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

617-536-0470

617-536-2772 (fax)

dblack@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

For product information contact:

In Canada:

Lynn Kauffman, B.C.L., LL.B., 416/497-7700

Vice-President

PC DOCS Canada

Fax: 416/499-7777

or

In the U.S.:

Elaine Archdeacon, 617/273-3800 ext. 229

Manager, Corporate Sales

PC DOCS, Inc.

Fax: 617/272-6988


DOCS Intercange for Exchange
PC DOCS ANNOUNCES DOCS INTERCHANGE FOR MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER

Combines Sophisticated Corporate Messaging and Document Management Capabilities

Las Vegas, NV - April 2, 1996 - PC DOCS, Inc., the leader in enterprise document management solutions, and a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International (NASDAQ: DOCSF, TSE: DXX), today announced DOCS Interchange for Exchange, software which allows full compatibility between Microsoft Exchange Server and PC DOCS's DOCS Open. DOCS Interchange for Exchange combines the powerful electronic publishing and collaboration capabilities of Microsoft Exchange Server throughout the enterprise and beyond with DOCS Open's sophisticated document control, security and retrieval capabilities.

"We have worked closely with companies including PC DOCS to ensure that best-of-breed products like DOCS Open are tightly integrated with Microsoft Exchange Server," said Rob Shurtleff, general manager, Microsoft Exchange Server Connectivity at Microsoft. "While we have incorporated messaging, scheduling and information-sharing features in a single, unified product architecture, DOCS Open, through Interchange for Exchange, will provide the fast, secure, seamless access to documents that users are demanding to help them manage their business-critical information through their networks or over the Internet."

Larry Bohn, General Manager and Executive Vice President of PC DOCS, Inc. said, "Many of our current and potential customers have told us they plan to adopt Microsoft Exchange Server as their enterprise standard messaging platform. Microsoft clearly understands a user's need to access, organize and exchange information from anywhere, in the office, at home or on the road. Combining the powerful functionality of Microsoft Exchange Server with DOCS Open's sophisticated security, control and retrieval capabilities will make it a perfect marriage for corporate users."

DOCS Interchange for Exchange allows easy exchange of documents between DOCS Open and Microsoft Exchange Server across the entire enterprise and beyond, including field representatives, suppliers and clients. DOCS Open users can copy document content and profiles, stored in a DOCS Open Library, to specified folders in Microsoft Exchange Server for use by individuals with authorized access. The replication feature of Microsoft Exchange Server also enables DOCS Interchange for Exchange to electronically distribute documents throughout the enterprise via corporate networks or over the Internet.

To ensure control over document distribution, PC DOCS developed the DOCS Interchange Agent, a core component of DOCS Interchange for Exchange. The Agent polls DOCS Open libraries for new or updated documents which meet criteria specified by the specific user of Microsoft Exchange Server. Query Subscriptions are set up to define the types of documents and the designated Microsoft Exchange folders to which they should be published.

A replication hierarchy for the folder for distribution to other designated users is set up on the Microsoft Exchange Server. All of the attributes of the DOCS Open documents - including the rich text, the binary version of the source document, a link to the original document resident in DOCS Open and all the profile attributes - are replicated to Microsoft Exchange-based documents, allowing an organization optimum flexibility in distributing the information.

Discussion threads can also be created from the Microsoft Exchange-based documents. Discussions can be monitored and DOCS Open documents can easily be modified by conveniently accessing them from the Microsoft Exchange folder. The DOCS Interchange Agent then automatically republishes the updated document in the Microsoft Exchange folder.

DOCS Interchange for Exchange will be available as part of the new release of DOCS Open scheduled for May of this year.

ABOUT DOCS OPEN

DOCS Open allows users to quickly and easily find information on any network regardless of where the information resides and who created it. PC DOCS's document management solution meets the access, control and security requirements that all professional services organizations must address and is a recognized component in pursuing ISO 9000 certification. DOCS Open is a completely open solution which operates under the Windows and Macintosh operating systems, utilizing popular SQL database engines including Microsoft SQL Server&#153;, Sybase and Oracle.

ABOUT PC DOCS, INC.

PC DOCS, Inc. sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management solutions to a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal and other professional services.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., the Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc., and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the legal industry, in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

Press and industry analysts, please contact:

Beth Parker

Marketing Communications Mgr.

PC DOCS, Inc.

617-273-3800 x210

bethp@pcdocs.com

Doug Black/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

617-536-0470

617-536-2772 (fax)

dblack@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

For product information contact:

In Canada:

Lynn Kauffman, B.C.L., LL.B., 416-445-4823

Vice-President

Fax: 416-445-6228

or

In the U.S.:

Elaine Archdeacon, 617-273-3800 ext. 229

Manager, Corporate Sales

Fax: 617-272-3693


CGI Programming on the World Wide Web
O'REILLY RELEASES "CGI PROGRAMMING ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB"

New Nutshell Handbook is Comprehensive Guide to Basic and Advanced CGI Programming

SEBASTOPOL, CA--Common Gateway Interface (CGI) brings the Web's promise of interactivity to life--it allows Web sites to be more than static "digital brochures." Using CGI, a Web server can respond to a browser's request by instantly generating dynamic Web pages that run programs within an HTML document. CGI scripts can offer interactive queries, serve up-to-date information from databases or even animate imagemaps.

O'Reilly & Associates' just-released book "CGI Programming on the World Wide Web" offers a comprehensive explanation of CGI and related techniques. Author Shishir Gundavaram starts at the beginning, explaining the value of CGI and how it works, and goes on to explore the subtle details of CGI programming. The book thoroughly covers the fundamental CGI processes: passing information between client (browser) and server; interacting with databases with SQL; embedding Server Side Includes (SSI); generating graphics; and writing gateways to existing programs. It then delves into sophisticated programming--cookies, storing information while handling multiple forms, imagemap manipulation, and more.

"CGI Programming on the World Wide Web" also includes powerful new software applications written by Gundavaram such as Sprite (database), CGI Lint (debugging program), and a program for writing and parsing extensions to HTML. The software is available at O'Reilly's ftp site at ftp://ftp.ora.com/published/oreilly/nutshell/cgi. More CGI resources, including CGI Programming's chapter on Server Side Includes, are available on O'Reilly's Web site at http://www.ora.com/info/cgi/. In addition to the book excerpt, the CGI Web page includes examples of CGI scripts discussed in the book; an Introduction to CGI and the book by editor Andy Oram; "O'Reilly Webmasters' Choice: Great CGI Sites"; and "Debugging CGI Programs with WebSite," an article by WebSite developer Robert Denny.

For most of the examples, "CGI Programming on the World Wide Web" uses the most common platform (UNIX) and the most popular language (Perl) used for CGI programming today. However, it also introduces the essentials of making CGI work with other platforms and languages. The actual programming techniques are not too different from one platform and language to another; the lessons from this book can be applied to any tools the reader chooses.

CGI PROGRAMMING ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

By Shishir Gundavaram

1st Edition March 1996

450 pages, ISBN: 1-56592-168-2, $29.95

O'Reilly & Associates

103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA 95472

707/829-0515, Fax 707/829-0104, http://www.ora.com/


PC DOCS Expands Image/Workflow Workbench Pgm
PC DOCS EXPANDS IMAGE AND WORKFLOW WORKBENCH (IWW) PROGRAM

Leading Image and Workflow Vendors Tightly Integrate with DOCS Open

AIIM Show Booth #543, Chicago, Illinois - April 1, 1996 - PC DOCS, Inc., a worldwide leader in enterprise document management and a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCSF, TSE: DXX), today announced the addition of four leading image and workflow vendors to their Image and Workflow Workbench (IWW) program. With the addition of Staffware Corporation, FTP Software, Inc., Siemens Nixdorf, and Diamond Head Software, the number of IWW partners now exceeds 15. The IWW program, introduced last February, encompasses both technology and marketing initiatives. It was established to ensure that industry-leading image and workflow products are tightly integrated with DOCS Open to give customers the freedom to choose the best information management solutions to meet their specific needs.

The IWW includes an open Application Programming Interface (API) which extends the DOCS Open architecture to support complete integration of multiple image and workflow vendors. It utilizes OLE 2.0 (Object Linking and Embedding) automation, extending the object model to support image and workflow object methods and attributes. The IWW supports industry standards including the Workflow Management Coalition's extensions to ODMA (Open Document Management Architecture), Microsoft's MAPI Workflow Framework, and the emerging TIFF 6 (Tagged Image File Format) standard from Wang and Microsoft.

"With the addition of four more 'best-of-breed' vendors to our IWW program, it is apparent that PC DOCS's strategy is bang on," said Ann Palermo, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at PC DOCS, Inc. "Ready-to-wear information management solutions won't work.

Because all customers have information processing and handling needs that are unique to their department or organization, they are demanding the freedom to choose an open solution that is designed to fit their exact requirements."

"It's really all about customer choice," said Walter Lowes, General Manager of Siemens Nixdorf Document Management Systems of America. "The Siemens Nixdorf component engineering approach to imaging software allows customers to choose their hardware platform, database, workflow, and peripherals. PC DOCS's IWW program offers our customers a 'best in class' document management product and continues to create more customer choice."

"PC DOCS's IWW program is a standards-based strategy which is complimentary to our commitment to enable our customers to access information and collaborate from any desktop," said Bob Hathaway, Vice President of the Network Products and Collaboration Business Units at FTP Software, Inc. "There is a natural fit between DOCS Open and FTP Software's document viewing and conversion products, KEYview and KEYpak, and FTP's new collaboration product, HyperDesk GroupWorks, designed for teams to work together on document intensive projects."

"We are very excited to be working with PC DOCS, whose strong commitment to openness, scalability, and integration matches our own," said Christopher P. Fletcher, Vice President/General Manager of Staffware Corporation. "From small work groups through multi- node, enterprise-wide solutions, this partnership can only enhance an organization's ability to manage documents and workflow in virtually any environment."

"We are pleased to be one of the first companies joining PC DOCS's Image and Workflow Workbench program," said Richard Esmond, Chief Technology Officer of Diamond Head Software, Inc. "The open architecture that DOCS Open provides was a key factor in our decision to join this program, and we are excited to be so closely aligned with the leading document management vendor."

IWW PROGRAM = MORE CUSTOMER CHOICE

The IWW program partners include: Action Technologies (AIIM Booth [AB] #2718), Diamond Head Software (AB #4715), FTP Software, Inc. (Networld and Interop, Las Vegas, Booth #3925), ImageView, Inc., JetForm Corporation, Kofax Imaging Systems (AB #1818), Microsoft Corporation (AB #1839), Optika Imaging (AB #519), Optical Technology Group (AB #4617), Reach Software Corporation (AB #543), Siemens Nixdorf (AIIM, South Imperial Suite, Chicago Hilton & Towers), Simplify Development Corporation (AB #543), Staffware Corporation (AB #511), Symantec Corp.'s Delrina Group (AB #543), Wang Laboratories (AB #802) and Wang Software (AB #543).

CO-MARKETING PROGRAMS

PC DOCS is spearheading a range of joint marketing and sales activities as part of the IWW program including press announcements, tradeshows, seminars, direct marketing campaigns, co-selling to major accounts, bid development, and channel and vertical marketing initiatives. One of the higher profile events is the Partner Pavilion which has been incorporated into the PC DOCS booth at AIIM and includes exhibits from image and workflow partners Microtek Systems, Reach Software Corporation, Symantec Corp.'s Delrina Group, Simplify Development Corp. and Wang Software.

"The IWW program has enabled us to forge a strong strategic alliance with PC DOCS," said Kevin Drum, Vice President of Marketing at Kofax Image Products. "The specialized marketing programs have been particularly beneficial, allowing the two organizations to leverage off their unique technological expertise and channel partners to provide our customers with an optimized document management solution."

"As the leading vendor of electronic forms software, we provide solutions to large corporations and government organizations that manage and control a vast amount of forms and other documents," said Teddy Rosenberg, General Manager of Electronic Forms at Symantec Corp. "Our relationship with PC DOCS, Inc. and the integration of FormFlow and DOCS Open reflect the importance to organizations in having one universal document management system. Participating in the PC DOCS booth at AIIM is an advantage of the IWW program because it allows customers to see the integration of our products first hand."

ABOUT DOCS OPEN

DOCS Open is a comprehensive document management solution that is distinguished by its open architecture, allowing documents to be easily accessed, manipulated, controlled and archived across heterogeneous computing environments. DOCS Open provides a secure and organized enterprise-wide document infrastructure for a wide variety of document types, including word processing, spreadsheet, image and multimedia. This allows users to conduct searches with no knowledge of where the document is stored. DOCS Open is scaleable for organizations ranging from a few to many thousands of users.

ABOUT PC DOCS

PC DOCS is the leading provider of document management software for enterprise networks and sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management systems for a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, legal and other professional services organizations.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., The Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc. and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies and the professional services industry in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

Press and industry analysts, please contact:

Beth Parker

Marketing Communications Mgr.

PC DOCS, Inc.

617-273-3800 x210

bethp@pcdocs.com

Doug Black/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

617-536-0470

617-536-2772 (fax)

dblack@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

For companies interested in joining the IWW Program contact:

Ellen Dorian

Manager, Partner Marketing

PC DOCS, Inc.

617/273-3800 ext.261

ellend@pcdocs.com

For product information contact:

In Canada:

Lynn Kauffman, B.C.L., LL.B., 416/497-7700

Vice-President

PC DOCS Canada

Fax: 416/499-777

or

In the U.S.:

Elaine Archdeacon, 617/273-3800 ext. 229

Manager, Corporate Sales

PC DOCS, Inc.

Fax: 617/272-3693


Strong ROI for PC DOCS Customer Solutions
STUDY REVEALS STRONG ROI FOR PC DOCS CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS BASED ON MICROSOFT BACKOFFICE

Returns Realized Across Industry Sectors and Application Types

AIIM Show Booth #543, Chicago, Illinois -- April 1, 1996 -- PC DOCS, Inc., a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International Inc., and a leader in enterprise document management solutions, announced today the preliminary findings of an independent study by IDC/Avante Technology, the recognized leader in assessing the financial impact of software investments. According to Scott McCready, principal of IDC/Avante Technologies, "Based on our research, we've come to the definitive conclusion that companies will realize a huge bang for their buck when they implement DOCS Open from PC DOCS."

Participants in the study represented a variety of industries including financial services, government, pharmaceutical, professional services, chemical manufacturing, and telecommunications. The study spanned sites ranging from hundreds to several thousand PC DOCS users, in the U.S. and abroad. Many of the companies surveyed used PC DOCS products based on Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51 and Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 to connect multiple locations across the globe.

Some of the results from the report include:

* The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA): The DEA is responsible for combating drug trafficking throughout the world. Due to the sensitive nature of its operations, every major DEA office must be inspected every 12 months to ensure compliance with the Agency's policies and procedures. Prior to deploying DOCS Open from PC DOCS, these paper- based inspection reports took 4 to 6 months to be completed and distributed to the field. Now, with the agency's implementation of DOCS Open from PC DOCS, these reports can be completed and distributed within a week. As a result, appropriate action can be taken almost immediately. This represents a 400 percent improvement in the number of inspections completed, with identical staffing levels.

* Thomas Cooke: A dream vacation can quickly turn into a nightmare when travelers checks disappear. Thomas Cooke, the largest issuer of travelers checks outside of the United States, is using DOCS Open as the cornerstone of its Refund Management System to refund customers whose travelers checks have been lost or stolen. In this event, a customer can call the designated hotline and the DOCS Open Refund Management System used by Thomas Cooke takes over and sets in motion the reimbursement. Prior to the deployment of DOCS Open, this was largely a manual process which was entirely paper-based and time consuming. With the Refund Management System, Thomas Cooke has been able to double their volume of business in the last year while at the same time realizing lower processing costs and higher levels of customer satisfaction.

"We're pleased that PC DOCS, as a leading Microsoft Solution Provider, is driving BackOffice technology with their Document Management suite of products in over 50% of their sales," commented Rich Tong, division marketing manager, business systems division at Microsoft. "The analysis done by PC DOCS and IDC/Avante confirms the positive financial impact of DOCS Open and the Microsoft BackOffice products."

"Our customers are using DOCS Open as the cornerstone of their business reeingineering, process streamlining, and product line expansion. Not only are the customer ROI's strong, but the Net Present Values (NPV), which measure the magnitude of profit associated with each site's DOCS Open implementation, are exceptionally high. For example, the NPV of the Royal Bank implementation of DOCS Open is nearly $3 million per year," according to Ann Palermo, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at PC DOCS, Inc.

"IDC/Avante wrote the book on ROI analysis, and Scott McCready is the recognized expert on financial returns on software investments," stated Larry Bohn, Executive Vice President and General Manager at PC DOCS, Inc. "McCready's expertise lends bulletproof credibility to the overwhelmingly strong results we found in our ROI study."

According to McCready, "In our study, we found that DOCS Open was typically being used in one of three ways - within a department, throughout the company, or across the entire enterprise to connect businesses with their customers and suppliers. What's most compelling about DOCS Open is the fact that regardless of where or how an organization first chooses to deploy it, the return on their investment will be quite strong." McCready also added, "DOCS Open fits into existing environments and is flexible enough to be used in many different ways. This flexibility directly relates to lower operating costs and leads to a good return on investment."

ABOUT DOCS OPEN

DOCS Open (Document Organization & Control System) is a comprehensive document management platform that is distinguished by its open architecture, allowing documents to be easily accessed, manipulated, controlled and archived across heterogeneous computing environments. DOCS Open provides a secure and organized enterprise-wide document infrastructure for a wide variety of application types, including word processing, spreadsheet, image, multimedia, and others. This allows users to conduct searches with no knowledge of where documents are stored. DOCS Open is scalable for organizations ranging from a few to many thousands of users.

ABOUT PC DOCS, INC.

PC DOCS, Inc. (http://www.pcdocs.com) sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management solutions to a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal and other professional services.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., the Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc., and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the professional services industry, in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

Press and industry analysts, please contact:

Beth Parker

Marketing Communications Mgr.

PC DOCS, Inc.

617-273-3800 x210

bethp@pcdocs.com

Doug Black/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

617-536-0470

617-536-2772 (fax)

dblack@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

For product information contact:

In Canada:

Lynn Kauffman, B.C.L., LL.B., 416/497-7700

Vice-President

PC DOCS Canada

Fax: 416/499-7777

or

In the U.S.:

Elaine Archdeacon, 617/273-3800 ext. 229

Manager, Corporate Sales

PC DOCS, Inc.

Fax: 617/272-6988


DOCS Open Benchmark Results
PC DOCS, INC. AND DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION ANNOUNCE FINDINGS FROM COMPREHENSIVE BENCHMARKING TESTS

Tests validate performance and scalability of DOCS Open on the Digital AlphaServer platform

AIIM Show Booth #543, Chicago, IL - April 1, 1996 - PC DOCS, Inc., a worldwide leader in enterprise document management solutions, and a subsidiary of PC DOCS Group International (NASDAQ: DOCSF, TSE: DXX), today announced the impressive results of a series of benchmarking, stress, and load balancing tests conducted in conjunction with Digital Equipment Corp.

Last month, the two companies conducted a series of massive application characterizations comparing the Alpha and Intel servers running NT 3.51 and using Microsoft SQL 6.0 to establish the relative performance of the servers, and most importantly, the scalability and performance of DOCS Open running on each of the servers.

DOCS Open was found to scale from 200 concurrent users to 1800 concurrent users with minimal performance degradation. With 1800 concurrent DOCS Open SQL transactions continually hitting the database, the quad processor AlphaServer utilization was only 40%. SQL vendors usually recommend that to utilize the most server power, while keeping in mind peak loads, server utilization should be at approximately 75%. In a real world situation, this could translate to approximately 3000 DOCS Open users on one AlphaServer with little or no performance degradation.

"Relational database vendors use the Transaction Processing Council's (TPC) standardized benchmarking methodology to rank and compare their products' performance. No such methodology currently exists in the document management arena," stated Larry Bohn, Executive Vice President and General Manager at PC DOCS. "Our goal with Digital is to take the lead in establishing a standardized benchmarking methodology for document management. This will give customers a stronger foundation for evaluating document management software products and better support in choosing their hardware and networking platforms."

"We are thrilled, although not surprised, by the scalability demonstrated in these tests," said Edmund Muth, Director of Planning and Product Management for Windows NT at Digital. "As PC DOCS is a recognized leader in the field of enterprise document management, and Digital's Intel-based and Alpha-based servers deliver the solutions needed to support the vast mass storage subsystems required for enterprise document management, these benchmarks are a tangible example of a powerful and comprehensive technology coupling."

ABOUT DOCS OPEN

DOCS Open (Document Organization & Control System) is a comprehensive document management platform that is distinguished by its open architecture, allowing documents to be easily accessed, manipulated, controlled and archived across heterogeneous computing environments. DOCS Open provides a secure and organized enterprise-wide document infrastructure for a wide variety of application types, including word processing, spreadsheet, image, multimedia, and others. This allows users to conduct searches with no knowledge of where documents are stored. DOCS Open is scaleable for organizations ranging from a few to many thousands of users.

ABOUT PC DOCS, INC.

PC DOCS, Inc. sells its award winning software, DOCS Open, through a channel of authorized resellers, integrators and distributors worldwide. The company provides enterprise-wide document management solutions to a variety of industries including manufacturing, finance, government agencies, insurance, legal and other professional services.

PC DOCS Group International Inc. and its subsidiaries, PC DOCS, Inc., The Quartex Corporation Inc., CMS/Data Corporation, CompInfo, Inc., and Canterbury Systems Corp., are suppliers of software and computer systems to businesses, banks and other financial institutions, hospitals, retail and college stores, distribution companies, government agencies, and the professional services industry in North America, England, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

ABOUT DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry-focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

Press and industry analysts, please contact:

Beth Parker

Marketing Communications Mgr.

PC DOCS, Inc.

617-273-3800 x210

bethp@pcdocs.com

Doug Black/Craig Librett

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

617-536-0470

617-536-2772 (fax)

dblack@millercom.com

clibrett@millercom.com

Paul Collins

Digital Equipment Corporation

508-467-2251

paul.collins@mro.mts.dec.com

For product information contact:

In Canada:

Lynn Kauffman, B.C.L., LL.B., 416/497-7700

Vice-President

PC DOCS Canada

Fax: 416/445-6228

or

In the U.S.:

Elaine Archdeacon, 617/273-3800 ext. 229

Manager, Corporate Sales

PC DOCS, Inc.

Fax: 617/272-6988


PowerCerv Acquires Visual Systems Dev Group
PowerCerv Acquires Visual Systems Development Group of Michigan

Deal adds workforce and new customers to PowerCerv's mid-west sales initiative.

TAMPA, Florida (April 1, 1996) PowerCerv Corporation (NASDAQ: PCRV) announced today the acquisition of Visual Systems Development Group of Detroit, Michigan (Visual). The acquisition includes Visual's workforce, intellectual property and a prestigious customer base. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Visual is a leading reseller of PowerBuilder products, training and consulting services in the Midwest. The acquisition will raise from 380 to 400 the number of PowerCerv employees and to 19 the number of its U.S. offices. Visual's customers who include Chrysler, EDS, Perot Systems, Amway, and Herman Miller will be managed by PowerCerv from the same office.

With this agreement, PowerCerv continues to significantly strengthen its position in the North American client/server software market. "This acquisition advances PowerCerv's mission to be the number one provider of client/server tools, applications, and services to help customers migrate to client/server and achieve their strategic business goals," said Harold R. Ross, PowerCerv CEO and co-founder. "We will continue to seek opportunities to strengthen our capability to permit customers throughout the United States to buy or build mission-critical client/server applications as a viable alternative to centralized, character-based computing."

According to Debbie Yasenka, former president of Visual and now District Manager at PowerCerv heading up the Detroit office, the agreement will broaden the product and service offerings available to Visual's former customers. "Our customers will now have access to a greater variety of products and services to enable them to achieve their business goals using client/server solutions," noted Yasenka. "PowerCerv's tools, applications and services provide many options toward those goals. We're excited to offer such a breadth of solutions to our new PowerCerv customers."

About PowerCerv

Founded in 1992, PowerCerv Corporation is a software company that helps organizations implement object-oriented, client/server solutions by providing its customers development tools, application products and know-how. The company provides development tools and application products supported by training, consulting, and application development services to more than 2,000 customers who strive for sustainable competitive advantages using enterprise client/server solutions. PowerCerv has offices in 19 major U.S. cities, and distributes its products in Canada, Latin America, South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Japan and China through value added resellers.


New PictureTel Videoconf Swr & Camera
PictureTel introduces new release of software for award-winning desktop videoconferencing product line

Added functionality for Live50; Windows 95 compatibility for Live50 and Live100; new camera available for Live50

DANVERS, Mass. -- April 1, 1996 -- PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ: PCTL / www.picturetel.com), the world leader in videoconferencing, today announced the availability of a new release of software for its award-winning PictureTel Live50 and Live100 desktop videoconferencing systems. In addition to this new release of software, PictureTel also announced a new camera option for the Live50. The Live50 and Live100 were formerly known as the PictureTel LIVE PCS 50 and PCS 100, respectively.

The new release, version 1.6, brings several new capabilities to these products. In addition to supporting Windows 3.1 operating system environments, the products are now Windows 95 compatible.

With version 1.6, the Live50 delivers capabilities that until now were only associated with high-end desktop systems, such as the Live100. The Live50 now supports:

 - robust network connectivity; V.35 & RS-449 (both dialed and

   non-dialed) and Switched-56;

 - an option to operate at data rates up to and including 384 Kbps;

   and

 - ATM connectivity, via First Virtual Corporation's desktop ATM25

   network.

"The 1.6 release further demonstrates PictureTel's strategy to bring high-end, high-performance desktop videoconferencing to the market at an affordable price," said Tony Paradiso, director of marketing for PictureTel's desktop products. "We are also very excited to be able to use the Live50 within an ATM environment, such as those provided by First Virtual Corporation and others."

Ralph Ungermann, CEO of First Virtual Corporation, said his company is impressed by the enhanced capabilities of the Live50.

"The ability to run stored, live and interactive video over the LAN or WAN for video collaboration is a direction we believe many corporations are heading in. The combination of FVC's low-cost ATM system and PictureTel's high-quality desktop videoconferencing provides a powerful mutli-purpose, multimedia network at a new price point," he said.

WINDOWS 95 FUNCTIONALITY

Version 1.6 of the Live50 and Live100 also is compatible with PCs using Windows 95.

"PictureTel customers who have adopted Windows 95, can upgrade to version 1.6 and migrate their PictureTel desktop systems to Windows 95," said Paradiso. "The flexibility of these products, with support for both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, enables users to implement desktop videoconferencing easily and economically as they upgrade their operating system."

FLIPCAM FOR THE LIVE50

PictureTel also announces the availability of a new camera for the Live50. Previously, a fixed-focus camera was included with the Live50, now the PictureTel FlipCam is an option. The FlipCam, which has been standard on the Live100 since its inception, provides manual controls for focus, zoom and aperture. With the FlipCam, the Live50 can extend desktop applications by enabling a small, ad-hoc gathering of people to be viewed by the far-end. The FlipCam for the Live50 is available immediately, and can be purchased as part of a new system, or as an add-on. A base-level system with a FlipCam is priced at $3,195, while the camera is priced at $1,300 as a separate item.

Version 1.6 also includes the latest version of LiveShare Plus, PictureTel's award-winning data-conferencing software package that enables users to work on a whiteboard together, share multiple Windows applications, transfer files, share clipboards, and remotely control a system, all during a video-call.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

Version 1.6 will begin shipping on new Live50 and Live100 systems effective today. Upgrades will be made available to the installed base directly in the U.S. and Canada. In the rest of the world, upgrades are available to end-users through the network of PictureTel resellers and channel partners. Pricing for this upgrade varies according to geography. The U.S. list prices of the complete version 1.6 Live50 and Live100 systems remains $2,495 and $4,995, respectively.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a full range of visual telecommunications solutions that are "Redefining the Way the World Meets." The company's products serve videoconferencing needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also markets network products and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide services.

Recent PictureTel news releases are available by calling 1-800-716- 6000, extension 4 (U.S. and Canada only).

PRESS CONTACTS:

Kevin Flanagan

PictureTel Corporation

(508) 762-5178

e-mail: flanagank@pictel.com

Diane Parazin

Lages & Associates

(617) 232-0315 / (714) 453-8080

73362.465@compuserve.com


3Com & PictureTel Strategic Partnership
3Com and PictureTel Announce Strategic Partnership

COMPANIES TO DELIVER LAN-BASED MULTIMEDIA SOLUTIONS

SANTA CLARA, Calif., and DANVERS, Mass. -- April 2, 1996 -- 3Com Corporation, the worldwide leader in network connectivity, (NASDAQ: COMS), and PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ: PCTL), the global leader in videoconferencing, today announced they have entered into a strategic partnership designed to transition today's local area network (LAN) environment into a powerful multimedia environment. The companies will work closely in a continuing effort to offer high-performance network and conferencing technology to the market to create ever more powerful LAN environments capable of handling all types of information in real time.

As part of the first phase of this strategic partnership, the companies will provide a product bundle that will deliver PictureTel LAN-based data conferencing to 3Com network interface card users at no additional cost, as well as low-cost upgrades to full videoconferencing. Future activities between the two companies will include leveraging each company's strengths, such as marketing, distribution and technology.

"As a world leader in Ethernet network interface cards and switches, 3Com is able to envision and deliver breakthrough networking solutions which enable the pervasive use of LAN-based multimedia," said Doug Spreng, executive vice president of 3Com's Personal Connectivity Operation. "Working with PictureTel, as the best in class in videoconferencing, lets us deliver a high-quality conferencing solution to run over these multimedia optimized networks."

PictureTel believes this strategic partnership will accelerate the acceptance of both data conferencing and videoconferencing, according to Dom LaCava, vice president of PictureTel's Enterprise Systems Group.

"PictureTel has long been the global leader in group videoconferencing. In the past two years, we've become the leader in ISDN-based desktop videoconferencing. Now, by partnering with 3Com, we are going to grow the market for data conferencing and videoconferencing on the LAN. We will work together to become the leaders in this emerging market segment," said LaCava.

"3Com's decision to form an alliance with PictureTel clearly validates that videoconferencing can be integrated within existing networks. And 3Com's extensive distribution channels will be a valuable tool for driving data and video technologies for the LAN to the marketplace," he said.

In the initial phase of the relationship, the two industry leaders will eliminate acceptance and cost barriers by enabling users to try PictureTel's award-winning LiveShare Plus data-conferencing software free of charge, via 3Com's PACER enabled Parallel Tasking network interface cards. LiveShare Plus enables PC users in separate locations to work jointly in real-time on data files using application sharing or a whiteboard, as well as to transfer files or share messages on a common clipboard. PictureTel and 3Com also are offering low- cost upgrades to PictureTel's LiveLAN-V videoconferencing starter kit. LiveLAN-V enables PC users to videoconference with others throughout a local area network environment.

The 3Com/LiveShare Plus bundle includes:

 PictureTel LiveShare Plus software shipped with 3Com interface

 cards -- at no additional cost -- (a $249 value);

 Initial shipment on 10 and 10/100 PCI evaluation adapters;

The LiveLAN-V starter kit upgrade includes:

 2 copies of LiveLAN-V software; and

 2 audio and video capture cards;

 2 cameras;

 2 sets of multimedia speakers;

 2 microphones; and

 a copy of LiveManager, PictureTel's conference management software.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the immediate and long term connectivity needs of today's user. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. The company's innovative marketing, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments. For further information, visit 3Com's world Wide Web site at http://www.3Com.com.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a full range of visual telecommunications solutions that are "Redefining the Way the World Meets." The company's products serve videoconferencing needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also markets network products and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide services. Additional PictureTel information is available on the Internet at http://www.picturetel.com.


PageMil for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart
PageMill for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

By Maria Langer

Until now, creating Web pages has been tedious and prone to error, requiring knowledge of the web's internal language, HTML, and a suite of converters and utility programs. Enter Adobe PageMill, the new WYSIWYG web page authoring tool designed for nontechnical people who want to create or maintain content on the Web. In one low-cost, well-integrated package, it includes everything you need to create individual pages, forms, and clickable images - all in an environment that hides HTML tags and looks and feels like a normal word processor.

PageMill for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide is a richly illustrated, step-by-step guide to using all the features of PageMill. As with all books in Peachpit's highly successful Visual QuickStart series (with more than a million copies in print), information is presented in a graphic, visual fashion, with hundreds of screenshots accompanied by clear instructions and loads of helpful tips.

ISBN 0-201-88661-8

List price: $15.95

Pages: 168 pages

Catalog number: 88661

Peachpit Press

2414 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

800-283-9444,  510-548-4393,  fax 510-548-5991

URL: http://www.peachpit.com


Windows 95 Is Driving Me Crazy!

By Kay Yarborough Nelson

A practical guide to Windows 95 headaches, hassles, bugs, potholes, and installation problems for Luddites, power users, and the rest of us

Behind the hoopla and hype surrounding the release of Windows 95, there's one unavoidable reality: almost everybody's frustrated in one way or another with Microsoft's new operating system - its performance, its interface, its incompatibilities. This book is the ultimate problem-solving guide for making the most of this challenging situation.

The book shows you ways to get around the worst problems, better ways of doing certain tasks, what you can and can't do in real-life situations, and where to turn for more help. You'll learn what Microsoft left out and what they don't tell you, how to keep the good parts of Windows 3.1, and what to do about hardware and software incompatibilities.

ISBN 0-201-88626-X

List price: $24.95

Pages: 400 pages

Catalog number: 88626

Peachpit Press

2414 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

800-283-9444,  510-548-4393,  fax 510-548-5991

URL: http://www.peachpit.com


The Windows 95 Bible from Peachpit Press
The Windows 95 Bible

By Fred Davis

Here's absolutely everything you need to know about Windows 95, from installation and interface design to telecommunications and multimedia. This fun-to-read, easy-to-use reference is packed with detailed illustrations, plus insider tips and tricks. Reviewing the previous edition, The New York Times wrote, "Toss out the other Windows books. This one is the best." (Finalist, Computer Press Awards).

ISBN 0-201-88388-0

List price: $29.95 U.S.

Pages: 680 pages

Catalog number: 88388

Peachpit Press

2414 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

800-283-9444,  510-548-4393,  fax 510-548-5991

URL: http://www.peachpit.com


Vea Diagramming Program for Newton
AUSTIN, Texas, April 2, 1996--Planet Computing today released Vea for the Newton 2.0 operating system. Vea is a powerful, yet easy to use diagramming program which allows the user to drag and drop pre-defined shapes onto Newton's screen. "Vea is the fastest and easiest way to create diagrams on a Newton 2.0-based PDA. We've received input from people that can't draw a straight line to those that make their living producing technical drawings. They are overwhelmed by Vea" said Roy Gatling, Chief Executive Officer for Planet Computing.

Vea is now available at a suggested retail price of $149. Vea may be ordered directly from Planet Computing at 1-800-499-1006. A working demo of Vea can be downloaded from Planet Computing's web site at http://www.aplanet.com and evaluated free of charge for 30 days.

Distributor pricing is available, and distributor agreements are being negotiated in the USA, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Philippines and Malaysia.

Vea has been optimized for the Newton 2.0 operating system, allows layering of objects (limited only be the systems memory) and also provides an underlying database that allows the user to assign multiple properties such as model, cost, price, dimensions, etc. to each object. By providing this database, Vea allows users to create Intelligent Diagrams, which can speed the creation of documents such as parts lists, price quotes, etc. Vea can also be used in either portrait or landscape mode on the MessagePad.

Although Vea is very powerful, Newton users will find Vea easy to use. For example, in just a few minutes, an office facilities manager could diagram an office layout including furniture, cubicles and computers, just by dragging Vea's assortment of pre-drawn objects to the desired spot on the screen. And the diagram could be more than just a picture, it could contain information on every object in the diagram. In fact, each object can inherit multiple objects along with their associated data.

Vea can be used by LAN managers and LAN consultants, Business Process consultants, Facilities Managers and Architects and Remodelers right out of the box. In fact, Vea comes with more than 100 pre-drawn objects, provided on six separate templates. The templates are:

 - Basic shapes

 - Flowcharting

 - Business Process Engineering

 - Local Area Network Template

 - Office Space Planning Template

 - Architecture/Remodeling Template

Vea also includes the Intelligent Object Creator and the Intelligent Template Creator which allows the user to create their own customized objects. Planet Computing is also making the Intelligent Object and Template Creators available on its web site for free. Several third parties are already developing Vea objects for a variety of vertical markets.

"Our goal was to create a powerful tool that could be placed in the hands of thousands, and we've done that with Vea" said Mark Collins, Chief Technology Officer for Planet Computing. "By combining the power and portability of Newton 2.0 with the intelligence of Vea, businesses of all types now have a tool that helps their staff do a faster, better job. What we've really created is a graphical, hierarchical, object database. The possibilities for using Vea are endless" continued Mr. Collins.

Formed in 1995, Planet Computing's mission is to become the leader in developing and marketing software and hardware for PDAs by providing excellent products and services for its customers and maximizing shareholder value. Information on the company and its products can be requested by calling 512-251-0426, visiting its web site at http://www.aplanet.com or sending e-mail to planeteer@aplanet.com.


Phoenix Solutions for SPIC Technologies
PHOENIX ANNOUNCES KEY SOLUTIONS FOR MANUFACTURERS BUILDING SYSTEMS BASED ON SIPC TECHNOLOGIES

Phoenix's Advanced Power Management Tools and Silent PC Technology Aid PC Makers In Building OnNow (instant use) PCs.

SAN JOSE, CA (April 1, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd.(NASDAQ: PTEC), announced today at WinHEC 96 several key solutions for manufacturers building the next generation of low-power, low-noise PCs with appliance-like ease of convenience. This coincides with Microsoft Corp.'s announcement of OnNow - an initiative to make PCs instantly available and power efficient.

Phoenix was a key contributor to Microsoft and Intel's APM 1.2 specification, a new advanced power management standard that allows Windows 95 operating system-based PCs to remain on - in a low power mode, yet activate instantly with a keystroke, mouse click, a modem ring, or when prompted by internal scheduling software. APM 1.2 builds on several key features that are already part of Phoenix's most recent system-level software, and is broadening them into a new industry specification. Arman Toorians, engineering manager, power management at Phoenix is addressing APM 1.2 in the OnNow - Power Management Forum at WinHEC 96.

"Users are demanding that these PCs become more convenient - with instant access 24-hours a day, while consuming little or no power when not in use," said Carl Stork, director of the Windows Hardware Platform Group at Microsoft. "It is also becoming increasingly important for new PC designs to advance and provide a quieter, less obtrusive presence in the home."

"This new specification allows the operating systems and high level applications to be more involved in the overall power management of the PC ," said Toorians. "This way, the computer can maintain system readiness while consuming the least amount of power."

Phoenix and Silent Systems, Inc. are announcing a new noise specification for home computers, in a forum entitled "The Silent PC Initiative". The forum will address the pressing need for PCs to run as quietly as a VCR or telephone when in the home environment. SilentPC is a joint development of Phoenix and Silent Systems Inc. Gregory Wyler, President of Silent Systems will be discussing the new specification and answering questions on what the PC manufacturers can do to meet it at the WinHEC 96 Industrial Design Opportunities Forum. The solutions developed by Silent Systems and offered by Phoenix to PC manufacturers include reductions in noise from on-board fans, hard disk drives, and design changes in computer chassis to make them quieter.

"Most PCs today make a lot of noise - up to 40 decibels on average," said Wyler. "We make them quiet, around 28 decibels. The PC appears solid state, literally as quiet as a VCR. Using the solutions we've developed, manufacturers can improve their multimedia capabilities and make their PCs work better as a stereo and digital video disk player with little added cost per unit."

Phoenix is now providing APM 1.2 (Beta release) and SilentPC solutions to manufacturers worldwide.

Silent Systems, located in Burlington, MA , is fast becoming the leading authority on acoustics and thermals in the PC industry. Their proprietary technology allows PCs to fit comfortably in the quiet environs of the home.

Phoenix is a worldwide leader supplying essential software to PC manufacturers. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, Phoenix PowerPanel, Phoenix SmartBattery Manager, PhoenixPICO, PhoenixVIEW, MultiKey and PhoenixCard Manager, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market and reduce internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.


Ready-to-Run Software Support for BSD/OS
Ready-to-Run Software, Inc Announces Support for BSD/OS

FORGE VILLAGE, MASSACHUSETTS, MARCH 29, 1996 -- Ready-to-Run Software, Inc. today announced immediate availability of its well known ReadyPak line of software products on BSD/OS. The addition of support for BDS/OS is part of an ongoing effort at Ready-to-Run to broaden its platform base.

In announcing the new software, Mike Raisbeck, Vice President at Ready-to-Run, noted "Availability on multiple UNIX platforms has been a hallmark of Ready-to-Run's product strategy. Today's announcement of support for BDS/OS substantially strengthens our position in the UNIX for INTEL market."

ReadyPaks are cost-effective collections of UNIX software that address a number of common workstation tasks and requirements including: language and software development tools, office utilities, text management software, general utilities, XWindows, FAX, Internet, and communications products. ReadyPaks are currently available on Sun, DEC, IBM, HP, SGI, DG, SCO and numerous other platforms.

The programs in the ReadyPaks have been selected from the best of popular publicly available UNIX software, previously available only in source form via UNIX networks and bulletin boards. Ready-to-Run has built these into finished, ready-to-run versions for specific UNIX environments, eliminating the need for an expensive find/download/build/test/install process on the user's part.

Each ReadyPak is priced under $300, generally less than the total cost of configuring equivalent software from available source code.

A free catalog of Ready-to-Run's products can be obtained by contacting Ready-to-Run Software at (800) 743-1723 or (508) 692-9922 or by sending email to info@rtr.com. Further information may also be found at Ready-to-Run Software's World Wide Web home page, http://www.rtr.com.


Siemens to use Spectrum24 Wireless Lan Card
Siemens Nixdorf To Use Symbol Technologies Spectrum24 Wireless Lan

HOLTSVILLE, N.Y., April 2, 1996 -- Symbol Technologies Inc. (NYSE:SBL), the world leader in bar code-driven data transaction systems, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Siemens Nixdorf International to use the Symbol Spectrum24 wireless local area network PC Card in Siemens Nixdorf International products worldwide.

Siemens Nixdorf will integrate Symbol Spectrum24 wireless local area network technology into retail solutions.

Spectrum24, Symbol's next-generation wireless network, provides reliable high data throughput and excellent immunity to interference through its frequency-hopping technology. It is designed to comply with forthcoming IEEE 802.11 open-systems standards which will be the foundation of industry-standard wireless interoperability. Based on a bridge architecture, Spectrum24 operates in the 2.4GHz band worldwide and provides transparent connection to an Ethernet LAN through multiple access points. It operates as a full cellular network, supporting seamless, instantaneous roaming while providing the highest data throughput of any frequency hopping spread spectrum system.

"Siemens Nixdorf is pleased to add the Symbol Spectrum24 wireless LAN to our family of retail solutions," said Mr. Wilde, vice president Siemens Nixdorf. "The throughput and interference immunity provided by the Symbol network will allow us to supply a superior solution to our customers' requirements."

"Spectrum24 is being increasingly used as the wireless backbone of choice for critical customer communications." Tomo Razmilovic, president and chief operating officer, Symbol Technologies, said.

Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems AG, Paderborn, Germany, is a systems partner with universal expertise in the field of information technology. It is one of the world's largest companies in this area and is the largest supplier of information technology of European origin. In the past fiscal year, Siemens Nixdorf had incoming orders worth DM13.0 billion and revenues of DM12.8 billion. The company has a work force of about 37,000 and is represented in 45 countries.

Additional information is available by contacting Symbol at 1-800-SCAN 234.

Symbol Technologies is the world leader in bar code-driven data transaction systems with more than 3 million scanners and terminals installed. The company designs, manufactures and markets bar code laser scanners, portable computers and radio frequency communications networks which are used as strategic building blocks in technology systems for retailing, package and parcel delivery, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, health care and other industries.


ComputerMania Event Schedule Expanded
SOFTBANK Expos Expands ComputerMania Event Schedule and Launches a Fourteen City National Tour

NEW ONLINE PLANS ANNOUNCED IN RESPONSE TO STRONG COMMUNITY INTEREST

FOSTER CITY, CA (APRIL 2, 1996) - SOFTBANK Expos today announced that its popular consumer technology event, ComputerMania, will hit the road with a national tour in the fourth quarter of 1996 reaching fourteen cities in as many weeks, beginning in September. In addition, SOFTBANK Expos announced its intention to launch ComputerMania Online - a destination website for the growing virtual community of ComputerMania loyalists.

Recent unprecedented enthusiasm among educators, community leaders and attendees for ComputerMania's Outreach program prompted SOFTBANK Expos to expand existing event plans and to add a strong online component to the ComputerMania offering.

"Community leaders are calling to request ComputerMania events in their cities. It has become clear that we must adjust our model to meet changing market needs," said William Lohse, President of SOFTBANK Expos. "The combination of ComputerMania's National Tour and ComputerMania Online gives families in more communities access to the ComputerMania experience. The combination also gives exhibitors new ways to reach consumers without increasing exhibitor costs, which in today's market is an important combination."

The tour will more than triple the number of communities reached with ComputerMania events in 1996, while the web-based online program will connect families everywhere to the growing ComputerMania virtual community.

COMPUTERMANIA ONLINE

"As the Internet revolution captures the attention of families everywhere, we have a real opportunity to bring them into a rich virtual community with ComputerMania Online," said Nancy Fuller, General Manager of ComputerMania. When the National Tour begins in September, SOFTBANK will launch a world-class website for ComputerManiacs.

As with the local events, the online component of ComputerMania will provide a place where technology buyers and sellers meet. "ComputerMania Online will draw participants, not just visitors," said Jim Stafford, Vice President of SOFTBANK's new Interactive Division. "Our site will give Computermaniacs a place to interact, entertain and learn. The ability to find, test-drive and purchase home computing products from our site will be just one of its value propositions."

COMPUTERMANIA NATIONAL TOUR

The fourteen city/fourteen week tour commences in early September and replaces the existing 1996 ComputerMania event schedule. The tour format will offer attendees a focused, hands-on experience with home computing products. During a five-day stay in each city, ComputerMania will host Student Field Trips on weekdays, Parent Field Trips in the evening and community-wide activities throughout the weekend to assure an exciting cross-section of attendees.

"We've learned through experience that our working relationships with the schools and community groups are key," said Fuller. "To craft effective programs in each ComputerMania city, we will draw heavily on the strong community relationships we have already established."

THE COMPUTERMANIA ATTENDEES

ComputerMania is an event for kids and their parents. Only "constructive computing" applications that improve the way families learn, work, play and grow will be featured at events and on the website. "This brand is about all the good things computing can bring to our personal lives," commented Lohse. "ComputerMania can help to spread the wonders of technology and expose people to the constructive and entertaining role that computing and the Internet can play in their lives."

THE COMPUTERMANIA EXHIBITORS

The expanded ComputerMania program will be offered to existing and new exhibitors whose products qualify in the "constructive computing" and related categories. The ComputerMania Tour/ComputerMania Online combination will offer exhibitors a first-of-its-kind opportunity for hands-on local exposure and product sales, supported by ongoing exposure to the virtual community via the Internet.

Exhibitor meetings will be held over the next eight weeks to detail the sponsorship and exhibit opportunities associated with the ComputerMania National Tour and ComputerMania Online. To request a meeting, please contact Nancy Fuller at nfuller@sbexpos.com or 415-372-7928.

SOFTBANK Expos, the world's largest Internet conference & trade show company, presents 21st century technology events. Its shows and conferences include NetWorld+Interop, Interop DotCom, JavaOne, Seybold Seminars, Windows Solutions, ComputerMania, Interactive 96, Support Services and Computer Training & Support. The events begin with the best available educational conferences which attract the brightest professionals in the technology community. The interactive trade show floor is a professionally enriching experience for the qualified attendees who visit the exhibitors year-round with on-line events and a collection of focused newsletters.

SOFTBANK Expos, 303 Vintage Park Drive, Foster City, CA 94404

1-800-4-SBEXPOS, 415-578-6900, http://www.sbexpos.com


Shiva LanRover Access Switch
SHIVA ANNOUNCES LANROVER ACCESS SWITCH; PROVIDES LARGE ENTERPRISES, CARRIERS AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH A SINGLE ARCHITECTURE FOR INTRANET/INTERNET AND PRIVATE LAN ACCESS

Delivers a Scalable, High-Capacity and High-Performance Platform for Secure Analog and ISDN Remote Access

NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NEV., April 2, 1996 -- Shiva Corporation today announced the LanRover Access Switch, a modular, high-performance remote networking platform for high-volume analog and ISDN call termination via T1/E1 and Primary Rate Interface (PRI) lines. The LanRover Access Switch builds upon the proven strengths of Shiva's award-winning LanRover technology and adds to it a cooperative multiprocessing architecture. Designed to support over one hundred dial-in users across multiple, industry standard, high-speed buses, LanRover Access Switch is the first product of its kind that meets the full range of remote networking needs in a Point-of-Presence (POP) form factor.

"Remote networking has emerged as one of the most strategic infrastructure markets today, with major implications for the information technology and telecommunications industries," said Frank Ingari, chairman and CEO of Shiva Corporation. "Corporate buyers and carriers alike are eager to deploy second-generation systems that address the full range of remote networking applications with one cohesive, future-friendly architecture. With LanRover Access Switch, Shiva now provides a uniquely comprehensive product suite including the ubiquitous open ShivaPPP client software package, the market-leading corporate standard ShivOS server software and LanRover hardware products, and the carrier-class, high-density Access Switch. Enterprise customers, in particular, want a customer premise solution that meets their requirements today, while allowing them the option of taking advantage of future opportunities such as outsourcing remote access from a favored carrier or Internet Service Provider. Shiva, and our traditional channel partners, will focus on the enterprise market, while Nortel will provide a unique focus and presence in the worldwide carrier and ISP segments."

George Bateman, technical advisor, American Express said, "Shiva's LanRover Access Switch is a key strategic technology necessary to service the remote access required in our business. The intermixing of analog and ISDN technologies provides an extraordinary infrastructure of economies. Additionally, I believe the Tariff Management capabilities will have a tremendous effect on minimizing telecommunications charges and will literally offset the LanRover Access Switch hardware costs."

CHANGING MARKET DYNAMICS OF DATA COMMUNICATIONS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

According to Strategic Networks, a leading industry analyst firm, the market for large scale remote access equipment is expected to grow greater than 100 percent during 1996. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are rapidly scaling their network infrastructures to meet increasing demand; network managers are extending their corporate networks to include remote access and access to the Internet; and carriers are devising strategies to deliver a complete offering of communications services (including outsourcing LAN access) to consumers and corporate customers. These strategies increasingly demand many of the features previously available only in corporate LAN access servers, such as native support for the LLC protocol, enabling IBM mainframe and AS/400 access, and thorough compatibility testing with non-Internet technologies such as terminal emulation and remote control software, and LAN-based email.

Nick Lippis, president of Strategic Networks, commented, "Shiva's LanRover Access Switch is a powerful product that offers a great degree of scalability at a critical juncture in the industry. By leveraging partnerships and seeding its client software, Shiva has created a potentially huge pull-through market that could set the stage for rapid adoption of the LanRover Access Switch throughout corporations, ISPs and carriers worldwide."

INTEGRATED, SCALABLE PLATFORM REDUCES COMPLEXITY AND ENABLES EASIER DEPLOYMENT

The LanRover Access Switch is designed to meet the needs of large enterprises, carriers and Internet Service Providers. It significantly reduces the complexity of implementing large scale remote access by providing a single, fully integrated solution for analog and ISDN connectivity. The modular design offers the scalability customers need to expand capacity and/or migrate to new technologies such as Frame Relay or ATM.

LanRover Access Switch supports all major remote networking functionality found in the ShivOS 4.0 operating system software such as single-user dial-in, shared dial-out for LAN-based users and LAN-to-LAN routing for branch and home office connectivity. It also includes multiplatform, multiprotocol support, and extensive ease-of-use, management and security features.

Additionally, LanRover Access Switch includes Tariff Management technologies (see white paper, http://www.shiva.com/remote/access_switch/) that focus on bandwidth control, connection control and data control for cost containment of telecommunications services. Shiva's Tariff Management technologies include the concept of "virtual connections" for client-to-LAN environments. This means that dial-in users with ordinary terminal adapters can now take advantage of ISDN's fast call set-up times and high performance while, at the same time, minimize WAN connect-time costs by only keeping dial-in links active when actual data is being sent. Until ShivOS 4.0, this feature has only been available in LAN-to-LAN environments (including personal ISDN routers). In addition to lower telephone bills, virtual connections provide superior ease-of-use by making set-up and tear-down of calls transparent to the user.

LanRover Access Switch also provides a Smart Detect feature that enables a single phone number to be used for analog and ISDN dial-in remote access over single or multiple T1/PRI lines. With Smart Detect, remote users only need one phone number for dial-in access. Additionally, Smart Detect simplifies management by eliminating the need for separate T1/PRI lines for analog and ISDN calls.

MULTIPROCESSING ARCHITECTURE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE, SPEED AND THROUGHPUT

Unlike competitive offerings designed for different purposes (such as backbone routers, terminal servers or modem banks), the LanRover Access Switch is designed to meet the distinct requirements of remote networking with a combination of multiprotocol routing, data switching, PBX-style call control, and client/server systems management.

Shiva's LanRover Access Switch employs a unique multiprocessing switching architecture with 200 MIPs of processing power. This design enables all critical tasks to be done in parallel, delivering higher performance speeds and data throughput than pipelined, single-processor architectures.

Another key differentiator is LanRover Access Switch's low latency design that offers improved performance for analog dial-in. Data is pumped out of the digital modem chip set directly onto a high speed bus. This eliminates an extra step of processing, which competitive products require through a serial controller.

STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH NORTEL ADDRESSES ISP AND CARRIER MARKET

Shiva and Nortel formed an agreement in 1995 (see May 15, 1995, release) to deliver solutions to carriers, ISPs and large enterprises worldwide. As a result, Nortel's RAPPORT Dial-up Switch, the peer product of Shiva's LanRover Access Switch, is targeted at ISPs and carriers.

"Nortel's RAPPORT Dial-up Switch takes the core of Shiva's technology, scales for high density, and adds carrier-grade functions for statistics management and billing," said Nortel's Micky Tsui, assistant vice president, Internet Solutions. "One of our key customers, WilTel, has already begun installing the RAPPORT Dial-up Switch with 150 Points of Presence to offer Internet services to more than 40,000 existing corporate customers, representing millions of consumers across the country."

EVOLVING REMOTE ACCESS MARKET

COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY FEATURES

Security is a key concern of enterprises, ISPs and carriers managing sophisticated networks with large numbers of remote users dialing into multiple sites. LanRover Access Switch provides many options for security, including support for third-party security products from vendors such as Security Dynamics, Digital Pathways, and solutions based on TACACS+ and RADIUS.

LanRover Access Switch customers can employ a centralized database to store authentication and authorization data for increased security and simplified management. Using RADIUS, Access Switch customers can collect detailed information such as customer ID, type of service, number called and connection parameters. This is a particularly important feature for carriers, ISPs, and enterprises concerned with cost center billing. Additionally, the LanRover Access Switch itself can act as a centralized authentication and authorization server.

UNIX/HP OPENVIEW MANAGEMENT FEATURES FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY

LanRover Access Switch offers a broad range of options that simplify management of diverse networks. In addition to the Shiva Net Manager for Windows, LanRover Access Switch provides Unix/HP OpenView management. LanRover Access Switch customers can manage the Access Switch and backbone network components on a common Unix platform, and launch management capabilities from HP OpenView. This provides users with a choice of management environments augmented by real-time monitoring functions within HP OpenView.

SERVICES, PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Shiva's worldwide Network Services Division (NSD) offers a range of services for LanRover Access Switch to ensure easy installation and configuration, optimized usage and maximum customer satisfaction. These services include ISDN line provisioning, LanRover Access Switch deployment, and RADIUS security and accounting configuration. Certified Shiva Premium Value Added Resellers (VARs) will also be able to offer these consulting services through NSD.

LanRover Access Switch will be available in the second quarter of 1996 from Shiva Premium VARs, resellers and distributors worldwide. Pricing ranges from $23-63K, depending upon configuration. Pricing includes all software necessary to implement multiprotocol remote access including an unlimited license for ShivaRemote 4.0 client software.

Founded in 1985, Shiva Corporation (Nasdaq:SHVA) is a global, full- line provider of remote access solutions, systems and services. Its products enable users and user sites at enterprises of all sizes to connect with corporate information resources, on-line services and the Internet. Shiva offers a full range of award-winning, analog and digital remote access and communications servers. With partnerships that include Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, Netscape, and Nortel, Shiva hardware and software are marketed by many of the world's leading computer and communications equipment manufacturers and telecommunications companies. The company is based in Bedford, Mass., with offices worldwide and a corporate R&D and manufacturing center in Edinburgh, U.K.

EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL SHIVA NEWS RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE SHIVA CORP. HOME PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.SHIVA.COM OR VIA COMPUSERVE (GO SHIVA). THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES PROVIDE AN EASY WAY TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ALL SHIVA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SHIVA CAN BE ACCESSED ELECTRONICALLY AT SALES@SHIVA.COM.


Shiva Remote Access Client with MS Exchange
SHIVA REMOTE ACCESS CLIENT INTEGRATED WITH MICROSOFT EXCHANGE CLIENT SOFTWARE

Companies Collaborate to Provide Seamless Remote Access to Microsoft Exchange Server

NETWORLD + INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NEV., April 2, 1996 -- Shiva Corporation today announced that Shiva's award-winning remote access client is integrated with the Microsoft Exchange Server. Shiva's single-user remote access client is embedded in Microsoft Exchange MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows 3.X client software to provide Microsoft Exchange users with transparent and reliable remote access to both the Microsoft Exchange server and other LAN resources. Microsoft previously chose Shiva to provide remote access design consultation and functionality for Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and the Windows 95 Dial-up Networking client. This announcement underscores the two companies' continued commitment to work together to provide seamless, easy-to-use remote access in Microsoft products.

As an added benefit, Shiva's client provides current MS Mail users with the ability to remotely access MS Mail servers via the Microsoft Exchange client. This eases the migration for network managers and users as their organizations move from MS Mail and begin implementing Microsoft Exchange.

"By having Shiva's client embedded in Microsoft Exchange MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows 3.X clients, mobile workers and telecommuters can simultaneously access information and applications residing on a Microsoft Exchange Server, MS Mail server and other LAN resources," said Greg Lobdell, Group Product Manager, Microsoft Exchange Marketing, Microsoft Corp. "Shiva and Microsoft worked together to ensure remote users would have a high-performance, seamless, interoperable remote access dial-in networking client. The result of taking advantage of the high-quality Shiva technology in the Microsoft Exchange clients is that customers have robust remote access capabilities for their users."

"With this announcement, Shiva and Microsoft are building upon our existing relationship which began in 1992 as a technical collaboration to provide easy-to-use remote access capabilities for Windows for Workgroups users," said Woody Benson, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, Shiva Corporation. "We are able to provide users with proven remote access client software that will enable them to simply click on an icon to gain access to all Microsoft Exchange and MS Mail applications while on the road or working at home."

Shiva's client was integrated with Microsoft Exchange using the Microsoft Remote Access Services API that Shiva implemented for its client as part of this collaborative effort. The API allows developers to tightly integrate dial-in access with client/server applications and take advantage of the application's native user interface to manage and set up connection parameters by the user. In this instance, remote users are provided with a transparent connection from the Microsoft Exchange client to a Microsoft Exchange Server. For example, when a remote user clicks on the mail in-box in the Microsoft Exchange client, the Shiva client automatically detects that the user is remote and initiates the connection to the Microsoft Exchange server to transfer mail. It tears down the link when the transfer of data is complete. If the user does not want to access other Microsoft Exchange applications via the mail application, the Shiva client can be launched outside of Microsoft Exchange to access the desired applications directly.

Microsoft Exchange Server is an email server that combines electronic mail, group scheduling, electronic forms and groupware applications on a single platform which can be managed with a centralized administration program. Microsoft Exchange provides the reliability and security essential to mission-critical applications and built-in connectivity to the Internet. Microsoft Exchange will be available worldwide in 27 languages.

AVAILABILITY

Microsoft Exchange Server will be available directly from Microsoft. The Microsoft Exchange client software with the Shiva remote access client will be bundled with the Server.

Founded in 1985, Shiva Corporation (Nasdaq:SHVA) is a global, full-line provider of remote access solutions, systems, and services. Its products enable users and user sites at enterprises of all sizes to connect with corporate information resources, on-line services and the Internet. Shiva offers a full range of award-winning, analog and digital remote access and communications servers. With partnerships that include Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Netscape, Motorola and Nortel, Shiva hardware and software are marketed by many of the world's leading computer and communications equipment manufacturers and telecommunications companies. The company is based in Bedford, Mass., with offices worldwide and a corporate R&D and manufacturing center in Edinburgh, U.K.

EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL SHIVA NEWS RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE SHIVA CORP. HOME PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.SHIVA.COM OR VIA COMPUSERVE (GO SHIVA). THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES PROVIDE AN EASY WAY TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ALL SHIVA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SHIVA CAN BE ACCESSED ELECTRONICALLY AT SALES@SHIVA.COM.


Shiva & Ingram Internet/Intranet Solution
SHIVA AND INGRAM ANNOUNCE AVAILABILITY OF COMPLETE INTERNET AND INTRANET SOLUTION

COMPANIES WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE SOLUTION FOR IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WEB SERVICES AND FACILITATING REMOTE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND INTRANETS

NETWORLD + INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NEV., APRIL 2, 1996 -- Shiva Corporation and Ingram Micro, Inc. today announced a complete corporate Internet/Intranet solution available exclusively through Ingram Micro. WebRover Stack, from Shiva, provides secure access to public and private networks. Through Ingram, this solution is further enhanced with Netscape Communications Server software and a ten-user license pack of the 2.0 version of the Navigator browser. The Netscape Communications Server software and browser is available free with WebRover Stack purchases through June 28, 1996. WebRover Stack is a remote access system that provides corporate sites with a single solution for extending secure and seamless connectivity between the corporation, the Internet and remote employees and partners. Together, WebRover Stack and Netscape's Web Server and browser software provide Ingram Micro resellers and their customers with a solution for establishing public and private web services, and providing access to those services for on-LAN corporate employees, remote employees dialing in from home or the road, partners, customers and the general public.

Shiva's WebRover Stack combines Shiva's market leading LanRover remote access server and Integrator router products with an optional security firewall to provide a complete solution for analog and ISDN dial-in and dial-out, integrated with dedicated access to the Internet via a leased line connection.

Netscape Communications Server is high-performance server software that enables organizations to publish rich hypermedia documents on the Internet's World Wide Web and on internal TCP/IP networks. Companies use the Netscape Server to post a variety of information such as product information, corporate new bulletins and customer support resources on the Internet and Intranets. The Netscape Navigator browser provides end-users with an easy-to-use graphical window to all information posted on the Internet and Intranets.

Shiva and Ingram Micro have been working together to provide optimized remote access solutions to Ingram resellers since 1988. This offering reinforces Shiva and Ingram's commitment to deliver cutting edge technology cost-effectively and efficiently to the market. Mike Terrell, Ingram Micro vice president of purchasing for networking products commented, "We are pleased to be the exclusive providers of the WebRover Stack/Netscape solution. The market is primed to take advantage of this proven technology to connect corporations and remote users to the Internet and at the same time exploit Web technology internally for intracompany information dissemination via the corporate Intranet."

"Companies today are looking for a single answer for all of their Internet requirements," said Woody Benson, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing at Shiva. "This product bundle allows the leading reseller of networking products to deliver Shiva's best-of-breed remote LAN and Internet access technology with Netscape's market-leading web server and browser software for a complete Internet/Intranet solution."

AVAILABILITY

The WebRover Stack and Netscape Communications Server and browser exclusive offer will be featured in Ingram Micro's booth 2046 at Networld + Interop in Las Vegas, April 2-4. The product bundle, WebRover Stack, with Netscape Communications Server and browser software at no additional charge, will be available immediately through Ingram Micro through June 28, 1996.

Founded in 1985, Shiva Corporation (Nasdaq:SHVA) is a global, full-line provider of remote access solutions, systems, and services. Its products enable users and user sites at enterprises of all sizes to connect with corporate information resources, on-line services and the Internet. Shiva offers a full range of award-winning, analog and digital remote access and communications servers. With partnerships that include Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Netscape, Motorola and Nortel, Shiva hardware and software are marketed by many of the world's leading computer and communications equipment manufacturers and telecommunications companies. The company is based in Bedford, Mass., with offices worldwide and a corporate R&D and manufacturing center in Edinburgh, U.K.

Ingram Micro Inc., headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, is the world's largest wholesale distributor of microcomputer products, with 1995 sales in excess of $8.588 billion. The company's inventory includes 38,000 products from more than 1,000 of the world's leading hardware and software companies. Affiliates in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom sell to 108,000 resellers in 120 countries. Servicing additional worldwide locations through export offices in Santa Ana, Miami, and Brussels, the company's international division fulfills orders from exporters and foreign customers in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Ingram Micro is the leading provider of advanced value-added services including technical areas, field services, configuration, and fulfillment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL SHIVA NEWS RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE SHIVA CORP. HOME PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.SHIVA.COM OR VIA COMPUSERVE (GO SHIVA). THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES PROVIDE AN EASY WAY TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ALL SHIVA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SHIVA CAN BE ACCESSED ELECTRONICALLY AT SALES@SHIVA.COM.


Specular Infini-D V3.2 Update Released
Collage 2.0.2 Updater Released

Specular to Release "Version 3.2" Update for Infini-D; Latest Version Provides End-User "Wish List" Improvements

Amherst, MA -- 27 March, 1996-- Specular announced plans today to release an interim update to its award-winning modeling, rendering, and animation package, Infini-D. The update, to be released April 12, 1996, has been engineered in response to a series of polls taken of Specular customers, and incorporates the most requested improvements and additions in a number of key areas. Most significantly, Infini-D's version 3.2 will sport a new Navigation Palette, facilitating easier camera manipulation, and a number of improvements to Infini-D's spline-based modeling workshop.

"We are consistently tracking end-user feedback, and monitoring the Specular AOL discussion groups to determine the needs of our customers," said Chris Johnston, Director of Product Management. "In this interim upgrade we have tried to respond to some of the most frequently requested features, and to provide them in the shortest possible time."

Among the New Features:

 Navigation Palette: In addition to the existing tools and key

 commands, users can now manipulate cameras by means of a floating

 palette.

 QuickDraw 3D WireFrame Mode: Users can now choose this option

 as a memory-saving alternative to full-shaded QuickDraw 3D-mode

 when working with objects in the World.

 Expanded QuickDraw 3D Capabilities: Infini-D now has interactive

 updating of camera and light manipulations. Users are now able

 to work with real-time cameras and lights in QuickDraw 3D mode.

 Smoother Morphing: Version 3.2 will introduce a "Reverse Object"

 command in the modeling workshop that will increase control over

 morphing options, allowing the user to manipulate the path direction

 of objects.

 Enhanced Cross-Section controls: Users can number and connect

 separate shapes in a cross-section to specific shapes in another

 cross-section. This feature has been added specifically to help

 ease the modeling process of objects that contain multiple shapes

 in a single cross-section, such as forks, for example.

 Other additions to Workshop controls: Infini-D 3.2 provides easier-

 to-use tools for the Flip command, as well as for adding points

 to existing curves.

Infini-D version 3.2 also addresses some minor bugs and key localization issues specifically requested by Specular's fast-growing international markets. For more specific information, please see the Specular Website: http://www.specular.com.

Availability: The update will be free to all registered users of version 3.0 or 3.1, and will be available in the form of a downloadable "patcher" from the Specular Website: http://www.specular.com. Version 3.2 will also be incorporated into all shipping versions of Infini- D. Pricing will remain unchanged.

Pricing:

  The retail price for Infini-D 3.2 is $899.00.

  Infini-D 3.2 is free to all registered users of Infini-D 3.0 or 3.1.

  Upgrades to Infini-D 3.2 from any version prior to 3.0 are $179.

The previous upgrade for Infini-D, version 3.1, released in December, 1995, incorporated extended support for QuickDrawTM 3D and QuickTime VR.

Infini-D 3.0, released in August, 1995, has already won numerous awards for its interface design, ease-of-use and price/performance ratio. Infini-D is the recipient of the MacUser Editor's Choice Award, the Macworld World Class Award, and the NewMedia "Hyper" Award.

Minimum System Requirements:

 FOR INFINI-D 3.2: A 68020 or better processor, System 7.0 or later,

 8 MB of available RAM.

 FOR QUICKDRAW 3D: A PowerPC processor, System 7.1.2 or later, 16MB

 of RAM.

 NOTE: Infini-D 3.1 does not require QuickDraw 3D, so non-Power Mac

 users can still use Infini-D.

Contact

For more information about Specular and its products, contact Dorothy Eckel, Manager of Press Relations at Specular, 479 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002. Phone: (413) 253-3100; Fax: (413) 253-0540; E-Mail: dorothy@specular.com.


Storage Dimensions WinNT Server Storage
Storage Dimensions Unveils Windows NT Server Storage Strategy

NEW HIGH-AVAILABILITY STORAGE SOLUTIONS ADDRESS UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS OF WINDOWS NT MARKET

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA (APRIL 2, 1996) -- Storage Dimensions, the leading independent vendor of high-availability client/server storage systems, today unveiled its Windows NT server storage strategy designed to address the unique application and business requirements of NT server environments. The ambitious strategy will bring to market several new storage products that address the issues of ease-of-use, manageability, scalability, and high-availability for NT server storage. Storage Dimensions backs these new products with the industry's most innovative customer support programs.

"NT server environments have different storage requirements than the mainstream NetWare market," said Ted Chen, vice president of marketing for Storage Dimensions. While NetWare servers have traditionally been optimized for file and print services, NT servers have been optimized as an alternative for midrange application servers, database servers, file servers, and Inter/Intranet Web servers. NT servers tend to be high-growth, mission-critical servers demanding storage solutions that provide manageability, scalability, and high-availability."

SUPERFLEX 3000 WITH DGR TO SUPPORT HIGH-GROWTH NT SERVERS EASILY ADD CAPACITY OR CHANGE RAID LEVELS ON-LINE

The first deliverable in the Storage Dimensions NT server storage strategy is SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, announced separately today. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR (Dynamic Growth and Reconfiguration) is a new high-availability RAID storage system for Windows NT featuring dramatically improved ease-of-use, expandability, and manageability. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR has two primary characteristics that make it unique among NT RAID storage offerings. First, a system administrator can quickly and easily add capacity to SuperFlex 3000 with DGR while the system is in use. Second, RAID levels can be changed at any time without taking the system off-line.

Prior to SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, a system administrator had to manage a time-consuming, difficult process in order to increase the capacity or change the RAID levels of a RAID storage system. Because this process could take 10 hours or more, it could easily lead to costly unplanned downtime during normal business hours. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR solves this problem by dramatically reducing the time and effort involved in adding capacity or changing RAID levels. An easy-to-use interface enables system administrators to manage this process in under five minutes while the system is on-line and in use.

SUPERFLEX 5000 TO DELIVER RAID STORAGE FOR MISSION-CRITICAL NT SERVERS OBTAIN HIGHEST AVAILABILITY WITH DUAL REDUNDANT RAID CONTROLLERS

Storage Dimensions will address the high-availability requirements of applications migrating from centralized mainframe and high-end UNIX servers to the NT environment with the introduction of SuperFlex 5000, the first affordable, dual controller RAID storage system for mission-critical Windows NT servers. SuperFlex 5000, to be announced later this month, also addresses the capacity requirements of the largest NT servers.

SuperFlex 5000 will be priced 40% less than the leading dual controller system, Clariion Series 1000, which was designed for traditional high-end UNIX environments. By introducing SuperFlex 5000, Storage Dimensions will lower the bar in price versus the traditional high- end storage provider, while raising the bar in resiliency versus current solutions from Intel-based server vendors.

SuperFlex 5000 will minimize the risk of a single point of failure in the storage system by featuring dual redundant controllers. With automatic failover, if the primary controller fails, the system automatically switches to the standby controller eliminating any system downtime. The failed controller is then hot-swappable and can be replaced without impacting the storage system's operation.

SuperFlex 5000 is scalable to over 600 GB of total storage capacity in a server with four available SCSI channels. SuperFlex 5500, which will be announced next month, will effectively double this capacity, thereby addressing the high-availability requirements of the largest NT servers.

VANTAGEPOINT 2.0 TO SIMPLIFY NT RAID STORAGE MANAGEMENT ENTERPRISEWIDE CENTRALLY MANAGE DISK STORAGE ACROSS DISTRIBUTED SERVERS

VantagePoint 2.0, being announced later this month, is an enterprise storage management solution that will allow NT network administrators to centrally monitor the performance, condition, and configuration of all disk storage devices attached to Windows NT and NetWare servers. Designed to meet the needs of the growing NT market, VantagePoint 2.0 will build on Storage Dimensions' strategy to develop a general purpose storage management tool that spans not only across platforms, but across multi-vendor disk drives as well. VantagePoint 2.0 will support: (1) HP OpenView, the leading high-level network management solution, (2) TCP/IP network protocol, and (3) any SCSI disk device attached to NT and NetWare servers.

An easy-to-use graphical user interface enables system administrators to anticipate and respond to changing disk array storage conditions. For example, network administrators will be able to quickly identify performance bottlenecks and isolate conditions that could threaten network availability. VantagePoint for NT will collect information on disk array configuration, drive and controller inventory, array status, enclosure temperature, power supply status, and performance.

PLAN TO SUPPORT DEC ALPHA DEMONSTRATES COMPANY'S COMMITMENT TO NT SUPPORT PROVIDED TODAY FOR ALL INTEL-BASED SERVERS

Storage Dimensions' NT server storage strategy embraces a continued commitment to cross-platform support by including plans to support DEC Alpha systems. All of the NT storage products described in this press release will support any Intel-based server platform. This enables NT customers to standardize on a storage solution across a wide variety of manufacturer's servers. Because DEC has made a significant strategic thrust into the NT market, Storage Dimensions plans to announce similar support of this platform in the near future.

STORAGE DIMENSIONS NT STRATEGY INCORPORATES INNOVATIVE SUPPORT PROGRAMS RECEIVE WORLD-CLASS SUPPORT FOR MISSION-CRITICAL NT NETWORKS

Mission-critical storage systems require the highest level of customer support. Storage Dimensions has put together an innovative support program to address the mission-critical needs of the NT server market.

LOW COST-OF-OWNERSHIP -- Storage Dimensions RAID systems are designed with interchangeable components such as I/O modules, controllers, disk and tape modules, cooling fans, and power supplies. The common components will allow NT system administrators to maintain lower spare parts inventories and reduce training requirements.

MIGRATION PATH -- Storage Dimensions backs all of its systems with FlexCredit, the industry's most generous rebate program. FlexCredit will allow NT customers to receive credit toward the purchase of new Storage Dimensions equipment when they turn in their used equipment from a wide variety of manufacturers, including most Intel-based server vendors.

INDUSTRY-LEADING WARRANTY PROTECTION -- Storage Dimensions will back its NT storage line with SpeedExchange. SpeedExchange is an advanced exchange program that will provide replacement product within 24 hours of a request. The warranty is for 5 years on disk, 2 years on DLT, 1 year on tape, and 3 years on all other components.

ON-SITE SUPPORT -- Nationwide on-site support will be provided by trained IBM technicians. This support will be provided free of charge for one year. Extended on-site warranty options will be available.

7 X 24 PRIORITY SERVICE -- The 7 x 24 priority service support program will provide a premium level of technical support 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year. In addition to 7 x 24 support, advantages will include a dedicated 800 number, priority support during normal business hours, discount pricing on spare parts, and advanced notification of technical service bulletins.

INTERNET SUPPORT -- TechConnect is the Company's premier technical support knowledgebase which will be made available to NT customers 24 hours-a-day via the Internet. Company, product, and support information are also readily available through the Company's innovative Web site (http://www.storagedimensions.com).

Founded in 1985, Storage Dimensions is the leading independent vendor of high-availability disk and tape storage systems for client/server and open systems environments. In addition to award-winning, leading- edge products, the Company provides a number of innovative and sophisticated support programs to help customers minimize the total cost-of-ownership over the life-cycle of their storage investment. The Company is ISO 9002 certified and primarily serves Fortune 1000 corporations and large institutions that have business- and mission-critical applications requiring high capacity, performance, reliability, and availability. Storage Dimensions products are available through a worldwide network of authorized resellers and distributors. The Company is located at 1656 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 and can be reached at 408-954-0710.


SuperFlex 3000 with DGR RAID Storage System
Storage Dimensions Introduces SuperFlex 3000 With DGR

HIGH-AVAILABILITY RAID STORAGE WITH EASE-OF-USE, EXPANDABILITY, AND MANAGEABILITY FOR BUSINESS-CRITICAL NT AND NETWARE SERVERS

FIRST TO DELIVER THE ABILITY TO ADD CAPACITY TO AN ARRAY AND CHANGE THE RAID LEVEL OF AN ARRAY WHILE THE RAID STORAGE SYSTEM IS ON-LINE

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA (APRIL 2, 1996) -- Storage Dimensions today announced SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, a new high-availability RAID storage system for Windows NT and NetWare featuring dramatically improved ease-of-use, expandability, and manageability. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR has two primary characteristics that make it unique among RAID storage offerings. First, a system administrator can quickly and easily add capacity to SuperFlex 3000 with DGR while the system is in use. Second, RAID levels can be changed at any time without taking the system off-line. These capabilities, identified by Storage Dimensions as Dynamic Growth and Reconfiguration (DGR), are critical to the NT and NetWare markets as a result of the expanding role of Intel-based servers in client/server environments.

"Up until now, when NT or NetWare system administrators needed to increase capacity of an array, they would have to take the system off-line to backup the data, reinitialize the array, and then restore the data," said Jeffrey Schnabel, senior product marketing manager for Storage Dimensions. "This could take as much as 10 hours in a traditional system with just 16 GB of data. With SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, the process takes less than five minutes to set up, and then the array expansion occurs in the background similar to a rebuild. During the entire process, the array is on-line and accessible to users."

Technology advances have increased the power of Intel-based servers making them ideal for LAN server consolidation. The role of these servers is also expanding to include application, database, and Inter/Intranet Web server environments. Because of this, Intel-based server storage has a new requirement for scalable growth, high-availability, and flexible manageability. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR addresses these requirements while being extremely easy-to-use.

Four product characteristics stand out in all surveys conducted among users of different market segments," said Farid Neema, President of Peripheral Concepts, a leading storage industry analyst firm based in Santa Barbara, CA. They are availability, scalability, flexibility, and manageability. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR covers them all.

ADD CAPACITY OR CHANGE RAID LEVELS ON-LINE IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES

Prior to SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, a system administrator had to manage a time-consuming, difficult process in order to increase the capacity of a RAID storage system. With traditional RAID storage, the system administrator would have to take the system off-line to backup data, reinitialize the array, and then restore data. Because this process could take up to ten or more hours, it was usually done during the evening or weekend to reduce the financial exposure of downtime during normal business activity. However, should a problem occur during this lengthy process, it could easily lead to unplanned downtime at the beginning of the next business day. According to CRN/The Gallop Organization, the median cost of such unplanned network downtime in Fortune 1000 companies is $4,000 per hour.

This problem is magnified when the need to increase storage is unexpected or when a company's business activities occur around-the-clock. In those cases, downtime will impact normal business activity. If adding capacity takes 10 hours at a cost of $4,000 per hour, the financial impact of taking the system off-line to add capacity would be $40,000 per occurrence.

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR solves this industry problem by dramatically reducing the time and effort involved in adding capacity to the RAID storage system. Using SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, the system administrator can add capacity to the RAID system while it is on-line, enabling this process to occur during normal business hours and eliminating the risk of unplanned downtime. An easy-to-use interface minimizes the training required to initiate this process, which takes less than five minutes to set up. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR balances the existing data across all drives in the new array, providing a seamless extension of the existing volume.

Similar issues occur with RAID storage systems when a RAID level needs to be changed. The system administrator would need to take the system off-line to backup data, reconfigure the RAID level, and then restore data. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR enables a system administrator to quickly and easily change RAID levels at any time, without impacting user access to the storage system.

Using SuperFlex 3000 with DGR, the system administrator can assign each application to a logical unit and each logical unit to its own RAID level. RAID levels 0, 1, 3, and 5 are available to provide maximum flexibility in tuning applications for optimum performance. For example, in a typical database server, frequently accessed index logs might be assigned to RAID 1. A data set that is accessed less frequently might be assigned to RAID 5. Imaging or video data sets might be assigned to RAID 3.

RESILIENCY FEATURES PROVIDE MAXIMUM SYSTEM AVAILABILITY

In order to support the demands of business-critical applications, SuperFlex 3000 with DGR incorporates enhanced resiliency features to minimize the chance of downtime while adding capacity or changing RAID levels.

In the unlikely event that a drive fails while adding capacity to a RAID level 1, 3, or 5 array, a hot-spare drive can automatically be activated without interruption to users and without loss of data. Multiple hot-spare drives can be assigned enabling recovery from multiple drive failures across different logical arrays, reducing the window of vulnerability during drive failures.

The system's award-winning enclosure is designed with dual redundant power supplies, triple redundant cooling fan modules, and dual lockable A/C inputs. All redundant components and disk drives are modular and hot-swappable under load. Easy serviceability is provided via convenient front and rear panel access. Optional battery-backed cache can also be added.

DGR RAIDCARD PROVIDES MAXIMUM THROUGHPUT AND TRANSACTION RATES

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR combines advanced controller technology with industry leading I/O caching to provide superior performance for a wide range of applications. The system incorporates a new 33 MHz i960 DGR RAIDCard processor. DGR RAIDCard has the ability to scale up to 128 MB of cache and has a high-speed PCI interface to the host. A unique performance feature of DGR RAIDCard is adaptive read-ahead caching which adjusts on-the-fly for either random or sequential data patterns.

MODULAR SCALABILITY ENABLES MINIMAL ENTRY COST FOR DGR CAPABILITIES

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR incorporates a seven-bay enclosure housing 3.5" 2.1 GB or 4.3 GB disk drive modules. The DGR RAIDCard controller has two-channels, with each channel supporting a total of seven drives resulting in up to 60 GB of total capacity per controller. Since a typical server can support up to four controllers using multiple enclosures, maximum total capacity for most servers is 240 GB. This modular approach allows for a minimal entry cost with scalability as capacity demands increase.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING, AND SUPPORT

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR will ship in April with support for both Windows NT and NetWare. An entry-level system with three 2.1 GB Fast/Wide 7200 rpm drives and DGR RAIDCard with 4 MB of cache is expected to be corporate volume priced at $8,900. A fully-loaded system with seven 4.3 GB Fast/Wide 7200 rpm drives and DGR RAIDCard with 4 MB of cache is expected to be volume priced at $18,600.

SuperFlex 3000 with DGR is supported by Storage Dimensions SpeedExchange advanced exchange warranty. The warranty coverage is for five years on disk drives and three years on other components. SuperFlex 3000 with DGR also comes with free on-site IBM service for one year.

Founded in 1985, Storage Dimensions is the leading independent vendor of high-availability disk and tape storage systems for client/server and open systems environments. In addition to award-winning, leading-edge products, the Company provides a number of innovative and sophisticated support programs to help customers minimize the total cost-of-ownership over the life-cycle of their storage investment. The Company is ISO 9002 certified and primarily serves Fortune 1000 corporations and large institutions that have business- and mission-critical applications requiring high capacity, performance, reliability, and availability. Storage Dimensions products are available through a worldwide network of authorized resellers and distributors. The Company is located at 1656 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 and can be reached at 408-954-0710.


StorageTek 9710 Automated Cartridge System
STORAGETEK ANNOUNCES MIDRANGE CHECK-IMAGE ARCHIVE PRODUCT 9710 AUTOMATED CARTRIDGE SYSTEM AND QUANTUM DLT PROVIDE AUTOMATION, SECURITY, COST-EFFECTIVENESS; JOINS THE STORAGETEK LIBRARY FAMILY

LOUISVILLE, Colo. -- Storage Technology Corp. (NYSE:STK) announced today that its 9710 Automated Cartridge System, with support for Quantum's DLTtape, is available now for check-image archive system requirements in the financial industry. Initial DLT support is for the Quantum DLT 4000.

The 9710 joins the StorageTek family of solutions for check image storage. Other library configurations include the PowderHorn with capacity up to 6,000 cartridges, and WolfCreek, with capacity up to 1,000 cartridges. These library systems, with the StorageTek performance-based, ultra-high capacity RedWood SD-3 helical-scan cartridges are also available now.

The 9710 has a capacity of between 252 and 588 cartridges. The 9710 is especially suited to entry-level to midrange requirements. Using DLT, the 9710 can store up to 11.7 terabytes of uncompressed data or 294 million check images at 40 kilobytes (.04 megabytes) per image. A single 9710 library could accommodate seven years worth of check images for a site that captures approximately 170,000 items per day. Additional 9710s or other StorageTek libraries will accommodate larger daily volumes.

"The data storage challenges that accompany migration to check image archival are to some extent self-evident to the decision-makers and implementers of this new technology advantage," said Darrell Royal, StorageTek director, applications development. "These challenges include a 500-fold increase in storage per check over traditional MICR data, and institutional demands to satisfy unprecedented capacity, performance and cost-control requirements."

Royal continued, "StorageTek's tape drives and robotic libraries for storage have fundamentally changed the debate. For the first time, the cost of using fully automated tape libraries and archival media for storing and retrieving check images has fallen below the cost of just film and developing charges. This means that when a bank makes a decision to adopt check image capture, the decision to adopt check image archiving should be automatic."

The 80 bytes of MICR data per check that banks have traditionally stored are now accompanied by an additional 40,000 bytes of image data per check, creating an immediate 500-fold increase in storage requirements. The StorageTek 9710 with DLT can provide automated archival storage for a cost of approximately $.20 per 1,000 checks, or less.

The StorageTek 9710 with DLT tape drives is available immediately. Discussions are under way with many of the major check image application vendors to provide integration into their respective applications.

Storage Technology Corp. designs, manufactures, markets and services, worldwide, information storage and retrieval subsystems for enterprisewide computer systems and networks. The company reported revenue of $1.93 billion in its fiscal year ended Dec. 29, 1995. Information on StorageTek is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.stortek.com.


New SunSoft Solaris Internet Server
SUNSOFT ANNOUNCES NEW SOLARIS INTERNET SERVER

Provides Easy, Secure Internet Access for Millions of NetWare, Windows and UNIX Users

NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, Nev., Calif. -- April 2, 1996 --SunSoft, Inc., the internet software company today announced its new Solaris Internet Server, an integrated Internet software solution that delivers secure and easy access to the Internet for the millions of Novell NetWare networks, Microsoft Windows and UNIX-based workgroups. It is based on SunSoft's Solaris 2.5, the most scalable, reliable and secure enterprise and Internet/intranet operating environment for SPARC and Intel platforms.

Designed for network managers, IT professionals and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the Solaris Internet Server provides easy, economical access to the Internet and other TCP/IP-based services and networks for the 50 million NetWare users without requiring them to change existing networks or servers. By including SunSoft's SolarNet WebScout/NW in Solaris Internet Server, the cost and time associated with purchasing and installing a separate TCP/IP stack on every desktop is eliminated. In addition, all setup, configuration, and administration is performed via easy-to-use, point-and-click Web browser-based user interface to simplify deployment of Internet and intranet Web servers.

"We saw an opportunity to expand the Internet market with our Solaris Internet Server to include the millions of business users who are demanding secure, reliable and scalable Internet access," said Steve MacKay, vice president and general manager of SunSoft's Solaris Product Group. "WebScout/NW is included because our customers with NetWare networks requested easier integration to the Internet and intranet to save installation and support time and money."

Unlike Microsoft's Windows NT, Solaris is scalable without performance degradation to meet a company's growing number of users and Internet traffic. Solaris is optimized to run on systems ranging from single-processor desktops to 64-processor superservers. In addition, Solaris supports NetWare Directory Services for seamless integration with NetWare networks and provides additional security so only selected services are made available to internal users on the LAN and external users from the Internet.

The Solaris Internet Server is a member of the SunSoft Solaris Server Suite, a comprehensive set of solution packages for the Solaris operating environment enabling companies to distribute mission critical applications, centrally manage their PC LAN user environment, and access the Internet and intranet. The Solaris Server Suite also includes:

* Solaris Application Server - the foundation for PC workgroup client/server and database applications

* Solaris PC Administration Server - combines Solaris Application Server with PC-Admin Lan management utilities for managing large numbers of PCs from anywhere on the network

* Solaris Base Server - high performance in a small footprint with SCO compatibility

"With Solaris Internet Server we spend less time worrying about system management and maintenance and more time growing our business by focusing on value-add activities like customer service and sales," said Jake Van Vleet, managing partner at Jet Link Systems, Inc., one of the fastest-growing ISPs in southern California. "Initially I wanted to use NT, but I realized we needed the reliability and flexibility that Solaris offered. The easiest way to lose customers in the Internet business is to have your system go down."

Availability

The Solaris Internet Server is available immediately. Suggested U.S. retail list price is $2,995. For more information please call 1-800-SUNSOFT (prompt 1) or on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com/solaris/ in the "What's Hot" section.

SunSoft, Inc.

SunSoft, Inc., the Internet software company, is the leading provider of Internet server and UNIX operating system software. SunSoft is the only company offering a complete set of products for developing, deploying and managing Internet-based applications. SunSoft's products -- designed for IT professionals, system integrators, value added resellers and computer manufacturers -- are used to deliver network, Internet and high-end desktop computing systems that improve a company's internal and customers communications, and lets them quickly adapt to business change. The products are licensed and distributed through computer manufacturers and resellers worldwide. SunSoft's World Wide Web address is http://www.sun.com/sunsoft/.


SVT Shiva Acquires Media Vision Assets
SVT SHIVA, INC. AGREES TO ACQUIRE MEDIA VISION ASSETS FROM AUREAL SEMICONDUCTOR

World Class Brand Will Continue To Serve Existing & New Customers With Sound, Video and Communication Products Worldwide

SAN JOSE CALIF., MARCH 26, 1996--SVT SHIVA, INC. and its affiliates ("SVTI"), San Jose, California, and Aureal Semiconductor, Fremont, California, today announced that they have entered into an agreement whereby SVTI purchased the Media Vision trademarks and consumer product lines and related assets from Aureal. SVTI will operate under the name MEDIA VISION INNOVATIONS, INC. (MEDIA VISION) with headquarters in San Jose. Customers-current and future-of Media Vision products will receive service and support through the new Media Vision company.

Media Vision will ship six new products in the spring of 1996 in the sound, video and communications market place. The world class Media Vision brand will continue to bring state-of-the art, user-friendly products to a broad range of users worldwide, with a concentration on the SOHO (Small Office-Home Office) and Internet users. SVTI has hardware and software capabilities, and will update selected products with Windows 95 driver software. SVTI is able to add low cost manufacturing at the highest quality levels through their manufacturing operation in Delhi, India which is ISO 9002 certified and reaches Sigma 3+ Quality levels.

"THE MEDIA VISION BRAND NAME HAS MEANT QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR SOME TIMe", said Michael Howard, president of Infonetics Research, Inc., San Jose, California. "IF MEDIA VISION CAN DELIVER QUALITY CERTIFIED TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS AND SERVICE TO THE BURGEONING SOHO MARKET, CUSTOMERS WILL EXPRESS THEIR APPROVAL IN THE MOST COMPLIMENTARY MANNER-SALES."

Distribution of the Media Vision products worldwide will be through first tier indirect channels (distributors) and through direct sales via the Internet. The Media Vision Home Page, accessed through the Worldwide Web at http://www.mediavis.com, will be enhanced in coming weeks to accommodate new product introductions and improved customer service. There continues to be a strong customer interest in Media Vision as evidenced by an average weekly "hit rate" of 200,000 on the web site.

The Media Vision brand and related trademarks, along with product licenses, are key components of the acquisition agreement. Customer service and support responsibilities, as well as warranty protection, will be assumed by the new corporation. SVTI also has agreed to pay royalties to Aureal on future Media Vision products for a limited period of time.

Going forward, SVTI will purchase a specified amount of Aureals initial sound processing chip sets.

DAVID J. DOMEIER, VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF AUREAL SEMICONDUCTOR SAID, "WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE AGREED TO PASS ON THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED MEDIA VISION BRAND NAME TO SVTI. THEY ARE COMMITTED TO HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS WORTHY OF THE BRAND. WE AT AUREAL WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS OUR BUSINESS ON DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMANCE AUDIO SOLUTIONS FOR THE PC MARKETPLACE."

Staffing for the Media Vision effort will include some employees from Aureal in the customer support and Internet access areas, thus ensuring immediate and continual operations.

PETER BOOT, WILL ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT AND CEO OF MEDIA VISION. "I AM PLEASED WE WERE ABLE TO MATCH THE EXISTING PRODUCT MANUFACTURING STRENGTHS WITH THE MEDIA VISION BRAND IN THIS BUSINESS VENTURE. WE ARE PREPARING FOR OUR NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS, AND MAKING SURE THE EXISTING MEDIA VISION CUSTOMERS RECEIVE SUPERIOR SERVICE AND SUPPORT".

Prior to joining SVTI, Mr. Boot held numerous senior positions in high technology companies including Vice President and General Manager, Ashton-Tate International Division; vice President, International Operations at Network General Corporation and Vice President, Europe, Africa and the Middle East for Conner Peripherals Inc. He has lived and worked in the U.K., Germany, Belgium and the U.S.A. and has extensive international business experience. Mr. Boot has a B. Sc. From the University of London and a Business diploma from the University of Southern California.

"I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD TO BE BRINGING THE MEDIA VISION NAME TO SVTI PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN INDIA, " SAID ANIL KAPURIA, CHAIRMAN OF SVTI. "WE HAVE BUILT A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AND ARE PROUD TO NOW BE THE FIRST HIGH TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN INDIA TO HAVE RIGHTS TO A WORLD BRAND NAME". MR. KAPURIA ANTICIPATES RAISING ADDITIONAL CAPITAL TO FUND GROWTH AND TO ATTRACT APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCT PARTNERS.

Mr. Kapuria co-founded Silicon Valley Technology (India) Limited, the manufacturing arm of SVTI. Prior to starting this company, he had gained over 15 years of engineering and management experience in the computer and telecommunications industries, with successful start-ups such as Tandem Computers. Mr. Kapuria also worked at established companies including Bell Northern Research/Northern Telecom and TRW. He has a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of Birmingham, England and has worked in England, Canada, and the U.S.

Aureal Semiconductor designs, develops and markets advanced synthesis audio solutions aimed at setting the standard for the next generation of PC sound. The company's initial products are targeted to implement physical modeling audio synthesis, FM and wavetable synthesis, true positional 3-D audio, Windows Direct Sound acceleration, digital mixing and a wide range of other sound-processing effects and algorithms. Aureal Semiconductor is located at 4245 Technology Drive, Fremont, Ca, 94538. The company's common stock is traded under the symbol MVSD on Nasdaq's OTC Bulletin Board.

SVTI has $50 million in annual hardware and software revenues and has been in operation since 1985. The company is based at 107 Bonaventurea Drive in San Jose, Ca., 95134. Headquarters will be relocated some time in Q2 of 1996 to accommodate the expanding Media Vision business.


FormFlow 2.0 Elec Forms for Exchange Server
New FormFlow 2.0 Provides Best-of-Breed Electronic Forms for Microsoft Exchange Server

LAS VEGAS, NV, NETWORLD+INTEROP -- APRIL 2, 1996 -- Symantec Corp.'s Delrina Group, the leader in electronic forms automation software, today announced a new way for users to exercise the full power of Microsoft Exchange Server, with the electronic forms creation and automated routing capabilities that FormFlow 2.0 provides for Microsoft Exchange. FormFlow 2.0, combined with Microsoft Exchange Server, gives users the ability to automate their business processes and manage forms and form-based information. FormFlow users can take advantage of the management and replication capabilities of Microsoft Exchange Server, to ensure that all users have access to the most up-to-date forms. FormFlow users can route forms automatically in Microsoft Exchange and organize forms and work on them right in their Exchange InBox. In addition to its support for Microsoft Exchange Server, FormFlow takes full advantage of the Microsoft BackOffice family of server products.

The features and functionality in FormFlow 2.0 provide users of Microsoft Exchange Server a significantly advanced e-forms solution, which extends Microsoft's own forms environment. FormFlow is distinguished by its sophisticated database connectivity and functionality, full scalability from simple fill and print functions to enterprise-wide routing applications, and the ability to print e-forms that look exactly the same on paper as they do on screen.

"FormFlow 2.0 is a great example of a product tightly integrated with Microsoft Exchange Server. More and more, organizations recognize the importance of including electronic forms as part of their global work environment," said Rob Shurtleff, general manager, Microsoft Exchange Server Connectivity, at Microsoft. "FormFlow enhances the forms environment of Microsoft Exchange Server by providing a fully scalable e-forms solution that enables customers to work with data from multiple sources. FormFlow's integration with Microsoft Exchange Server provides customers with the best way to use electronic forms technology to automate business processes throughout their organizations.

"Virtually all organizations - both large and small - operate with forms. Until recently, forms were considered principally paper-based, " said John Dunkle of Workgroup Strategic Services, Inc., a market research firm in Portsmouth, NH. "Now, through the collaborative efforts of Symantec and Microsoft, an electronic forms and messaging solution is available which provides new levels of usability and functionality. With its tight integration with Microsoft Exchange Server and the other BackOffice Servers, FormFlow delivers an unparalleled solution. Together, these products automate a wide range of business processes, enabling workers to become truly productive."

Forms Management

In the Microsoft Exchange Server environment, FormFlow users now have an alternative method of managing forms. FormFlow forms and form applications can be registered to folders in the Microsoft Exchange Registry, providing access to those forms either through the FormFlow 2.0 Form Library or through the Compose menu in the Exchange client, where a list of all forms registered to a folder appears. Forms and form applications can be shared publicly or globally within Microsoft Exchange folders. Forms used across an enterprise, for example, would be stored in Global Folders.

"FormFlow 2.0 provides an advanced development environment for creating forms and form-based applications," said Sam Vetto, systems consultant, client/server engineering at Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. "The effective management of forms is critical to our organization. We plan to move to Microsoft Exchange Server and believe that FormFlow 2.0, in combination with Microsoft Exchange, will continue to provide a powerful environment for the distribution and management of electronic forms across our organization."

Enterprise-wide Replication of Forms

FormFlow users now have powerful replication capabilities right in their messaging infrastructure when using Microsoft Exchange Server. Forms are automatically replicated throughout an organization to ensure all users get the most up-to-date version of each form. It is no longer necessary to manually copy files or directories from one server to another or physically install forms on individual machines.

Complete Support for Microsoft BackOffice

In addition to its integration with Microsoft Exchange Server, FormFlow 2.0 takes full advantage of the Microsoft BackOffice family. FormFlow 2.0 supports the Windows NT Server network operating system, System Management Services, and Microsoft SQL Server with FormFlow's native drivers.

"Rather than providing a proprietary server component, FormFlow takes advantage of the industry standard servers, such as Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange Server, that customers already have in place," said Teddy Rosenberg, general manager of the Electronic Forms Business Unit at the Delrina Group.

Organize Forms in Microsoft Exchange InBox

FormFlow users can organize forms right in their Microsoft Exchange InBox, along with faxes and other e-mail messages. Typically, in an e-mail environment, the messages in a user's InBox are organized by SUBJECT, FROM, and RECEIVED. With FormFlow and Microsoft Exchange Server, users can perform queries based on information within a form using data browsing, views, and other organization features of the client component of Microsoft Exchange Server.

Users can now search on data contained in fields on FormFlow forms within the Microsoft Exchange folder, enabling users to organize forms based on content. For example, all forms may have a "Date Required" field and an "Employee Name" field. When viewed in Microsoft Exchange, a manager can sort the forms by date in order to deal with the most time critical forms first. If a staff member has a last minute trip, the relevant form would appear before that of a staff member traveling at a later date. The manager may instead choose to group incoming messages by "Employee Name" to help identify who is traveling when. Simply selecting the message launches FormFlow Filler and presents the entire form.

FormFlow's integration with Microsoft Exchange Server has already been recognized for product innovation and its contribution to the growth of the messaging industry, when the preview version received the EMA '95 Messaging Product Excellence Award last May.

About FormFlow

FormFlow electronic forms software allows organizations to leverage their existing technology investments to automate critical business processes such as expense reports and human resources applications. Organizations use FormFlow to create intelligent forms - electronic representations of paper forms with built-in intelligence such as calculations, links to databases, and customized toolbars and menus. In addition, organizations can create form applications with conditional routing and deploy them enterprise-wide using their e-mail systems. These form applications present and move information using the existing networks, databases, and e-mail infrastructures that organizations have in place. FormFlow 1.1 is currently available for the Windows, MS-DOS, UNIX (SunOS, Solaris, HP/UX, IBM AIX, SGI), and Macintosh operating systems, with versions for Windows NT and Windows 95 to follow.

FormFlow 2.0, which includes integration with Microsoft Exchange Server, new forms management, graphical forms routing/workflow, enhanced security, and new object-oriented application development and integration, will be available in the second quarter of calendar 1996.

About the Delrina Group

Delrina Group of Symantec Corp. designs, develops, markets and supports innovative PC software products and services in the fax, data and voice communications and electronic forms software markets. Delrina is recognized as the world leader in PC fax and electronic forms software. Delrina can be contacted for more information through its Internet Web site at http://www.delrina.com.

Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ:SYMC) develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company has offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free, or (541) 334-6054.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Website.

PRODUCT AND ORDERING INFORMATION:

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


Symantec Norton Administrator Suite
Symantec Announces Norton Administrator Suite

Essential Edition provides integrated, platform-independent control of a wide range of network administration functions

LAS VEGAS, NEV. -- APRIL 2, 1996 -- In order to enhance a LAN administrator's productivity and reduce network administration problems, Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq:SYMC ) today announced Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition. Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition integrates a wide array of features, including hardware and software inventory, software metering and distribution, desktop virus protection, desktop configuration management, and remote control -- essential features to network administrator in the day-to-day management of the network. Each of the suite's components are the market and technology leaders in their categories, proven on more than 10 million desktops worldwide.

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is a comprehensive, cost-effective solution for companies managing a local area network (LAN) with less than 1,000 nodes. Industry research indicates that these companies are concerned with management events such as network inventory, software license compliance, end-user support and anti- virus protection. The Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition provides solutions for those network challenges and others in an all-in-one CD that is available now. For those companies managing multiple LANs or WANs with more than 1,000 nodes, Symantec's Norton Administrator Suite - Premier Edition in a "select" CD form, where customers will be able to select only those components they use, will be available in the second quarter of 1996.

"Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is based on Symantec's Norton Enterprise Framework, an architecture for providing integrated, platform-independent, centralized network administration solutions, " said Ted Schlein, vice president of Networking and Client/Server Technology at Symantec. "Because of our approach, network administrators are able to proactively manage network events. For example, administrators can use distribution to install common desktop configurations and software and then use inventory to decide which machines get which configurations and software."

Integrated Network Administration

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition provides a single, integrated installation for all components. LAN administrators can then access a single Windows console (running on Windows 3.x, Windows 95, or Windows NT) for all applications. The product is very easy to setup and use providing common user interface elements and a common application database for various components, such as inventory and metering. Tight integration across all components makes it easy to address common problems. For example, LAN administrators can use inventory to find machines that don't have anti-virus software installed and then use distribution to install anti-virus software and virus definition updates.

Hardware & Software Inventory

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition provides hardware inventory data on more than 300 fields of detailed information. The hardware inventory component supports the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) and can collect available information, such as serial number, system name and primary user information, from a PC's management information file (MIF). The product's software inventory component recognizes more than 5,100 applications, including 32-bit programs, and allows LAN administrators to track system files and edit the application database. Administrators can also collect network information and IP addresses under Windows.

Software Distribution

The product's software distribution component delivers and installs updated files and software automatically and lets administrators edit the registry, text, and .INI files. Administrators can customize distributions and receive detailed error logging reports. Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition also supports Novell's NetWare Directory Services (NDS) which allow administrators to distribute software to existing NDS user and group levels in addition to including NT Server Domain support.

Software Metering

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition allows either permissive or restrictive license metering of applications on the server or workstation. Administrators can also meter predefined suites or define custom application suites to meter. Metering of native Windows 95 applications is also supported.

Desktop Configuration Management

With the desktop configuration management component, administrators can control user access to data and applications. In addition, administrators can simplify and customize user interfaces and user access to desktop and network resources. Desktop configurations can be designed to augment or replace the user interface component of complex environments, such as Windows 95. Administrators can also use this component to establish a standard user interface that will aid in the migration from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. This can keep novice users out of trouble and speed access to computer resources for novice and experienced users alike.

With a built-in scanner, administrators can search multiple network servers for applications to include in desktop configurations. These scanned applications reside in a central database for easy access and review in assigning additional configurations.

Remote Control

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition includes remote control for real-time troubleshooting, diagnostics, and training. This enables administrators to provide end user support without leaving their desk. Data management is also made easier through file transfer, file/directory synchronization. The remote control component supports IPX, TCP/IP, NetBIOS, and Banyan network connections. Remote communications to workstations can be initiated from within the inventory screen to minimize connection time.

Virus Protection

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition provides NCSA certified client virus protection through automatic, continuous virus scanning and removal. The virus protection component provides virus protection of downloaded files from the Internet or other on-line services as well as disks and all system areas. The anti-virus component also provides automated distributions of updated virus definitions from the console to all networked PCs.The product also includes patent-pending technology for unknown virus detection to provide continuous protection against unknown viruses. Symantec's AntiVirus Research Center also provides monthly on-line updates of the latest virus definition files. Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition can be used to automate updates of virus definitions to the desktops.

Customer Driven Solution

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is based on four key design cornerstones that are regularly requested by customers: heterogenous support for multiple network and client operating systems, scalable architecture to support LANs or WANs, visual and functional integration between the product components, and support for open industry standards. The Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is a perfect tool for Symantec's Enterprise Alliance Program members to provide complete solutions including network hardware, software, services and support. This channel of qualified solution providers works closely with Symantec and with customers to deliver a range of implementation services including needs assessment, planning, training, integration, customization and post-sales support.

Pricing and Availability

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is available now through resellers worldwide in a CD 10-node license pack with an estimated retail price of $635 U.S.  Purchases over 10 nodes are available via any of Symantec's distributors through the company's Value or VIP programs.

Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is compatible with the major network operating systems including Novell NetWare, Banyan VINES, Microsoft LAN Manager, Microsoft NT Server, DEC Pathworks and IBM LAN Server and supports DOS, Windows (including Windows95 and Windows NT), Macintosh and OS/2 client operating systems. The Administrator's console runs on a Windows management platform which requires an IBM 80386 PC or 100% compatible, DOS 3.31 or higher, Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or Windows NT, and minimum disk space of 40 MB.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Website.

PRODUCT AND ORDERING INFORMATION:

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


Turtle Beach Recordable Optical CD Drive
Turtle Beach Ships Recordable Compact Disc Drive

Turtle Beach announced that it will ship a Recordable Optical Storage Compact Disk Drive for the IBM PC and compatible computers in April '96. It has entered into an agreement with Ricoh Corp. of Japan to supply its dust free, fanless technology, double speed record/quad speed read Compact Disc Unit. This dust free technology provides higher reliability in creating CDs for consumers. It has also entered into an agreement with Corel Corporation to bundle its CD Creator Version 2.0, a full featured software product to enable both the consumer and the professional to create CDs easily.

With storage space of 680MB, this one time CD recordable media is available at prices of around $7.00 each. With Turtle Beach's CDR (Record), a consumer can create an audio disc in less than 30 minutes, store approximately 78 minutes of audio, serve as a tape back, archive records, distribute information, prepare multimedia presentations, make photo CDs and engage in other business/consumer applications.

With a suggested shelf price of $899, CD Master II (TBS-2040R) comes with 4 pieces of Recordable Media, 2X Record/4X Read Internal SCSI Compact Disc, Corel Creator 2.0 Software, SCSI Bus Mastering Controller Card, a data base search engine from Alchemy software and easy to read installation manuals.

"Turtle Beach has always provided the consumer with the latest technology," said CEO Martin Goldberg. "Recordable Optical Storage enhances our users ability to create multimedia compact discs at home or business, at affordable prices."

Founded in 1985, Turtle Beach Systems has achieved prominence in the PC multimedia industry with its award-winning wavetable sound cards. Turtle Beach broadened its product line offering in 1995 by introducing a line of high end CD-ROM storage products under the Turtle Beach brand name. The company's charter is to provide the highest quality multimedia products. Turtle Beach is a subsidiary of Integrated Circuit Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICST).

Turtle Beach CD-ROM products are currently sold through US distributors and major chain such as CompUSA, Computer City, Fry's, Best Buy, Future Shops, NeoStar, Ingram, Merisel, Liuski, Micro Supply, Data Storage, ICG. Turtle Beach also markets its products in Europe, South America, and Asia/Pacific.

Turtle Beach Systems

5690 Stewart Ave.

Fremont, CA 94538

Phone 510-624-6230

Fax 510-624-6291


Unisys NDP 500 Document Processor
UNISYS ANNOUNCES NDP 500, INDUSTRY'S FIRST IMAGE-ENABLED MID-RANGE DOCUMENT PROCESSOR TO LEVERAGE WINDOWS NT

SAN ANTONIO, TX, APRIL 1, 1996 -- Unisys Corporation today announced the NDP 500, the latest in the company's line of Network Document Processor (NDP) systems for payment processing. The NDP 500, which processes up to 500 documents per minute (DPM), is the industry's first mid-range transport to operate as a peripheral to PCs employing the powerful Microsoft Windows NT operating environment. The release was announced at the Bank Administration Institute's Transaction Processing '96 Conference here.

Based on a fully open systems design and conforming to key industry standards for image capture and document processing, the NDP 500 affords clients a new range of scalable payment processing solutions at lower operational costs. The NDP 500 is geared towards financial and other institutions which process checks, remittances, statements, and giros (single-document payments). Applications are available for both image and conventional modes for all types of processing, from specialized solutions such as return items, reject repair, and ATM deposit balancing, to general proof of deposit.

NDP 500 FEATURES AWARD-WINNING DESIGN, SUPPORT FOR KEY STANDARDS

The NDP 500 transport leverages Unisys expertise in document processing. Its image capture capabilities conform to prevailing JPEG and CCITT standards, and it offers an unrivaled range of features, including dual image, dual filter, image quality monitoring, endorsement flexibility, OCR read, encode options and secondary document feed.

The design of the NDP 500 transport recently topped 350 business equipment entries to receive a Gold Award in International Design Magazine's 38th Annual "Design Review." The award was made based on physical design and image processing ergonomics.

The NDP 500 significantly reduces the total cost of ownership by accommodating scalable configurations, industry-standard development tools, and open connectivity to a variety of popular networks such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, Token-Ring, and Novell, and databases including Fox Pro and Microsoft Access, among others.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

The NDP 500 with Windows NT capability is available for immediate shipment. The additional NDP 500 features described in this release will be available for shipment in the second quarter of 1996.  In addition, most installed Unisys DP 500 transports can be upgraded to the new capabilities.

Pricing for the new NDP 500 system starts at $55,000 and varies depending on configuration requirements.

WINDOWS NT OPERATING SYSTEM

The NDP 500 exploits the power and user-oriented look and feel of Microsoft's increasingly popular Windows NT operating system. The transport employs Windows NT as the system software for track operations, image capture and image export. This provides an open interface that can be easily accessed by third-party developers using industry-standard tools such as Visual Basic and Delphi. The Windows NT operating system also offers the advantage of reduced hardware requirements. For example, previously separate image capture and file server functions are now combined within a single Windows NT image capture server.

NDP 500 CAPABILITIES

NDP 500 capabilities include the following important functions, among others:

JPEG and CCITT dual image

 Simultaneously provides JPEG and CCITT image compression formats

 from single front camera

 Both JPEG and CCITT image outputs can be created with single document

 pass, so best image format can be used for each application (for

 example, gray-level JPEG image can be used for archive application,

 and black-and-white CCITT format for image statement print)

Image quality monitor

 Permits monitoring of images during application development and

 for system demonstrations

 Can also display Courtesy Amount Read values and corresponding

 successful read rates

 Images are displayed at periodic intervals, so operator may view

 them without impacting processing

Greater endorsement flexibility

 Latest ink jet technology for increased reliability and legibility,

 compared with market offerings based on older technology

 Endorsement options include graphics for logos, as well as up to

 four lines of customizable text for both front and back of document

 Endorsing occurs at 500 DPM, using non-toxic ink and print heads

 designed for clean, low-maintenance operability

 Refillable, industry-standard ink cartridges

Program selected OCR

 Multiple OCR lines can be program selected and read anywhere on

 document, at 500 DPM, without operator intervention

 Helps increase NDP 500 throughput, especially in higher-volume

 applications such as lockbox processing, which must service many

 customers with varying scanline locations and document types

Full field high-speed encode

 Allows encoding of up to 65 characters per document in single pass

 Beneficial for applications such as reject repair, which require

 full field encoding

 Permits full document encoding in less time, reducing risk of holdovers

 Can be used with standard encoder option for operational backup

Secondary feeder

 Inserts documents into the processing flow through program control,

 to increase NDP 500 throughput when control documents are required

 Does not interfere with other available NDP 500 options

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

As an information management company, Unisys acts as a solutions and systems integrator for business and government, complementing those integration skills with a full range of consulting and implementation services, information technology and vertical industry expertise. The company's perspective extends beyond supplying technology to delivering comprehensive information management solutions. Further information is available through the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.unisys.com.


Unisys Info Services InfoImage Solutions
UNISYS INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP DELIVERING INFOIMAGE SOLUTIONS FOR PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS ON WINDOWS NT

CHICAGO, APRIL 1 1996 --Two new Unisys InfoImage clients, Carnival Cruise Lines and Nevada State Industrial Insurance System (SIIS), are counting on Unisys Information Services Group (ISG) systems integration skills and experience to deploy their imaging solutions via MS Windows NT. Although their applications differ, these clients share a conviction that NT will provide the operating reliability and performance that the users of their new image-enabled information resources require.

DESTINATION, SAVINGS FOR CARNIVAL'S IMAGE-ENABLED ACCOUNTING SOLUTION

The challenge for Unisys was to help Carnival, the world's largest cruise line, develop new information systems functionality to reduce paperhandling, improve productivity and facilitate ship-to-shore exchange of personnel information. The solution? Unisys will integrate its InfoImage Folder NT system with Carnival's Oracle Financial software system and its Windows NT client/server application (TCP/IP fiber) network.

Carol Conine, director of financial technology for Carnival Cruise Lines, is enthusiastic about the future benefits that their new multi- million dollar, image-enabled solution will bring to their accounts payable and crew personnel management operations. "Accounts payable will be the first application, with 54 users having various levels of access and approval capability. The new InfoImage Folder NT system is workgroup oriented, enabling us to route the right documents to the right personnel; handle invoices once instead of many times; and eliminate time wasted searching for lost or misplaced documents. It will also help us manage our invoice payment operations, enabling us to take full advantage of payment discounts."

Conine said that, based on their survey of comparable Unisys InfoImage and other imaging systems applications, Carnival can expect an increase in the speed of invoice processing and an improvement in productivity.

NEVADA IMAGING SOLUTION GIVES CITIZENS A VIEW OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION

In the Fall of 1995, the State Industrial Insurance System of Nevada (SIIS) awarded Unisys a $9.3 million contract for a work process improvement solution. Built around Unisys InfoImage Folder production document imaging software, it is deployed via a wide-area network comprised of over 20 Microsoft Windows NT imaging servers and over 400 workstations spread throughout the state.

The contract includes a complete range of services to implement and install the solution, including detailed "best practices" recommendations provided by Tillinghast, a Towers Perrin company which specializes in insurance consulting and claims processing that has teamed with Unisys.

"We were impressed with the Unisys ability to provide a complete solution," said Cecelia Colling, Assistant General Manager of SIIS. "The imaging solution they proposed included all the necessary imaging technology, analysis and implementation services, and insurance-specific solutions we need to be successful. Their project plan made sense and they addressed the business issues of greatest concern to us."

"Unisys feels that imaging technology is only one--albeit vital-- milestone in the development of a complete information management solution for a client," said Rick Christman, vice president and managing principal of ISG's Worldwide Center of Excellence.

"In the course of bidding this project, we spent a significant amount of time on-site looking closely at the way the State Industrial Insurance System worked, understanding their business and understanding what they were hoping to accomplish."

One key technological component of the SIIS imaging solution will be the creation of the SIIS Workers' Comp Workbench, a tailored, job-specific desktop environment that will provide SIIS staff with all the document images, data, workflow and information required to make decisions and take immediate actions in handling workers' compensation claims. The SIIS Workers' Comp Workbench will be built using the Unisys Desktop Manager Toolkit, an imaging toolkit that makes it easy to build job-specific desktop environments. Unisys has used the toolkit to build solutions the company offers commercially, including the Lender's Workbench, Underwriter's Workbench, Public Access Workbench, Customer Service Workbench, and similar environments.

Recognizing the need for improvements in its business operations, SIIS included an unusual option in its Request for Proposal (RFP) to Unisys and other vendors competing for the business. Bidders were given three months to respond to the RFP, and in that timeframe bidders were invited to spend two weeks at various SIIS offices. The agency believed that higher quality proposals would result if bidders were given the opportunity to understand the current process more thoroughly. Furthermore, SIIS believed that this investment of their own time and resources would pay off in effective re-engineering and technology recommendations, thereby enabling them to be more responsive at a lower cost to the citizens and employers of Nevada.

The principal carrier of worker's compensation insurance in Nevada, SIIS is funded by premiums from 46,500 employers throughout the state. Agency employees process worker injury claims and ensure that compensation benefits are paid to employees who qualify.

During fiscal 1994, the agency accepted nearly 50,000 new claims and paid out $320 million in wage and medical benefits.

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

As an information management company, Unisys acts as a solutions and systems integrator for business and government, complementing those integration skills with a full range of consulting and implementation services, information technology and vertical industry expertise. The company's perspective extends beyond supplying technology to delivering comprehensive information management solutions. Further information is available through the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.unisys.com


USR Total Control GET ACCESS ISP Program
U.S. Robotics announces Total Control "Get Access" Internet Service Provider program; U.S. Robotics builds on historical success of bulletin board operator program; continues market leadership with incentives for Internet Service Providers to purchase Total Control ISDN and analog remote access servers

SKOKIE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 1996--U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ: USRX) today announced the Total Control Get Access Program for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This new program provides aggressive incentives for ISPs to purchase Total Control remote access server equipment. The Get Access Program builds on the success of U.S. Robotics' innovative SYSOP program, launched in 1987, which quickly established Courier modems as the premier brand for bulletin board operators.

"The Get Access program will give small- and medium-sized ISPs access to Total Control products, the premier equipment in the ISP market, at a lower cost -- allowing them to add ports quickly with a lower initial capital investment," said Bob Rainone, U.S. Robotics Corporate/Systems Division director of product management. "Total Control is already a well-established standard for ISPs, and we expect, mirroring our unprecedented success in the bulletin board operator market, that this program will further expand Total Control's presence in the ISP market."

In a recent analysis of market research from IDC, Forrester and other sources, U.S. Robotics estimates that 80 percent of individuals accessing the Internet and online services subscribe to providers who use the Total Control Enterprise Network Hub as their high-speed access platform. In the last two years alone, U.S. Robotics has shipped more than 350,000 ports to its service provider customers.

The current Total Control Get Access program will run from April 1 to September 30, 1996. Upon purchase of any equipment through the program, ISPs will automatically be registered as a U.S. Robotics ISP Partner, and will be eligible for other periodic programs and discounts.

ISPs Receive Discounts on Total Control Remote Access Servers The Total Control Get Access Program will provide Internet Service Providers aggressive discounts on certain Total Control enterprise access packages. These packages allow ISPs to select a Total Control Enterprise Network Hub configured for either analog or concurrent analog/ISDN access.

An accompanying management package for the Total Control Enterprise Network Hub is also available, including an SNMP management console, security server software and the Auto Response expert management system. This management package allows ISPs to securely, flexibly manage access; it also provides automated, "expert" management of equipment, responding to system events with no operator intervention.

Each ISP may purchase up to four enterprise access bundles per quarter (eight total for the duration of the program).

ISPs will also receive discounts on an unlimited number of Total Control 8 and 16 port remote access servers, modem pools and analog/ISDN pools for the duration of the program. These include Total Control NETServer remote access servers; Total Control MP integrated modem pools; and Total Control MP I-Modem ISDN/analog pools.

For more details, ISPs may visit U.S. Robotics' booth at this week's NetWorld+Interop in Las Vegas, Nevada, Booth No. 5521. For program details or more information, ISPs should call U.S. Robotics at (800) USR CORP.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products and modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies, inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.


New PPTP Networking Demo at NetWorld+Interop
U.S. Robotics and Microsoft demonstrate new PPTP virtual private networking at NetWorld+Interop; companies demonstrate first virtual private network using PPTP over InteropNet

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 1996--U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ: USRX) will demonstrate PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) in a joint effort with Microsoft at this week's Networld+Interop. The two companies will show a live demonstration of the capabilities of PPTP, a new protocol that enables virtual private networking - - enabling secure remote access to corporate networks over the Internet. PPTP will be used at Networld+Interop to create the first virtual private network over the InteropNet.  PPTP will help companies deploy remote access to employees more quickly, using fewer resources, by allowing them to take advantage of existing enterprise network infrastructures such as the Internet for remote access.

U.S. Robotics is the developer of the Windows NT PPTP driver, which will be integrated into Microsoft's upcoming Windows NT Server 4.0. Under an agreement with Microsoft, U.S. Robotics will license a variety of software components for PPTP to Microsoft. PPTP will be added as a standard feature to Microsoft's Windows NT Server and U.S. Robotics' Total Control NETServer remote access server platform.

PPTP Provides Added Capability, Seamless Integration with NT

The PPTP protocol further expands the capabilities of U.S. Robotics' remote access server platform in NT enterprise networks. Running on U.S. Robotics' remote access server and Microsoft's Windows NT Server, PPTP streamlines access in NT networking environments, and allows NT network clients to take full advantage of the services provided by Microsoft's RAS (Remote Access Service).

For remote access, over analog or ISDN, PPTP creates a "tunnel" directly to the appropriate departmental NT Server on a network - - even if there are hundreds of NT Servers. U.S. Robotics NETServer remote access servers supporting PPTP provide a distinct advantage for NT network managers, because access to the enterprise may be managed and secured at a single centralized point, while specific network resource access can be managed at the departmental level. And, U.S. Robotics' Enterprise Network Hub's fault tolerant design, which incorporates NETServer remote access server technology, provides redundancy at that access point, allowing centralized access, security and management, yet ensuring that there is never a single point of failure.

This benefits NT users by allowing them to consolidate equipment, decrease management costs and increase network security. The Enterprise Network Hub also allows users to scale and expand their remote access solution, with the flexibility to accommodate analog and ISDN access for a few users or for several hundred users, depending on the need.

PPTP will also be included in U.S. Robotics' NETServer branch office products, for smaller networks that need the same secure, centralized access to NT servers in a smaller, cost-effective platform.

PPTP Technical Features

The PPTP specification builds on standards such as PPP and TCP/IP. PPTP 'tunnels' a remote user's PPP packets from the NETServer to a Windows NT server. By terminating the remote user's PPP connection at the NT server, rather than at the remote access hardware, PPTP allows network administrators to standardize security using the existing services and capabilities built into the Windows NT security domain. Using PPTP, network administrators can extend a virtual private network from their Windows NT server throughout the Internet and still retain control of their user passwords and accounts.

NT provides its own knowledge of enterprise users, databases, allowed access and network addressing integrated into its RAS capabilities. With PPTP, users accessing their NT-based network will utilize these services, including DHCP and WINS, for access. This greatly simplifies the management of mobile and telecommuting users accessing an NT- based network.

The PPTP driver developed by U.S. Robotics was demonstrated for the first time at Microsoft's Redmond, Washington headquarters in December, 1995. The NetWorld+Interop demonstration is the first public demonstration of the capabilities of PPTP.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products and modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies, inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.


Integrated NT Server Remote Access Solution
First integrated NT Server remote access solution exhibited by U.S. Robotics and Microsoft; U.S. Robotics blends remote access and server technology; exhibits "next-generation" remote access with Microsoft

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 1996--At this week's Networld+Interop, U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ: USRX) and Microsoft will exhibit the first Windows NT Server integrated into a remote access server. By adding an NT Server into its Total Control Enterprise Network Hub, U.S. Robotics will integrate applications such as Web or "Intranet" servers, mail servers and database servers, taking advantage of the power of NT for these and other applications. The resulting solution will improve remote access performance, decrease network traffic and increase security.

This integrated solution will be the first to provide the power and scale that large organizations and enterprise networks need for remote access to NT services in a single chassis. Additionally, it expands the Enterprise Network Hub's capabilities into a new set of applications, allowing companies to extend their use of the product into new areas and streamline existing applications.

U.S. Robotics' Total Control Enterprise Network Hub with integrated NT Server capabilities will enable network managers to take full advantage of Microsoft's RAS (Remote Access Services) capabilities without the difficulty of cabling together remote access server ports and NT Server equipment.

"We are pleased to have worked with U.S. Robotics on this exciting integration of technologies," said Mike Nash, Group Product Manager for Windows NT Server, Microsoft Corporation. "A Windows NT Server-based Total Control Enterprise Network Hub will help reduce the cost of ownership to customers."

"NT provides a powerful platform for integrating a variety of applications directly into our Total Control Enterprise Network Hub -- such as integrated Web servers, Intranet servers, fax servers, mail post offices and database servers," said Bob Rainone, director of product management, U.S. Robotics Corporate/Systems Division. "By incorporating Microsoft's built-in RAS, for access to these integrated applications, as well as NT's scalability, network protocol support and system management, U.S. Robotics' single-chassis solution will be ideal for access to NT networks."

Integrated NT Server Provides Key Benefits

This new integrated solution will allow remote users to access applications at the network point of access, versus accessing servers internal to a corporate network. By pushing processing power to the edges of the network for remote access applications, the Total Control Enterprise Network Hub with integrated NT Server capabilities will:

- increase performance to remote users, lowering time online

- decrease backbone traffic from remote users, reducing equipment

  costs associated with expanding the network

- increase security by keeping traffic at the network edges

- lower costs associated with network management and administration

  of routers on the corporate network

The NT Server for the Enterprise Network Hub also will be ideal for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), allowing them to install a single chassis integrating communications and Web server technology into one platform.

Additionally, an ISP or corporation can further protect their network by implementing security and accounting services in an NT Server at the network edge, authenticating users at the network periphery rather than through a central security server.

To create this level of integration, U.S. Robotics has created drivers for the Total Control Enterprise Network Hub's high-speed packet and TDM buses using NT's standard software architecture and development interfaces. This allows an integrated NT server to communicate seamlessly with other components in the chassis for the best possible performance, simple installation and ease of management.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products and modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies, inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.


Wang & Microsoft AIIM Keynote Address
WANG AND MICROSOFT SET COURSE TO BRING INTEGRATED WORK MANAGEMENT TO THE INTERNET

WANG AND MICROSOFT EXECUTIVES DELIVER JOINT KEYNOTE AT AIIM '96, THE IMAGING AND WORKFLOW INDUSTRY'S PREMIER CONFERENCE

CHICAGO (April 2, 1996) -- Wang (NASDAQ: WANG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) executives took the stage yesterday at AIIM '96, the imaging industry's premier conference, to communicate their shared Internet vision, which both companies are executing to extend workflow and imaging technology to a wider community of businesses and individuals.

Before an audience of approximately 2,000 attendees, Joe Tucci, chairman and chief executive officer, Wang, along with Bob Weiler, president, Wang Software, and Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft, jointly delivered the keynote address, "Integrated Work Management: Exploring the Possibilities." Tucci, Weiler and Maritz outlined not only recent innovations in imaging, workflow and Internet technologies, but also emphasized the significance of open standards ainitiatives such as the MAPI Workflow Framework, the TIFF Imaging File Format Standard and Windows Imaging Interface Standards that both Wang and Microsoft have undertaken since announcing their alliance one year ago at AIIM '95.

During the address, Wang demonstrated how an advanced, integrated infrastructure incorporating imaging, workflow and the Internet, will bridge the gap between an organization's critical business processes and its customers and partners by enabling access to business process information through the World Wide Web. This preview reinforced the fact that this technology combination adds immense value to both businesses and individuals by allowing the enterprise to expand far beyond what has traditionally been known as the "four walls" of an organization.

Imaging over the Internet

Using both Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3.0 and the Wang imaging technology that is now available to users of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Wang demonstrated access to TIFF images over the Internet using ActiveX Controls and ActiveX Documents. With ActiveX technology, designers can use Wang's production quality imaging controls for local, LAN and Internet-connected applications.

Workflow over the Internet

Using an insurance company scenario as the example, Wang demonstrated how its OPEN/workflow software integrated with Microsoft's Internet Information Server can allow a user with a Web browser to initiate and track workflow cases. With a Web browser on his or her desktop, a user is able to apply for an insurance policy, file a claim, initiate the claims process at the insurance company, and then track the status of the claim as it moves through the approval process, and browse associated images such as appraisers' estimates and police accident reports.

"Today we gave the audience a preview of our powerful Integrated Work Management technology that is redefining the way people do business," said Weiler. "Just as imaging has been the cornerstone for work management, workflow will be the cornerstone for Internet commerce. We will provide work management solutions that will allow organizations to revolutionize the way they do business. By working closely with Microsoft, we are establishing the open standards that organizations need to harness these powerful work management applications."

Over the past year, the alliance between Wang and Microsoft has set the industry standard for desktop imaging, with Wang's Imaging for Windows. In addition, Wang has worked closely with Microsoft in developing the specification for the MAPI Workflow Framework, which provides a MAPI standards-based mechanism for workflow systems to interoperate.

Wang

Wang is a recognized worldwide leader in workflow, integrated imaging, document management, network storage management and related office software for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks. Information on Wang and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.wang.com.

Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WANG, PLEASE SEND E-MAIL TO INFO@WANG.COM.


Annual Conf for Autocad Mechanical Designers
ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR MECHANICAL DESIGNERS USING AUTOCAD ADDS 3D COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN CERTIFICATION

Second Annual MechanCAD Conference Features Comprehensive Program For CAD Users At All Levels

San Francisco -- Increased computing power and advanced software applications are dramatically changing the way mechanical designers and engineers develop new products. MechanCAD, the AutoCAD Mechanical Design Conference, running from April 29 - May 1, 1996 at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas, will help attendees learn to use "next generation" technology to deliver new productivity in the workplace.

For the first time, the conference features a certificate program for three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design skills. To receive certification, attendees must complete nine of the eleven specially designated classes, covering everything from basic concepts to advanced modeling techniques.

"3D modeling and rapid prototyping technologies have emerged as tools for maintaining competitive advantage in the CAD/CAM/CAE industry," says Kathleen Maher, editor-in-chief of CADENCE magazine. "It's a crucial time for companies to invest in training, and the new certificate program provides a comprehensive curriculum to bring participants up to speed quickly."

MechanCAD is a three-day conference featuring 53 different technical courses taught by a faculty of leading CAD users, consultants to the mechanical CAD community, and employees of Autodesk. Subjects range from basics for improving day-to-day AutoCAD productivity to advanced explorations of visualization techniques, rapid prototyping, and programming with AutoLISP. Classes that qualify attendees for the 3D certificate program include:

* "Wireframe Modeling," an introduction to building 3D models with

  small file sizes.

* "AutoCAD Designer," a two part session that presents the principles

  of parametric solid modeling and demonstrates AutoCAD Designer's

  capabilities.

* "Surface Modeling," a presentation of the principles of 3D surface

  modeling using AutoCAD release 13 and AutoSurf, including NURBS

  technology for more complex and accurate surfaces, and rendering

  surface models for photorealistic presentations.

In addition to the 3D program, sessions will be offered to introduce participants to finite element analysis (FEA), including two panel discussions comparing the various applications currently on the market. Other classes cover subjects such as setting standards for a mechanical design department, the internet for AutoCAD users, and moving to a networked system.

An exhibition of products and services for mechanical engineers and designers accompanies the technical conference. A select group of hardware and software vendors will display their products on Monday evening, April 29, and Tuesday afternoon, April 30. Additionally, throughout the conference, attendees can try out their new skills at the Intergraph-sponsored test-drive center, equipped with 24 Intergraph TDZ workstations running Autodesk Mechanical software products.

A new one-day conference option is offered this year for those unable to attend the full three-day conference. One-day registration includes all technical sessions and special events on any of the three days, and a complete set of the conference proceedings.

MechanCAD is designed specifically for AutoCAD users, to address the important changes occurring in the mechanical design industry. The conference is produced by Miller Freeman, Inc., one of the nation's largest trade show producers, and publisher of CADENCE, AUTOCAD TECH JOURNAL, and 3D DESIGN magazines. Other shows presented by Miller

Freeman include: Autodesk University, the 3D Design Conference, the Embedded System Conferences, Surface Mount International: Advanced Electronics Manufacturing Technologies, Software Development, Communication Design Engineering Conference, and the PCB Design Conferences.

Exhibitor Contact:

Jackie Kleips

Miller Freeman, Inc.

415/905-2486

Attendee Contact:

Yolanda White-King

Miller Freeman, Inc.

415/905-4994

Press Registration:

FS Communications

415-691-1488

Miller Freeman, Inc.

600 Harrison St

San Francisco, CA 94107

415-905-2354,  fax 415-905-2220


DIMMCHECK 168P Tests 168-Pin DRAM Modules
DIMMCHECK 168P TESTS 168-PIN DRAM DIMM MODULES

March 29, 1996 -- Aristo Computers Inc. of Oregon, announces the release of DIMMCHECK 168P for testing the new 168-pin DIMMs (Dual In-line Memory Modules).

The DIMMCHECK 168P tests the popular 168-PIN DIMMs with 64, 72, and 80 bits as required by Pentium and other high-end RISC processors. The adapter supports ECC and PARITY types, as well as some non-standard wiring

This new adapter connects to the SIMCHECK PLUS (base unit). The test identifies size, speed, type, and structure of the DIMM and provides a reading of the DIMM's PRD (Presence Detect) code. Explicit error information is given upon fault detection.

Available now, the DIMMCHECK 168P retails for $295 (Prerequesite: The SIMCHECK PLUS at $1490). The SIMCHECK line of optional adapters offers complete coverage for today's testing requirements. All products come with a 30-day money back guarantee and a one year warranty.

The SIMCHECK product line is developed by Innoventions, Inc. and marketed by Aristo Computers, Inc.

Aristo Computers Inc

6700 SW 105th Ave, Suite 300

Beaverton, OR 97008

503-626-6333,  fax 503-626-6492


Market for PCB Layout Tools Stagnant?
THE MARKET FOR PCB LAYOUT TOOLS IS STAGNANT

MYTH OR REALITY?

By Wolfram Blume

President and Founder

MicroSim Corporation

Irvine, California

It is common knowledge that the market for printed circuit board (PCB) layout tools is stagnant. Although a myriad of PCB products are available from many EDA vendors, the total sales growth of these tools is quite modest.

Any electronic design automation (EDA) vendor that makes a big investment to create a PCB layout tool and bring it to this crowded market is seriously misguided, right?

Although the above facts sound right, the conclusion that the PCB layout market is immobilized isn't the true story.

Today's design methods will undergo significant changes over the next three years, especially the relation between "front-end" design (computer aided engineering, or CAE) and "back-end" layout (computer aided design, or CAD).

The design flow as practiced today has built a solid fence between CAE and CAD work. The CAE work is done by an engineer with an electronics background, usually with an EE degree. The CAD work is done by a designer with a layout and manufacturing background. Often they even have different management hierarchies. The interface between the two groups is the schematic, which is "thrown over the fence," often with paper as the medium.

There are two strong, competitive advantages to removing the barrier. First, the inefficiencies and errors incurred by moving the schematic across would disappear. This is especially obvious when the medium is paper. Re-entering a paper schematic by hand at this point in the computer age is outrageous. Transferring a schematic between different tools also has the potential for introducing fatal errors into the design.

Second, if the circuit engineering and the layout design were not separated, then one can achieve better circuit performance in the final product. High speed circuits, in particular, need care given to critical paths and their layout. The timing budget can be kept significantly tighter if one has good control over these critical paths. Improved performance can also be obtained for analog circuits with sensitive (i.e., high gain) inputs.

If these advantages exist, why does this wide gulf exist? In many ways, the situation parallels the old way of producing letters in the office. It was not long ago, the creation of letters was universally separated into those who dictated letters and those who typed them. This was done because typists got paid less than the executives who dictated, and executives did not know how to type.

What undercurrents changed this situation? The wide availability of word processing on desktops forced the cost of a "do-it-yourself" letter below the cost of dividing the labor. The quality of letter writing improved because the author was there each step of the way. The executive who didn't type became obsolete.

The analogy to CAE and CAD is obvious. In the traditional scenario, layout designers were paid less than EEs, and EEs were often not closely familiar with the finer points of manufacturing.

With more EDA software on the desktop, the money invested into a "do-it-yourself' circuit will be less than that spent dividing the labor. Circuits will be better because the designer will consider both behavior and layout in the same light. Once these advantages are clear, electrical engineers will learn whatever extra they need to know about manufacturing to make the circuit successful. Rather than throwing the schematic "over the fence," designers will create "do-it-yourself' PCB layouts. The result? The industry will witness exceptional circuits created faster.

The winds of change are beginning to blow today and will continue over the next three to five years. The effect will be more integration between CAE and CAD on the designer's desktop. The challenge has been that today's PCB vendors find it too difficult to satisfy the requirements imposed by this integration.

Within the next three years, the PCB segment of the EDA industry will move to the next stage of its evolution. Such change means that the PCB market will not be stagnant. Vendors introducing PCB layout tools more in tune with a more integrated design cycle will find that product development efforts have not been wasted after all.

MicroSim Corp

20 Fairbanks

Irvine, CA 92718

714-770-3022,  fax 714-455-0554,  BBS 714-830-1550

Sales@MicroSim.com


Colorific Color Matching Swr Thru Retail
COLORIFIC COLOR MATCHING SOFTWARE FOR MONITORS NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH RETAIL CHANNELS

SAN FRANCISCO, April 2, 1996-Colorific color matching software from Sonnetech, Ltd., previously available only bundled with monitors from leading manufacturers, can now be purchased from the company and other retail sources.

Colorific gives computer users better on-screen color and "no-surprises" display-to-printer WYSIWYG color matching. Professionals and home users working with photos, charts, or presentations, for example, are able to reproduce these images accurately in print. Colorific for Windows 95 also lets the user adjust the color balance on-screen to optimize for multimedia, games, video, desktop publishing, and other computing tasks. Colorific supports Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and Macintosh applications with all color monitors.

Colorific offers True Internet Color by making a user's computer compatible with Cosmo Color technology from Silicon Graphics, Inc. When Cosmo Color is available later this year, Colorific users will get accurate color over the Internet through Cosmo Color, plus the ability to print color-matched images. Colorific-compatible Cosmo Color technology won the "Editors Hot Pick" at Seybold Seminars Boston in February.

Price and Delivery

Colorific is available at a retail price of $49.95. Version 95.1 supports Windows 95, version 1.5x supports Windows 3.x, and version 2.x supports Macintosh. Customers using earlier versions of Colorific acquired with their monitors or video cards can upgrade to a current version for $14.95 plus $6.95 shipping and handling. Outside North America, shipping and handling costs $9.95.

Colorific can be ordered from Sonnetech, Ltd. Colorific is also available from software marketers and catalog sources including PrePress Direct, Stream International. and Visage Distribution in Europe.

Colorific is bundled at no charge with monitors from ArtMedia, EIZO, Gandalf Data Scandanavia, Hitachi, Iiyama, Laser Computer Hong Kong, MAUI, Magnavox, Mitsubishi, Nanao, NEC, Nissei Sangyo America, Nokia, Optiquest, Philips, Quato, RasterOps, Sony, and ViewSonic. Since it was introduced in 1994, more than 400,000 copies of Colorific have been shipped in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Color Matching Software

Colorific uses a quick, set-and-forget color tuning sequence to measure the characteristics of each individual monitor. It makes adjustments to accommodate differences between monitor brands, as well as such variables as monitor control settings, video card color adjustments, factory presets, and unit-to-unit variances. The operating system uses this Colorific-supplied monitor profile to match colors printed to those seen on-screen. Colorific recreates the color settings automatically each time the computer is turned on.

Jean-Paul Goyet, president of Laboratory and Digital Solutions, based in San Diego, Calif., said, "I use Colorific on color brochures. If I don't use it, my monitor color and the printed color don't match. I really can't do without it."

On Windows 95 systems, Colorific fills a gap in the color architecture of Windows 95 that can result in inaccurate screen-to-printer color matching. Colorific updates the Windows Image Color Matching (ICM) feature with an accurate monitor profile in the manner required by the Windows color Plug 'n Play configuration sequence.

On Macintosh systems, Colorific works in conjunction with ColorSync 2.0 to enable all Macintosh applications to provide WYSIWYG color output. Colorific updates ColorSync's monitor color profile, whether the user has an Apple-brand monitor or a third-party monitor. Colorific is the first software to make ColorSync 2.0 compatible with all monitors, not just those made by Apple.

Sonnetech, Ltd., based in San Francisco, Calif., is an innovator in color matching and other system software for enhancing computer displays, video cards, web browsers, digital cameras, and printing. Customer inquiries: 415/957-994 or colorific@aol.com. Orders: 800/847-0725. Web site: www.colorific.com.


LINKS LS Coming Soon from Access Software
It's Official -- LINKS LS Coming Soon!

March 29, 1996 Salt Lake City -- Access Software Inc. President, Bruce Carver has announced that the company's eagerly-awaited next generation golf product, LINKS LS, will begin shipping May 28th. Access has taken the software industry's most popular series of golf simulators, and totally re-designed the golf engine, adding enhancements that bring everything to the game but fresh air and sore muscles. LINKS LS, the most visually stunning and physically accurate computer gaming experience ever developed, has raised the standard by which all entertainment products will be judged. LINKS LS now boasts graphics resolutions up to 1280 X 1024 in 16 million colors and 1600 X 1200 in 65 thousand colors! "Users will be absolutely captivated by the realism on their computer monitor -- that's our pledge!" said Carver.

"As a sign of our conviction that the newest version of our series will be a gaming paradigm for years to come, the acronym 'LS' was added to the name. The letters 'LS' stand for LEGENDS IN SPORTS," added Carver. "LINKS has always set the industry standard, and we're proud of the great advances in LS, which will carry on the tradition. The advanced technology of the LINKS LS series will stun players both visually as well as in the nuances of play."

Feature Overview of LINKS LS

KAPALUA RESORT

LINKS LS features the Kapalua Resort in Maui as its 'home' resort. LS users may play either the Plantation course or the Village course. Included are special multimedia presentations of many highlights in the Maui area. Of special note is that LS owners may explore the clubhouse with full 360 degree movement via

ARNOLD PALMER

Included with LINKS LS is the first in the 'LINKS Tour Player' series featuring golfing legend Arnold Palmer at the La Trobe Country Club. The user may play 'as Arnie' or 'wish Arnie'. The golfing escape at La Trobe is heightened with a multi-media tour-de-force, including an in-depth look at Arnie's personal library and workshop!

ADDITIONALLY:

* User selectable "camera angles" to view each shot. Up to four

  cameras may be selected.

* With the modem or network play feature, users can play with

  a partner anywhere in the world!

* Several modes of play, including Stroke Play, Match Play,

  Best Ball and Skins.

* Live Action" stereo sound that automatically tracks the action.

* Dozens of additional features.

Compatibility

Of course the new LINKS LS will be compatible with all existing LINKS 386 Pro courses. In addition to the Links Championship Course series two extra course series will be available with LINKS LS: The TOUR PLAYER SERIES and the RESORT SERIES.

Availability

LINKS LS, for IBM compatible computers, is expected to be available MAY 28. Included will be the first in the RESORT SERIES and the first in the TOUR PLAYER SERIES courses. More information to follow.

For more information please check our WEB Site:

http://www.accesssoftware.com or contact

Access Software

4750 Wiley Post Way, Building 1 Suite 200

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

801-359-2900;  800-800-4880;  fax: 801-359-2968


Utah Tech Watch  (4/6)
UTAH TECH WATCH - - by David Politis - - 4/6-8/96 Edition

The thunderous noise you hear off in the distance is caused by the mating dance of two elephants in love.

In reality, it was the announcement this week that two of the seven "Baby Bells" had decided to get hitched. SBC Communications, formerly Southwestern Bell, and Pacific Telesis announced this week their intent to merge operations. If successful, the new behemoth would become the second largest telecommunications firm in the country, serving the nation's two most populous states -- California and Texas -- seven of the top 10 largest metro areas, and 16 of the top 50 markets. The new entity would maintain the name SBC Communications, with more than 30 million lines and access to over 80 million potential wireless customers. Upon completion of the merger, SBC would employ more than 100,000, generate more than $21 billion in revenues and nearly $3 billion in income annually. Whew! Talk about a mammoth deal.

Convergence decade rolls on

The SBC acquisition of Pacific Telesis (for that's really what it is) is just another example of the pressures being exerted on the telecommunications, technology and entertainment industries to consolidate for the coming millennium. In this case, it happened to be two telco firms joining together, but it could have just as easily been a computer firm and an entertainment company. With the passage of the Telecommunications Reform Act, phone companies and other communications firms had their shackles removed as to where, and in what fields, they could compete. Remember, it was only a month ago that US West announced its intention to acquire Continental Cable in a $10.8 billion deal. I suspect that we're only just beginning to see the fallout effects of the Telecommunications Reform Act, and that by the time everyone's done and people can stop and catch their breath, the telecommunications landscape will be changed forever.

Honors for local firms

On a more local note, three Orem-based technology firms have been honored lately for the quality or success of their respective products.

For example, PowerQuest has landed several awards recently for its PartitionMagic software program. (Simply put, PartitionMagic allows users to easily and quickly define and modify partitions on a hard drive.) Specifically, PC Professionell out of Germany just awarded PartitionMagic with its "Innovation of the Year" award in the software category. Additionally, Software Development magazine honored the product with its Productivity award in March, while PC User magazine in the United Kingdom recently selected PartitionMagic for its Gold award. Also, Vinca and Novell were both feted this week in Las Vegas at the Networld+Interop trade show by LAN Magazine. Both firms won "Product of the Year" awards from the publication: Vinca for its SnapShotServer product, and Novell for NEST (NetWare Enabled Systems Technology).

Annual UITA meeting

For those wishing to see and be seen among Utah's high-tech leaders, mark your calendar for Tuesday, April 23. That's the day the Utah Information Technologies Association will hold its annual meeting at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. Activities will kick off at a noon luncheon with keynote addresses from Utah Governor Michael Leavitt and James Oyler, president and ceo of Evans & Sutherland. Following a late afternoon reception and mini-tradeshow, UITA will hold an awards banquet honoring outstanding sales performances in the industry. According to Peter Genereaux, UITA president, more than 70 awards will be presented this year, up from 40 at last year's event. For more information or reservations, contact UITA at 801-568-3500.

A marketing communications consultant that specializes in high-tech and life sciences clients, David Politis welcomes column ideas at 801-569-2592 or via the Internet at dpolitis@altatech.com.


Mechancad: Rapid Product Dev. Critical
RAPID PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL TO U.S. COMPETITIVENESS, TOP CONSULTANT WILL DETAIL TECHNIQUES AT MECHANCAD

Innovative Tools, Techniques, And Management Strategies Will Be Focus Of Keynote Address And Technical Sessions At Annual Conference For Mechanical Designers Using AutoCAD

San Francisco -- March 26, 1996 -- Rapid product development is essential to the success of any company involved in manufacturing, but implementation means dramatic changes in the way that people work, according to Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates. Wohlers will deliver the keynote speech at MechanCAD, the AutoCAD Mechanical Design Conference, running from April 29 - May 1, 1996 at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas. In his speech, Wohlers will give specifics on the new technologies and strategies that progressive companies are using to shorten development cycles.

To kick off the keynote speech -- on Monday, April 29 at 5:00 p.m. -- Dominic Gallelo, vice president of the Autodesk Mechanical Market Group, will discuss Autodesk's plans for an integrated mechanical desktop product. He'll give a preview of the new products that are evolving from Autodesk's MAI (Mechanical Applications Initiative), a cooperative effort with key developers in mechanical engineering and manufacturing, and he will introduce Terry Wohlers.

Wohlers, a consultant to many major U.S. corporations, believes that American industry must redesign itself in order to excel. In his talk, he will discuss rapid prototyping and other innovative tools, techniques, and management strategies that make companies more competitive by shaving weeks, or even months, from product development cycles. He also will evaluate and demystify the countless products available for reverse engineering, 3D digitizing, and CAD/CAM/CAE systems.

"If companies in the U.S. hope to remain competitive in the world market, they have no choice but to consider new approaches to design, modeling, prototyping, and tooling," says Wohlers. "MechanCAD offers engineers and designers the opportunity to update and enhance their skills, and to share questions and ideas with industry innovators."

According to Wohlers, mastery of CAD/CAM/CAE, including the use of 3D design tools, is critical to rapid product development. To further this kind of expertise, the second annual MechanCAD conference presents a comprehensive program of 53 different technical courses for mechanical engineers and designers to keep pace with technical advances. Classes cover subjects such as increasing AutoCAD productivity, setting standards for a mechanical design department, and finite element analysis. A special certificate program in 3D computer-aided design skills is also offered.

Wohlers, founder of the Rapid Prototyping Association (RPA) of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), will teach a class on rapid prototyping as part of the 3D program. Wohlers reports that an estimated 1,500 rapid prototyping systems are in operation worldwide. He will discuss these new processes and the materials that have developed out of this technology.

For attendees interested in more detail on the latest products and services for the mechanical design market, a select group of hardware and software vendors will display their products following the Monday evening keynote speech and again on Tuesday afternoon. Additionally, throughout the conference, attendees can experiment with the Intergraph-sponsored test-drive center, equipped with Intergraph TDZ workstations running Autodesk Mechanical software products.

MechanCAD is designed specifically for AutoCAD users, to address the important changes occurring in the mechanical design industry. The conference is produced by Miller Freeman, Inc., one of the nation's largest trade show producers, and publisher of CADENCE, AUTOCAD TECH JOURNAL, and 3D DESIGN magazines. Other shows presented by Miller Freeman include: Autodesk University, the 3D Design Conference, the Embedded System Conferences, Surface Mount International: Advanced Electronics Manufacturing Technologies, Software Development, Communication Design Engineering Conference, and the PCB Design Conferences.

Exhibitor Contact:

Debra Gilbert

Miller Freeman, Inc.

415/905-2476

Attendee Contact:

Yolanda White-King

Miller Freeman, Inc.

415/905-4994

Press Registration:

FS Communications

415-691-1488

Miller Freeman, Inc.

600 Harrison St

San Francisco, CA 94107

415-905-2354,  fax 415-905-2220


MapInfo & Informix Spatial Data Analysis
MapInfo and Informix Partner to Bring Enhanced Spatial Data Analysis to Market

Troy, NY-March 25, 1996--MapInfo Corporation (NASDAQ:MAPS), the recognized leader in desktop mapping software for nearly a decade, today announced a strategic partnership with Informix Software, Inc. (NADSAQ:IFMX), the leading provider of parallel processing database technology, to provide geographic and spatial analysis and visualization capabilities to the Informix-NewEra client/server development environment.

The combination of MapInfo and Informix-NewEra will allow corporate end-users at all levels new ways to access, analyze, visualize and share data across the enterprise. Users will now be able to send complex "spatial queries" to Informix databases and see the results geographically in MapInfo.

For example, a long distance telephone service provider looking to grow its customer base would be able to conduct in-depth spatial queries of its data located in an Informix database to facilitate effective marketing and business development decisions. By plotting its existing equipment and cable network onto a digital map, and overlaying key information such as population and economic growth forecasts, its competitors' market share, and demographic information for specific geographic regions, the phone company would receive a clear understanding of the specific market trends and expansion opportunities, as well as discover new ways to better serve their existing customers.

"Tapping into valuable corporate data through client/server technology will bring the power of desktop mapping to hundreds of thousands of users worldwide," said MapInfo president and CEO Brian D. Owen. "Our strategic partnership with industry leaders like Informix will unleash data in legacy systems for spatial data analysis that bring competitive advantage to organizations."

"Corporations today require high-performance client/server-based database applications to dramatically improve business results," said Phil White, chairman and CEO, Informix. "By integrating leading mapping technology from MapInfo, NewEra's development environment makes possible new applications that integrate vast amounts of corporate data into a single view on a map. The commitment to the reseller channel of both MapInfo and Informix will bring our technology to a wide range of business markets, meeting specific corporate requirements for database solutions."

Under the technology partnership, developers will be able to build NewEra industry-specific applications that leverage MapInfo's desktop mapping capabilities through the use of a MapInfo class library. Class libraries are the primary building blocks of any NewEra application, enabling developers to add new functionality into existing applications without having to code from scratch, overhaul the application or re-write legacy code. Instead, they can simply plug a class library into their modular application architecture and the new functionality is ready to implement.

Informix is currently conducting a series of NewEra seminars across the United States. MapInfo will be demonstrating the capabilities and functionality being provided through the partnership at a select number of the seminars. For further information, call (800) 647-6522.

About Informix

Informix Software, Inc., the operating subsidiary of Informix Corporation, is the leading supplier of high performance, parallel processing database technology for open systems. Informix products also include application development tools for creating client/server production applications, decision support systems, and ad-hoc query interfaces, and connectivity software that allows information to be shared transparently from PCs to mainframes within the corporate computing environment. Informix's corporate headquarters is based in Menlo Park, California. More information about Informix is available via the World Wide Web: http://www.informix.com.

About MapInfo

MapInfo Corporation (Troy, New York) is the worldwide leader in desktop mapping solutions with products in use by 150,000 customers in virtually every industry, to organize, manage and analyze information in a highly visual way. The company's products are available in 58 countries and 16 languages and are sold through multi-channel distribution involving direct sales, resellers and distributors. MapInfo's software runs on Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1.x, Power Macintosh, Macintosh, Sun and Hewlett-Packard platforms. MapInfo Corporation is on the World Wide Web at http://www.mapinfo.com.


X-BID Available with Trading Partner PC
TSI Teams With X-Change Software to Provide EDI Solution for Bidding on Government Contracts

X-BID Now Available With Trading Partner PC for Simplified, Windows-Based Purchasing

Wilton, CT -- March 25, 1996  An agreement to resell X-Change Software Inc.'s X-BID system for electronic procurement was announced today by TSI International, the leading provider of Windows-based EDI software. X-BID, in combination with TSI's Trading Partner PC EDI system, provides a complete electronic commerce solution for companies desiring to find, compete for, and win federal business.

Using X-BID and Trading Partner PC, businesses can quickly and easily obtain Requests for Quotes (RFQs) issued by any and all federal agencies, eliminating the maze of formats that have stymied most other EDI software solutions. The combined system enables suppliers to process bids with all Army, Navy, Air Force, and federal civilian agencies, including those which connect to the Federal Acquisition Network (FACNET). FACNET has grown rapidly, with more than 400 government sites now distributing their RFQs via the system.

According to David Raye, TSI vice president of operations, "X-BID is an ideal complement to Trading Partner PC, our EDI software for Windows. Our strength in the market is our reputation for making EDI simple, particularly for small businesses. We were the first to develop a Windows-based EDI offering and are now the leader in this segment. X-BID is also a Windows-based EDI product designed for ease of use."

"With the combined products, a small business can be competing for government business within hours after they receive the software," noted Raye. "Communications support is built-in and EDI transactions are handled automatically. Retrieving RFQs is a simple as pointing and clicking. Submitting a quote only requires filling in pace fields and having the software send the response back immediately.'

X-BID is also complementary with TSI s EDI Kit program. Today. TSI provides prebuilt EDI kits for electronic trading with over 100 hub organizations. Kits are available for trading with major corporations such as Wal-Mart, General Mills. and IBM. X-BID therefore. extends the capabilities of existing TSI kits for trading with the General Services Administration (GSA). Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Navy. Marines. Air Force' Army/Air Force Exchange (AAFES), and other agencies.

According to X-Change president, Robert Flynn, "This solution streamlines the bidding process and will benefit government agencies as well as their suppliers. X-BID is configured in such a way as to automatically download applicable RFQs for the supplier. The user can browse through all RFQs and instantaneously download selected RFQs. Users can view any document or families of documents, enabling them to see what they've bid on, and who won a particular bid."

X-Change Software is known for its practical, versatile and easy-to-use electronic commerce products, which allow federal agencies and companies to carry out a wide range of commercial transactions electronically over computer networks. The company is headquartered in Oakton, Virginia.

TSI International is a leading supplier of software and services for electronic commerce and data integration. TSI products include software gateways for translating and mapping data among applications, advanced systems for EDI management, and pre-built desktop solutions for entire trading communities. Thousands of organizations worldwide use TSI to conduct business electronically.

TSI International

45 Danbury Road

Wilton, CT 06897

203-761-8600


CyberCall Internet Telephony Product
VENTURIAN LAUNCHES COMPUTER TELEPHONY INTO CYBERSPACE

Company Integrates Call Center Capabilities Into The World Wide Web with CyberCall

CT EXPO, LOS ANGELES, March 12, 1996 -- Reaffirming its reputation as a pioneer of innovative and technologically advanced computer telephony solutions, Venturian Software, Inc. (VSI) today unveiled CyberCall, a revolutionary Internet Telephony product that it will introduce during second quarter 1996.

Utilizing the World Wide Web as a means to intelligently route both callers and valuable information about them, businesses can link their agents and customers in real-time by both phone and mirrored home page "screen pops." Based on the Web browser's request, calls and mirrored screens are transferred to selected agents at one location, or specialists located almost anywhere around the world, making the concept of a "Virtual Call Center" a reality.

"Venturian Software is dedicated to providing businesses with future technology in functional products today," said Ilan Sharon, VSI president. "The World Wide Web is emerging as the next viable direction for computer telephony integration and Venturian intends to be a leading supplier of this developing technology.

In a partnership agreement with NetCall, the United Kingdom-based software company which developed CyberCall, Venturian is the exclusive distributor for the North American market. It should be noted that CyberCall is marketed and sold under the name WebCall in the United Kingdom.

"CyberCall fits perfectly in our vision to supply businesses with technologically advanced solutions. It incorporates three key elements - existing computer information systems, standard voice telecommunications and the Internet, to form a seamless information structure that helps companies embrace their customers, empower their staff and utilize the Enterprise."

CyberCall -- Application in the Real World

Multi-dimensional in its application, Sharon believes the potential business uses for a CyberCall environment is unlimited. The following scenario represents one possible application:

* Financial Services Company

Initial access to the CyberCall Call Center is made by customers connecting via the Internet or directly through an advertised customer line using a PC equipped with a standard Web Browser. Users are invited to log into CyberCall and investigate the call center's information resources. Once logged in [name, address, etc...] they are provided with the company's home page. On subsequent contacts, customers can link directly to their own home page, representing areas of interest and any on-going transactions. Interested in researching information on mortgages, a couple browses pages relevant to that subject. Like most web sites, HyperText Links to other pages connected to this subject are available. CyberCall can publish pages "on the fly" via its links with the bank's core IT systems, therefore product information, interest rates and sample quotes are up to the minute.

Within the bank's web pages is CyberCall's unique HyperPhone Link, represented at key points throughout the web pages by a discrete telephone graphic. By clicking on this icon, the couple can be automatically placed in voice contact with an agent of the bank's Virtual Call Center that can assist them with the topic they have chosen. Finding difficulty selecting which Mortgage plan is best for their circumstances, they use the HyperPhone Link associated with that particular section of the form.

CyberCall then intelligently locates a "Virtual Agent" who has the relevant skills to deal with the nature of this enquiry. Additional factors including geography, existing accounts and information examined during the browse also contribute to CyberCall's selection of the appropriate agent.

CyberCall "pops" the virtual agent's PC screen with a mirror of the couple's web page, dials the phone to both the agent and customers and connects them. If a customer does not have a dedicated modem line or an SVD modem, the web page will have already requested that the browse be temporarily suspended to allow the bank to call and help with the application.

During the conversation, the agent may determine that a specialist is needed to handle the situation. At that time, both the call and screen can be transferred to a specialist located across the office or around the world. After having assisted the couple with the application, CyberCall disconnects the telephone call and returns them to a web page with the appropriate mortgage application, partially completed.

CyberCall Modules

Designed to be a complete systems platform for the professional developer and systems integrator, CyberCall offers tools to integrate with core business systems and desktop environments. Additional developer aids will include support with PBX integration, call management, multimedia and security.

CyberCall will begin shipping in the second quarter of 1996. CyberCall package are customized to meet the needs of each business. The price of CyberCall is variable based on call capacity and number of agents that the company will utilize. Interested organizations should call Venturian for a quote.

VSI was established in 1993 to provide high-level computer support and services to businesses in the upper Midwest. Today the company markets technologically advanced, computer telephony solutions to businesses nationwide.

VSI corporate headquarters is located at 1300 Second Street South, Hopkins, Minn. 55343. Telephone is (612) 931-2450, fax is (612) 931-2402.


2nd Generation Database Searching w/Chem-X
2nd Generation Database Searching with Chem-X!

Chemical Design announces the development of a new generation of search engine which can dramatically improve database searching performance. This will have immediate impact on the speed at which compounds are selected from databases for biological activity testing by the pharmaceutical industry. "We are very pleased with the performance of our new search engine" commented Keith Davies, Technical Director of Chemical Design. "Even on a Pentium, we can perform substructure searches on a database of a million molecules in under 15 seconds!" The software can also be used with UNIX and VMS servers.

This exciting development ensures Chem-X can rapidly search in-house databases of discrete molecules and libraries containing millions of structures, as well as commercial catalogues. With new catalogues of tens or even hundreds of thousands of molecules becoming available almost every month, the speed of database searching and loading is critical to cost-effective drug discovery.

The new search engine uses functional group keys to accelerate exact, substructure and similarity searching. Similarity searching is especially important when selecting molecules from catalogues to test and developing hypotheses for structure-activity relationships. Fast Clustering technology, already present in Chem-X, can also be used to select representative subsets of databases, further reducing the number of molecules which need to be tested.

Release of this latest software development coincides with the agreement with Sigma-Aldrich to supply their catalogue as a Chem-X database and the availability of the HTS Chemicals collection of current compound databases. This means that Chemical Design now supplies the largest collection of databases for searching on PC and Power Macintosh platforms.

For further information, please contact Chemical Design at (201) 529-3323, Fax: (201)529-2443, or e-mail: CHEMX@applelink.apple.com.

March 1996

Chemical Design Inc.

200 Route 17 South, Suite 120

Mahwah NJ 07430

(201) 529-3323,  Fax: (201) 529-2443


Chemical Design Awarded FDA Contract

Chemical Design is delighted to announce the award of a significant contract by the Division of Drug Information Resources of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This will provide a client-server comprehensive chemical information system integrated with ORACLE. To be used at the Center of Drug Evaluation and Research, this system will give multiple access to structure, reaction and spectra data (NMR, GC and JR), replacing older MDL products.

The contract features a S-user Chem-X license for use in a client-server environment with PCs and Digital servers. In addition to using Chemical Design's established chemical database technology for structure, reaction and spectra searching, Chem-X will provide transparent read, write and searching of data in ORACLE relational databases using TCP communication protocols. This allows the exploitation of chemical and biological information together rather than simply providing an archive facility. Full documentation, training and support services are included.

Chem-X chemical information software is proven for aiding new product research. Indeed FDA joins major pharmaceutical organizations like Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Hoechst Marion Roussel and Glaxo Wellcome already using Chem-X to link large in-house chemical databases with biological data.

For further information, please contact Chemical Design at (201) 529-3323, fax: (201) 529-2443 or e-mail: CHEMX@applelink.apple.com.

April 1996

Chemical Design Inc.

200 Route 17 South, Suite 120

Mahwah NJ 07430

(201) 529-3323,  Fax: (201) 529-2443


WebCall Showcased at DEMO'96
WEBCALL SOFTWARE SHOWCASED AT DEMO '96, TO BE FEATURED AT COMPUTER TELEPHONY EXPO

Minneapolis-based Spanlink introduces WebCall at two of computer industry's premier shows

MINNEAPOLIS-Spanlink Communications, a leading developer of Interactive Computer Telephony software, has announced that its WebCall product was one of fewer than 75 products invited to be presented at Demo '96. Introduced in late January, WebCall is one of the first software applications that allows a customer who is browsing a company's World Wide Web site to talk to a live customer service representative on the telephone with a click of a button. Spanlink is featuring its WebCall product at the Computer Telephony Conference and Exposition in Los Angeles (booth #656).

Demo '96-hosted by PC Letter/InfoWorld Magazine Group in Palm Springs, Calif., Jan. 28 through 31-features only the top computer-related products, as selected by PC Letter editor/publisher David Coursey. A group of fewer than 75 companies, including industry leaders such as Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft, were invited to showcase new products at the annual show.

"We were extremely pleased to have Spanlink and WebCall recognized in a high-profile forum such as Demo '96," said Brett Shockley, Spanlink's chief executive officer. "The show reflects trends that will shape the industry in the year ahead. WebCall is one of the products that's making the Internet's evolution from a basic marketing medium into a two-way business communications tool a reality."

WebCall links an organization's home page or Internet presence to a new or existing call center system or customer service center. It is designed to provide customers with convenient, secure access to companies, and it allows companies more efficient, regular communication with their customers through the Internet.

"From a marketing perspective, it turns normally anonymous Web users into customers by making it easy to talk to a company representative about the product or service they are interested in," said Shockley. "WebCall enhances electronic commerce on the Internet by letting a customer shop on the Web, but buy from a real person."

Shockley adds that WebCall offers companies more opportunities to sell additional products or services once they get a customer on the telephone, and it offers customers more secure transactions by allowing them to give credit card information to a live person.

Spanlink is marketing WebCall to companies in a wide range of industries such as financial services and retail, and in a number of specific applications such as sales and marketing, technical/product support and customer account services. Spanlink markets WebCall through its own sales force and through authorized dealers such as AT&T and Inacom.

An interactive demonstration of WebCall is available on-line at htto://www.spanlink.com. Customers who want more information can call Spanlink Communications at (800) 452-8349.

Spanlink Communications, an emerging force in the Interactive Computer Telephone Integration and Voice Processing industries, develops software solutions and provides turnkey systems and support services for customers such as AT&T, Cigna, Compaq, Panasonic, Prudential, Shell, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), USA Today, multiple Sparkasse banks in Germany, and many other customers throughout Europe, Latin America, Canada and the United States.

Spanlink Communications

One Main Street SE

Minneapolis, MN 55414

612-362-8000,  fax 612-362-8300


WebCall Links Home Page to Call Center
SPANLINK COMMUNICATIONS INTRODUCES WEBCALL SOFTWARE

Company also announces major dealers, partners

MINNEAPOLIS-Spanlink Communications, a leading developer of Interactive Computer Telephony software, has announced the introduction of WebCall, the first software application that allows a customer who is browsing a company's World Wide Web site to talk to a live customer service representative on the telephone with a click of a button.

WebCall links an organization's home page or Internet presence to a new or existing call center system or customer service center. According to Brett Shockley, Spanlink's chief executive officer, WebCall offers marketing, electronic commerce and "help desk" benefits.

"From a marketing perspective, it turns normally anonymous Web browsers into customers by making it easy to talk to a company representative about the product or service they are interested in," said Shockley. "WebCall enhances electronic commerce on the Internet by letting a customer shop on the Web, but buy from a real person."

Shockley adds that WebCall offers companies more opportunities to sell additional products or services once they get a customer on the telephone, and it offers customers more secure transactions by allowing them to give credit card information to a live person.

"The product also makes customer service and product support calls more efficient because information supplied by customers via the Internet will be at the call center staff's fingertips when they actually call and speak to the customer," Shockley said. "The customer support representative can call a customer with an answer rather than waiting for the phone to ring and answering it with a question."

For example, a customer could fill out a question form on a Web site equipped with Spanlink's WebCall, click on "Talk to a Real Person," and receive answers from a customer service representative over the phone within seconds. With information already in front of them, customer service representatives can eliminate asking the customer numerous questions to determine the cause of the customer problem or question.

Spanlink Signs Major Dealers, Partners

Spanlink markets WebCall through its own direct sales force, as well as through authorized dealers. Spanlink also announced that AT&T and Inacom have been selected as authorized WebCall dealers. Spanlink is AT&T's largest INTUITY development partner and co-marketer.

"Ease of access for the consumer and ease of acquisition for the information supplier, along with intelligent implementation and support, set the foundation for future success of multimedia communication services," said Marty Parker, strategic marketing director with AT&T Global Business Communications Systems. "Advances such as WebCall help build that foundation."

"Spanlink and Inacom share a similar philosophy when it comes to the strategic necessity of providing the next generation of communications products and services," said Eva Fujan, General Manager, Indirect Sales and Operations, Inacom Communications. "A key to our convergence strategy is to bring on product lines that enhance our core competencies in technology management and communications, and the Internet plays a key role. WebCall is a logical addition to our convergence-related product line."

In addition, Spanlink is a member of Netscape's Developer Partners program and is working with Netscape's server and browser technology as part of its ongoing developments in the WebCall product line.

How Spanlink's WebCall works

Because WebCall is a packaged application, Spanlink customers can buy and install the product quickly, linking it to existing Web sites and accessing it with any browser software. WebCall uses "intelligent software agents," called ExtraAgents, to connect Internet users to live customer service representatives.

When potential customers access a Web site that's equipped with Spanlink's WebCall, they can request an immediate call back from a live customer service representative or designate a specific time to receive a phone call. Customers also can ask for more information via fax or e-mail.

If a customer selects the "Talk to a Real Person" option, WebCall asks for their telephone number, displays a message indicating the expected wait time until a customer service representative will call them and transfers the request from the Web site to the telephone system. An ExtraAgent waits in queue on behalf of the customer until a representative becomes available, and the customer receives a call within seconds.

Sensitive financial information, such as credit card numbers, can be collected using the system's advanced speech recognition software or by a live customer service representative.

Because the majority of a transaction is conducted on their Web site, companies implementing WebCall will save significant amounts of network and personnel expenses normally associated with a live call center. The call center needs to be used only for the secure portion of the transaction or for personalized assistance.

WebCall operates with most major telephone systems, and WebCall applications can be loaded co-resident on AT&T's INTUITY Interactive Multimedia Response System.

Uses for WebCall range from retail sales to technical support

Spanlink will market WebCall to companies in a wide range of industries such as financial services and retail, and in a number of specific applications such as sales and marketing, technical/product support and customer account services.

"The evolution of the Internet from a basic marketing medium into a two-way business communications tool depends on advances like WebCall," said Shockley. "By providing customers with convenient, secure access to companies, and by offering companies more efficient, regular communication with their customers, WebCall satisfies both sides of the sales equation."

An interactive demonstration of WebCall is available on-line at http://www.spanlink.com. Customers who want more information can call Spanlink Communications at (800) 452-8349.

Spanlink Communications, an emerging force in the Interactive Computer Telephone integration and Voice Processing industries, develops software solutions and provides turnkey systems and support services for customers such as AT&T, Cigna, Compaq, Panasonic, Prudential, Shell, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), USA Today, multiple Sparkasse banks in Germany, and many other customers throughout Europe, Latin America, Canada and the United States.

Spanlink Communications

One Main Street SE

Minneapolis, MN 55414

612-362-8000,  fax 612-362-8300


Multi-Tech Enhancements to V.34 Technology
We've made some important performance enhancements to our V.34 technology, and the upshot is that now you can get the superb quality and reliability of MultiModems and get higher speeds across the board.

That can mean lower toll charges and faster internet access (less time waiting for internet graphics to "paint") as you achieve precision performance at the highest possible speeds.

New 33.6K bps versions of the MultiModemII and MultiModemZDX incorporate these performance enhancements. With V.42bis data compression, these new modems set new levels of data throughput as high as 134K bps.

The new 33.6K bps MultiModems help you achieve generally higher speeds over a wide range of line conditions. They're available in a variety of sizes and configurations, and are guaranteed to be compatible with the ITU standard for 33.6K bps when it is adopted.

Moreover, if the standard changes, your FLASH memory equipped MultiModem can accommodate a free upgrade. In fact, if you currently own a 28.8K bps MultiModem, there's a good chance that it can be upgraded to 33.6K bps from our BBS or FTP site or by simply changing an EPROM chip.

Multi-Tech Systems Inc

2205 Woodale Dr

Mounds View, MN 55112

612-785-3500,  800-328-9717,  fax 612-785-9874

WWW: http//www.multitech.com


Headline News Web Service for Librarians
WILSON LAUNCHES "HEADLINE NEWS" WEB SERVICE FOR LIBRARIANS

New York, NY, March 21, 1996 -- A new service for librarians, "Hot Flashes/Library News," is now available free on WilsonWeb, the H. W. Wilson World Wide Web site. Brief announcements, position changes, breaking news, book awards, and other kinds of news of interest to the library community will be posted on WilsonWeb every day at http://www.hwwilson.com/libnews.html.

GraceAnne DeCandido, Editor and Director of WilsonWeb, will be the editor of "Hot Flashes." "I wanted to create something both engaging and useful that librarians could turn to every day," said DeCandido. News is compiled from print press releases, listservs, and email information, and is updated daily around noon Eastern time.

Each entry for "Hot Flashes" has a web link, e-mail address, and/or telephone number for further information.

To submit items for "Hot Flashes/Library News," any medium is acceptable. E-mail gdecandido@wlb.hwwilson.com, fax 718-681-1511, call (24 hour voice mail) 800-367-6770 x2244; or send to GraceAnne DeCandido, Hot Flashes/Library News, WilsonWeb, 950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452-4224.


SYSTRAN FibreXpress Fibre Channel Adapters
SYSTRAN Corp. Unveils FibreXpress Family of Fibre Channel Adapters at NetWorld+Interop '96

Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1, 1996 - SYSTRAN Corp., developer of the SCRAMNet+ real-time computer communications network, today announced the availability of four FibreXpress Network host bus adapters which are based on the ANSI standard Fibre Channel. The family includes adapters for PCI, VME, and Sbus architectures, as well as a PMC adapter configured as a PCI mezzanine card. The boards provide users with the ability to use the performance capabilities of Fibre Channel to link a variety of computers such as PCs and Silicon Graphics and SUN workstations and servers. In addition, the PMC adapter enables users to link single board computers such as the PowerPC into their Fibre Channel network.

Features of the FibreXpress host bus adapters include:

* 266 Megabaud or 1.062 Gigabaud data transmission rates.

* 100 Mbytes/sec dada rate.

* 128 Kbytes or 512 Kbytes of on-card buffer memory.

* Fibre Channel class 1, 2, or 3 communications.

* Switched fabric, arbitrated loop or point-to-point configurations.

* Up to 10 Km between nodes.

* Fiber optic or copper link support.

* Intelligent Fibre Channel ASIC with multi-channel DMA engine for

  queue management.

The FibreXpress Network line of adapters is designed to maximize the communication and interconnect capabilities of the Fibre Channel standard, which allows integrators to link up to 16,000,000 nodes at speeds of up to 1 Gigabaud. FibreXpress is ideally suited for all applications requiring high-speed, high-throughput data transfer in a LAN environment such as publishing, medical imaging, campus networking, workstation clustering, network backboning and mass storage systems.

Located at 4126 Linden Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45432-3068 USA, SYSTRAN Corp. specializes in real-time networking, I/O IP modules, and defense-related hardware/software R&D. The company's SCRAMNet Network is a leading real-time network, with thousands of nodes used in diverse applications throughout the world.

Systran Corp

4126 Linden Ave

Dayton, OH 45432-3068

513-252-5601,  513-258-2729


BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95
NEW BOOK REVEALS SECRETS, VALUABLE TIPS, AND SHORTCUTS FOR WINDOWS 95

Berkeley, CA, March 29, 1996--With all the recent hoopla, it is easy to forget that Windows 95 is supposed to make life easier for its users, not harder. BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95, Osborne/McGraw-Hill's latest release in its BYTE series of books, provides the insights, information, and attitude necessary to reverse this power struggle, leaving users firmly in control of their systems.

Written by computer aficionado Lenny Bailes, along with Charles Bermant, Craig Menefee, and John Heilborn, BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95 is a lively guide filled with useful tips, tricks, and techniques for maximizing Windows 95's potential. Readers will find fresh solutions and optimizing shortcuts as well as slick tips and expert advice on:

* Installing Windows 95

* The Internet

* Multimedia

* Handling old Windows and DOS applications

* Networking with Windows

* Troubleshooting

In a departure from other Windows 95 books, BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95 provides useful hardware-related advice and information. There are lucid explanations of hardware standards, and a consumer guide to shopping for Windows 95-compatible systems and peripherals. Readers will I also find plenty of discussion on important issues such as third-party products for Windows 95 hardware configuration, networking, and telecommunications, written with the authority and insight expected in a BYTE guide.

Its engaging tone and witty, irreverent attitude make this book an easy read. An ideal guide and handy reference, BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95 is the source users will turn to again and again as they power up Windows 95 to meet their demanding standards.

BYTE Guide to Optimizing Windows 95 is softcover, 656 pages, with illustrations throughout. Suggested retail price: $29.95. ISBN: 0-07-882120-7. For orders only, phone (800) 227-0900, Monday through Friday, 8:30a.m. - 4:30p.m., Pacific Time.

Lenny Bailes is a teacher and consultant who has been writing about computers since 1987. He is a contributing editor to MicroTimes, and his columns and reviews have appeared in PC Magazine, PC Computing, and OS/2 Magazine. He is the co-author of BYTE's DOS Programmer's Cookbook.

Charles Bermant, a computer journalist, has been covering Windows in earnest since 1989. He is the Windows columnist for Computer Currents, and has written two previous Windows books. He reports on technology for a variety of newspapers, including the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Craig Menefee has co-authored books with bound-in freeware, shareware, and custom programs, including PC User's Guide and BYTE's DOS Programmer's Cookbook. His articles have appeared in Boardwatch, Computer Shopper, and Internet World.

John Heilborn is an internationally syndicated computer columnist and the author of more than fifty computer books. His columns "Ask Dr. John" and "Computer Talk" appear in hundreds of newspapers and magazines worldwide.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of computer books that include tutorials, reference, and user guides for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Known for its best-selling Internet titles-The Internet Complete Reference and The Internet Yellow Pages-as well as its Made Easy and Busy People series, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with the Corel Corporation, the Oracle Corporation, Stream International, and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for developing future computer books.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

510-549-6600,  Fax: 510-549-6603,   orders: 800-227-0900


BYTE Guide to OpenDoc
OPENDoc BECOMES AN OPEN BOOK WITH THE LATEST BYTE GUIDE FROM OSBORNE/McGRAW-HILL

Berkeley, CA, March 29, 1996-OpenDoc is being touted as the wave of the future for programmers. Promoted by a consortium of computer and software companies, OpenDoc is a set of standards for developing cross-platform, object-oriented applications. Osborne/McGraw-Hill explains the ins and outs of this new technology in BYTE Guide to OpenOoc by Andrew MacBride and Joshua Susser.

Written for interested readers as well as software developers, system administrators, and information managers, BYTE Guide to OpenDoc explains what OpenDoc is, how it works, how to program for it, and why people need to know about it. There are in-depth examinations of all aspects of OpenDoc, including where it stands today, and where it will be tomorrow.

A major section of the book is devoted to enabling OLE and OpenDoc applications so they can work together on the same system. BYTE Guide to OpenDoc also discusses whether or not OLE and OpenDoc can coexist and what the future may hold for each. Finally, the authors expose the potential problems of OpenDoc and provide thoughtful, realistic solutions. An overview of SOM is included as well.

As with all BYTE books from Osborne/McGraw-Hill, BYTE Guide to OpenOoc is written by authors who are experts in their fields with inside-track knowledge. Ideal for everyone who is interested in staying on the cutting edge of technology, BYTE Guide to OpenDoc makes sense of this emerging technology and shows how it will influence the future.

BYTE Guide to OpenDoc is softcover, 416 pages, and has illustrations and charts throughout. Suggested retail price: $29.95. ISBN: 0-07-882118-5. For orders only, phone (800) 227-0900, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

Andrew MacBride lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. He worked at Sun Microsystems for several years on the design and implementation of networked object-oriented systems and user interfaces. Educated at the University of California, Berkeley, he is currently a consultant for Component Labs, Inc.

Joshua Susser is one of the principal designers of OpenDoc, and one of the implementors of OpenDoc on MacOS. He has worked at Apple Computer doing research on component systems in the Advanced Technology Group and for product development in the developer tools and system software groups. Previously, he worked at Xerox, building integrated applications and developing Smalltalk-80 systems. He currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of computer books that include user and reference guides for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Known for its best-selling Internet titles-The Internet Complete Reference and The Internet Yellow Pages-as well as its Made Easy and Busy People series, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with the Corel Corporation, the Oracle Corporation, Stream International, and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for developing future computer books.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

510-549-6600,  Fax: 510-549-6603,   orders: 800-227-0900


The Pros Talk Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3

Strategic Issues for Microsoft FoxPro Developers

THE PROS TALK MICROSOFT VISUAL FOXPRO 3 from Microsoft Press, brings together the FoxPro programming expertise of Pinnacle Publishing, Inc. - previously published in four separate technical reports - into one volume. This valuable collection of reports from Pinnacle's Special Reports series-one of the best-kept secrets among the FoxPro development community-presents useful, focused information about Visual FoxPro development and addresses key new strategic issues for Visual FoxPro 3.

THE PROS TALK MICROSOFT VISUAL FOXPRO 3 is for programmers using Visual FoxPro, BackOffice system integrators, and corporate IS professionals using Visual FoxPro as a data front end. The accompanying CD contains practical sample code and applications for use with the reports and for adaptation in the reader's applications.

The four reports are:

* "Visual FoxPro Data Dictionary," by Doug Hennig, which covers professional database design with Visual FoxPro

* "Developing Client/Server Applications with Visual FoxPro and SQL Server," by Robert Green, which shows how to create powerful networked business applications using Visual FoxPro and SQL Server

* "Object-Oriented Programming with Visual FoxPro," by David Frankenbach, helps procedurally trained xBase programmers make the essential transition to object-oriented development

* "Visual FoxPro Forms and Functions," by Stephen A. Sawyer, introduces the new and exciting capabilities of Visual FoxPro for form design and functions

Pinnacle Publishing, Inc., is well known as THE experts on FoxPro. They produce the most widely read training newsletters and comprehensive reports about FoxPro. They also frequently publish articles on the Microsoft Developer Network CD.

Microsoft Press is the independent publishing division of Microsoft Corporation and the leading source of up-to-date information about Microsoft products and related technologies. More than 15 million users rely on a complete line of world-class Microsoft Press computer books and multimedia training and reference tools. Titles ranging from self-paced tutorials for first-time computer users to advanced technical references and programming guides for computer professionals are distributed through book and software retailers worldwide. Consumers in the United States can also order directly from the publisher at 1-800-MSPRESS and through the CompuServe Electronic Mall (GO MSP). Visit Microsoft Press Online on MSN, The Microsoft Network (Go To MSPRESS), and our Website at http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/ for more information and news on Microsoft Press products.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

The Pros Talk Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3

by Pinnacle Publishing, Inc.

$49.95, 850 pages, one CD

ISBN: 1-57231-233-5

Pub. Date: May 21, 1996

Microsoft Press, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399

206-882-8080,  800-MSPRESS


Introducing Microsoft Exchange

An Exciting and Detailed First Look at Microsoft's New Business Communications Software

REDMOND, Wash.--March 25, 1996--Microsoft Press announced today the publication of INTRODUCING MICROSOFT EXCHANGE, the official first look at Microsoft's groundbreaking new business communications software.

Written by Bill Kilcullen and the Microsoft Exchange product team, INTRODUCING MICROSOFT EXCHANGE provides an intimate preview of Microsoft's new messaging system for all managers, administrators, and developers interested in Microsoft Exchange. The book is a strategic and technical guide that provides planning and deployment ideas that reveal how the many features of the Microsoft Exchange client can benefit users in terms of efficiency, organization, and effectiveness. Because the accompanying CD includes a software demonstration of the Microsoft Exchange client and server, the book provides a way to get a look at the software without having it installed.

The book describes the architecture of the new messaging system, which runs on Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.11, MS-DOS UNIX and the Macintosh environment, and links this technology to addressing today's challenges in establishing and maintaining a messaging infrastructure.

Each chapter consists of four distinct parts. The first explains the business value of a particular component of Microsoft Exchange for decision makers who are evaluating Microsoft Exchange. The second contains the architecture diagrams and the technical discussion of the component and is targeted at system administrators. The third is designed to explore the system extensibility of the component and the resulting impacts.

The fourth asks, "What is the next step?" and suggests books, as well as other resources and activities, that can enhance knowledge and understanding of the information covered in the chapter. Overall, the reader will be taken on a journey that begins with the shared file system built upon the earliest of PC network technology and ends with the brave new world of client/server computing, Microsoft BackOffice, Windows NT-based platform solutions, and global messaging capability.

Availability and Pricing

The 352-page INTRODUCING MICROSOFT EXCHANGE (ISBN 1-55615-941-2) is available in bookstores and software stores worldwide and directly from Microsoft Press at 1-800-MSPRESS for the suggested retail price of $29.95 ($39.95 in Canada). In Canada, call 1 -800-667-1115.

Microsoft Press is the independent publishing division of Microsoft Corporation and the leading source of up-to-date information about Microsoft products and related technologies. More than 15 million users rely on a complete line of world-class Microsoft Press computer books and multimedia training and reference tools. Titles ranging from self-paced tutorials for first-time computer users to advanced technical references and programming guides for computer professionals are distributed through book and software retailers worldwide. Consumers in the United States can also order directly from the publisher at 1-800-MSPRESS and through the CompuServe Electronic Mall (GO MSP). Visit Microsoft Press Online on MSN, The Microsoft Network (Go To MSPRESS), and our Website at http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/ for more information and news on Microsoft Press products.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft Press, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399

206-882-8080,  800-MSPRESS


Microsoft WinNT Server One Step at a Time
Microsoft Windows NT Server One Step at a Time

A Guide to Planning for and Installing Your First Business Network

What if you could easily turn the personal computers at your business into an information center to help your company be more efficient and profitable? With Microsoft Windows NT Server and MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SERVER ONE STEP AT A TIME, you can build a computer network from the ground up-without an engineering degree!

MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SERVER ONE STEP AT A TIME takes the mystery out

of networking. Whether you plan to install a Windows NT Server network yourself or you simply want to better understand the process, this straightforward guide explains in lay terms what's needed and how it works. The end result-a network solution that will help your employees be more productive and your company more profitable. Here are just some of the things you'll learn:

* What a network can do for you -- a quick look at the power of sharing everything from printers, disk space, and backup services to ideas, plans, reports, assignments, schedules, and other invaluable business information

* Network basics -- types of PC-based networks, how they compare, what makes Microsoft Windows NT Server different, how to figure out your network requirements, and how to prepare your network plan

* Installing Microsoft Windows NT Server -- step-by-step procedures, including how to install complementary software such as remote access service (RAS), and tips for troubleshooting the installation if necessary

* Network "clients" -- how to turn your existing, stand-alone PCs into powerful, networked communication tools

* Things you can do with your network -- how to set up electronic mail, dial into the network, pool printers and modems, and much more

* Taking advantage of the Internet -- how to hook up, use the Internet for e-mail, and "publish" information about your company

* Getting help when you need it-the continued care and feeding of your new network

A handy glossary provides easy access to terms and acronyms for the networking novice, and a comprehensive index helps readers quickly find information on any topic in the book.

Microsoft Press is the independent publishing division of Microsoft Corporation and the leading source of up-to-date information about Microsoft products and services. More than 15 million users rely on a complete line of world-class Microsoft Press computer books and multimedia training and reference tools. Titles ranging from self-paced tutorials for first-time computer users to advanced technical references for professional programmers are distributed to book and software retailers worldwide. Consumers in the United States can also order directly from the publisher at 1-800-MSPRESS and through the CompuServe Electronic Mall (GO MSP); MSN, The Microsoft Network; and the Internet at http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft Windows NT Server One Step At A Time

by Brian Brandt and Mike Nash

$22.95, 352 pages

ISBN: 1-57231 -246-7

Pub. Date: April 2, 1996

Microsoft Press, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399

206-882-8080,  800-MSPRESS


Brooktree ATM Developer's Tool Kit
Brooktree Lifts the Lid on New ATM Developer's Tool Kit, Shows Robust New RISC-Based ATM Design Platform at Networld+Interop

Brooktree will also show the latest from the company's SMDS Control and Reassembly Formatter (SCARF) Family.

LAS VEGAS, April 2, 1996 -- "Tool Time" hit Networld+Interop today as Brooktree Corp. (NASDAQ: BTRE, San Diego) unveiled a comprehensive toolkit for ATM system development using Brooktree ATM silicon. Today through Thursday at the show, attendees will learn firsthand how easy ATM development can be as they view live demonstrations of Brooktree's robust ATM development platform.

Brooktree has partnered with several leading ATM system and software developers to create the company's ATM development platform, which takes designers from initial functional evaluation of Brooktree's Bt8230 and future ATM silicon, all the way into full ATM embedded-system design. Joining Brooktree at its booth to demonstrate the new platform is ATM software leader Harris & Jeffries, which provides the ATM signalling and protocol software for Brooktree's platform, and Net2Net Corp., whose CellBlaster system will be providing monitoring information in real-time as Brooktree's platform takes a sample ATM system through rigorous ATM network development and design analysis exercises.

Brooktree's ATM Development Platform includes a complete 8230-based ATM User Network Interface (UNI) PCI module, residing on a RISC-based multitasking, dual-PCI-bus host processor board from Cyclone Microsystems.

The platform also includes the VxWorks real-time operating system from Windriver Systems, and a modular low-level software interface that allows users to easily port their applications to Brooktree's platform and migrate to new silicon without extensive software re-design.

"Our goal for the show was to demonstrate just how robust an ATM development environment can -- and needs -- to be in today's market environment," said Tracy Earles, Brooktree ATM Senior Product Marketing Engineer.

"We are demonstrating in real time not only how powerful the traffic-management scheduling mechanism in our Bt8230 silicon is, but also how easy it will be for designers to initiate fullscale system design and eventually migrate their Bt8230 designs to new Brooktree ATM silicon as key ATM industry-standard specifications evolve," Earles added. "In one demo, we are running our own application software in VxWorks with multiple channels open, each with varying rates that are changing and being calculated by the Bt8230's powerful scheduling mechanism in real time, all monitored with the CellBlaster equipment so attendees can see everything that's happening. In the second demo, we'll be running Harris & Jeffries' ATM signalling software, showing how the platform has the ability right out of the box to set up and tear down virtual ATM connections in complex system design scenarios."

SMDS Solutions Cut Cost, Power Requirements for SMDS Equipment

NetWorld+Inteorp attendees will also get their first look at Brooktree's new SMDS network interface (SNI) solutions, announced today. Brooktree's new Bt8209 and newly updated Bt8210 SMDS Control and Reassembly Formatter (SCARF) chips provide complete support for both sides of the SNI. As fully-integrated single-chip implementations, they also cut the cost, power consumption and board-space requirements of SMDS equipment by an order of magnitude as compared to alternative solutions. Until now, these alternative solutions have generally been implemented with field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology.

Also on display at the show are Brooktree's High Bit Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL) chip family, and the company's BtV MediaStream multimedia accelerator chipset family.

This press release may make forward-looking statements concerning Brooktree products or potential market performance and actual results could vary depending on issues related to ATM industry standards, the performance of corporate partners providing components of Brooktree's ATM Development Platform, and product development schedules. We refer you to the documents the company files from time to time with the SEC, specifically the company's Form 10-Q filed in February 1996 and Form 10-K filed in December 1995, which detail certain risk factors.

Brooktree Corp. designs and markets high-performance digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits for computer graphics, imaging, multimedia and communications applications. The company, which has its headquarters in San Diego, employs more than 625 people worldwide. Brooktree stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol BTRE.

Customers interested in more information about Brooktree products should contact the Applications Hotline at 1-800-2BT-APPS. More information on Brooktree Corp. is available from the company's SEC filings, or by contacting the company directly. Information about Brooktree is also available on the company's World Wide Web site, http://www.brooktree.com.

Brooktree Corp

9868 Scranton Road

San Diego, CA 92121-3707

619-452-7580,  fax 619-452-1249


Attain Delivers Major Upgrade to IN CONTROL

Version 4 of Popular Planner & Organizer adds Internet Tools, Speedier Data Entry and More

SOMERVILLE, MA, March 29, 1996-Attain Corporation is now shipping IN CONTROL version 4.0, a major upgrade to its popular Macintosh planner and organizer software with over 50 new features. Key feature areas include:

* Internet access tools * faster, easier data entry * improved outlining and scheduling.

With its powerful combination of multi-column outliner and full-featured calendars, IN CONTROL helps busy people organize projects, prioritize tasks and get work done faster.

Internet Access Tools

These new features tap the power of IN CONTROL's patent-pending Action Outliner to organize, annotate, categorize, search and sort your favorite Internet sites, organizing them alongside your other related activities. The top-requested new features include:

* Link and launch Internet sites. Easily link any item in your IN CONTROL outline or calendar to any Internet URL for easy management of the Internet sites you visit. Doubleclicking a linked item launches your favorite Internet browser directly to the linked site.

* Import Netscape Navigator Bookmarks and Internet sites. Sites are automatically linked.

Faster, Easier Data Entry

When you're reading e-mail, viewing an electronic document, or browsing the Internet, you're constantly bombarded with new projects, things to do, and Internet sites to visit. You can now add new items to IN CONTROL with a single keystroke or drag of the mouse. These

new data entry features almost completely eliminate typing:

* New Clip-It command. Select text in any application, press a single keystroke, and the selected text is added as a new item in your outline, even if IN CONTROL isn't running!

* New In-Box icon with Drag & Drop support. Drag text from any application to the In-Box in IN CONTROL's tool bar to automatically create a new item in your outline. Or drag any file, application, or alias from the Finder onto an existing outline or calendar item to easily link them. Double-click your linked item and the linked file opens automatically.

* Intelligent item creation. If text added using either Clip-It or the In-Box contains an Internet URL, the new item is automatically linked to that site for easy launching. If the text contains a date or time, the new item is automatically scheduled on the calendar.

Improved Outlining and Scheduling

In this upgrade Attain has beefed up the Action Outliner, the core of IN CONTROL, with additional organizational and scheduling tools, including:

* New Reschedule command. Easily adjust the dates of any number of events at once.

* New Item Info dialog. See, and set, all item attributes at once. Set carry-forward, reminder, and link options, adjust start and end dates, formatting, and more, all from one dialog.

* Easier networking setup, easier navigation and organization.

Version 3.5 Features Included

All the features of IN CONTROL 3.5 (also called IN CONTROL For Workgroups) are included in the new version, including Power Mac acceleration, 40%-80% speed increases for all Macs, and full networkability. Many other user-requested features round out the upgrade.

Beta Tester Response

IN CONTROL beta-tester Michael Tchong, Publisher/Editor of CyberAtlas, San Francisco, says "The Internet linking feature and Clip-It are dynamite. IN CONTROL will save me countless hours researching my CyberAtlas site!"

IN CONTROL Overview

IN CONTROL combines a flexible project outliner, full-featured calendars and handy to-do lists to help you organize, categorize and prioritize, so you get more done in less time. You can instantly reorganize your activities in any order you want and view them either as outlines or attractive daily, weekly, or monthly schedules. The patent-pending Action Outliner makes it easy to track every detail and also quickly choose what to focus on next.

Technical Specifications

IN CONTROL version 4 runs under Mac OS System 7 and later. Suggested memory 2000K; suggested hard disk space 2.5MB. Runs on all Power Macintosh computers and on all Macintosh computers with a 68020 processor or greater. Accelerated for Power Macintosh.

Pricing, Availability, Background

The expected street price for IN CONTROL version 4.0 is $85. Upgrades are $34.95.

IN CONTROL is distributed nationally by Ingram, Merisel and Nacscorp, also distributed in Japan, France, Germany, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Founded in 1991 by Dan Chadwick and Alan Albert, creators of the award-winning FileMaker database, Attain Corporation develops, supports and publishes software to help busy people accomplish more in less time. Attain also publishes FastPace Instant Contact, contact management software that tracks over 50,000 names, addresses, and phone numbers and integrates with IN CONTROL. A Windows version of IN CONTROL is now in beta testing.

Attain is headquartered at 48 Grove St., Somerville, MA 02144. Phone: 1-800-925-5615, 617-776-1110. Fax: 617-776-1626. Email: info@attain.com. Internet: http://www.attain.com.


Shortened CeBIT Draws Higher Quality Visitor
SHORTENED CeBIT DRAWS HIGHER QUALITY VISITORS

Record 6,500 high-tech marketers report strong ordering activity

(PRINCETON, NJ - The question mark looming over the move to shorten CeBIT from 8 days to 7 while raising ticket prices was replaced with an exclamation point at show's end, as exhibitors gave positive accounts of the productive and manageable crowds visiting their booths Thursday, March 14, through Wednesday, March 20, in Hannover, Germany. With 600,000 visitors (755,000 in '95), CeBIT '96 was characterized by a higher proportion of professionals (77 percent v. 71 percent in '95) and greater internationality, thanks in part to a jump in attendance by visitors from Asia (up 2,500 to 12,400).

While attendance was by design whittled and refined, the number of exhibiting companies zoomed from last year's 6,111 to 6,507, reflecting growth in the software, telecommunications and security industries and enabled by the Hannover Fairgrounds' expansion in preparation for the world's fair four years hence. Nine of 10 of CeBIT's exhibitors indicated plans to return in 1997.

USA #1 in non-German exhibitor presence

As America's high-tech industry increasingly looks beyond its borders to do business, the U.S. presence at CeBIT also rises. Genevieve Tondi, International Sales Director for Atlanta-based

Infographix, a maker of digital color printers appearing at CeBIT for the third time, sums it up thusly: "When Infographix first came to CeBIT in 1994, we were a company of only 6 people with no international distribution channel. Today, thanks largely to CeBIT, we have tripled out business-with 70 percent of our sales now overseas. We'll never stop coming here." Infographix, exhibiting in the USA Software Pavilion, was one of 491 American companies participating in CeBIT direct from the U.S. Some 350 of those were found in 8 USA Pavilions showcasing American technology innovations in: Office Automation; Software; Microcomputers and Peripherals; Multimedia; Networking; Communications; CAD/CAM; and Security and Card Technology. In addition, the State of California Pavilion featured 41 companies.

Other countries outside Germany with a strong CeBIT presence were Taiwan (339), Great Britain (282), France (127), Australia (116) and Switzerland (114).

Miniaturization, integration and the Internet

As with nearly all things technical or commercial, the Internet proved a major influence at CeBIT '96. From the new SET standard (Secure Electronic Transactions) to the platform-independent programming language Java to the many new software and consulting firms formed to provide access to the World Wide Web and similar network circuits, the Internet's presence was considerable. It was not alone, however, as a noteworthy trend:

* Applications integration was prevalent among makers of both handheld mobile communications devices and laptop computers, further blurring the line separating data communication and data processing.

* "Traffic telematics" applications such as fleet management, car emergency call systems and individual orientation aids were showcased, combining global positioning technology with GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications).

* Virtual reality as used for design studies and installation tests and new rapid prototyping systems joined process and product integration as important factors on display in the "C" technologies sector.

* CeBIT's fast-growing software sector featured Internet- and Web-related products such as new browsing programs and video sequence integration.

* Videoconferencing systems mainly based on ISDN technology but also a handful using the newer ATM technology, were on display as aids to telecommuting, telemedicine, and other "tele-" fields.

* Multifunction chip card systems, network security and biometric identification systems figured strongly in CeBIT's security and card technology sector.

The next computer and communications exhibition taking place on the Hannover Fairgrounds is the new CeBIT HOME (August 28 to September 1), bringing together some 650 makers of information, communications and entertainment technology and services for the home and home office. Up to 150,000 distributors, agents, retailers and end-users are expected to attend.

CeBIT Hannover next takes place March 13 to 19, 1997. For more information, please contact Hannover Fairs USA, Inc., at 103 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540; phone: 609-987-1202; fax: 609-987-0092. Information is also available on the Web at http://www.messe.de.


Racal Affiliate Marketing Program Launched
RACAL AFFILIATE MARKETING PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO BUILD INDIRECT SALES CHANNELS IN THE AMERICAS

April 2, 1996 -- SUNRISE, FL. -- Racal today announced RAMP, the Racal Affiliate Marketing Program, created to expand the sale of Racal's data communications products and services through resellers, distributors and other indirect sales channels in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

"More than ever, success in the network products marketplace is based on strong relationships," said Henry Cheli, Senior Vice President, Products Business Division. "RAMP has been created to strengthen our relationships with resellers, network integrators, carriers and other sales channel affiliates. At Racal, we're committed to offering world class products and programs to support the success of these channels."

Through RAMP, indirect channel affiliates are trained and authorized to sell a wide range of industry-leading Racal local area and wide area networking products. The product line includes Frame Relay access devices, multimedia fiber backbones, ISDN terminal adapters, digital service units, modems, network interface cards, and security systems, all supported by Racal's network management offerings.

Sales and Technical Development

Racal offers RAMP participants quality training and certification in all aspects of selling and supporting local area and wide area networking systems and services. The program includes:

* Sales and technical field personnel - local individuals dedicated

  to RAMP members.

* On-line product and training information.

* Free local sales training.

* Sales certification.

Additionally, RAMP members can be certified to resell Racal services such as installation and maintenance contracts.

Marketing Support

RAMP provides a broad array of options for leveraging Racal marketing resources. Options include: lead generation programs such as advertising, direct mail and other marketing activities; market development programs such as cooperative marketing; customized end user marketing; and tools for local trade show participation. In addition, RAMP members gain access to dedicated marketing programs and applications personnel.

Product Technical Support

Racal offers service flexibility for RAMP members and their customer;. Product Technical Support services include help desk assistance and Bulletin Board Services providing immediate access to application information and product technical support assistance.

For more information on RAMP, call 1-800-3334143, extension 5103 in the U.S. International calls: 1-954-846-1601, extension 5103. Internet: http://www.racal.com

Racal-Datacom, Inc., located in Sunrise, Florida, is a member of the Racal Data Group. The Group distributes its products and services through direct and indirect sales channels in more than 80 countries around the world. The Racal Data Group provides a full line of network access products that add value to existing and evolving telecommunications carrier services including ISDN, Frame Relay and ATM. All Racal products are supported by network management and managed migration services including network design, implementation, worldwide maintenance and support.

Racal-Datacomm, 1601 N. Harrison Parkway, Sunrise, FL 33323-2899

Mailing Address: PO Box 40744, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340-7044

305-846-1601;  Fax: 305-846-3935


Racal-Datacom Extol PC-CARD ISDN Access
RACAL-DATACOM EXTOL FAMILY PROVIDES PC-CARD BASED ISDN ACCESS SOLUTIONS

April 2, 1996 -- SUNRISE, FL. -- The first two members of the Racal-Datacom Extol family of PC-based WAN access devices reduce the cost of ISDN connectivity for desktop and laptop personal computers. The Extol family is Racal's first set of PC-card solutions, complementing its broad array of stand-alone wide area network access products.

Announced at the Networld+Interop show beginning April 2, the BRI versions of Extol and Extol Plus will be generally available in June.

Extol products are designed and manufactured by Racal as high-speed ISDN access alternatives. Extol cards provide access for remote and telecommuting users wanting to take advantage of the low cost, low power consumption, high throughput and small footprint associated with PC-card solutions. In addition to their ease of installation, these ISDN communications cards help reduce line costs and improve response times when compared to the traditional modem. Both Extol and Extol Plus support stand-alone or LAN-based connections, including PC to PC, PC to LAN, LAN to LAN, LAN to Host, and PC to Host.

Racal-Datacom holds a top five position in the digital access equipment market, according to the most recent European ISDN survey from industry analysts Dataquest. These new products extend Racal's range of ISDN interconnectivity solutions.

EXTOL

Extol is a passive plug-and-play ISDN terminal adapter ideal for home or small office use. It operates exclusively in the Microsoft environment and is available in both PCMCIA and ISA bus versions. To address the world-wide ISDN market, Extol is available in both S-bus and U-bus versions. It operates with Windows NT, Windows 95 and Windows for Workgroups, capitalizing on Microsoft's new RAS software. A single-port supports transmission rates up to 128 Kbps. Other features include comprehensive "spoofing" capability, 4:1 LZS compression support and V.120 rate adaptation, giving users the same intelligence and bandwidth management capabilities of a stand-alone terminal adapter at a much lower price.

The U-bus versions of Extol (for the United States, Canada and Latin America markets) will have list prices of $495 for ISA, and $595 for PCMCIA.

EXTOL PLUS

Extol Plus is an intelligent, modular networking platform with optional gateway and router functionality. It has multiple versions based on the host PC's operating system. Supported environments include Windows, Windows NT, DOS, SCO UNIX, and NetWare. Networking software options include IP Router (X.25 or PPP), NetWare Remote Access (X.25 only) and SNA Gateway (X.25 only).

Extol Plus comes as either a single-port hardware platform, supporting transmission rates up to 128 Kbps, or a two-port platform with BRI and leased-line functionality supporting up to 640 Kbps (initially available only in Europe).

The single-port BRI U-bus version of Extol Plus will have a list price starting at $995.

"The trend today is toward integrated WAN access within the PC. The cost advantages are compelling," said Dr. Hanafy Meleis, Racal Data Group Senior Vice President of Strategic Direction. "We believe that Extol's simplicity and competitive functionality will be favorably received by both the end user and distribution channel."

For reader's inquiries about these products, call (800) RACAL-55. The Racal-Datacom Internet Home Page address is http://www.racal.com

Racal-Datacom, Inc. with headquarters in Sunrise, Florida, is a member of the Racal Data Group. The Group distributes its products and services through direct and indirect sales channels in more than 80 nations around the world. The Racal Data Group provides a full line of network access products that add value to existing and evolving telecommunications carrier services including ISDN (integrated services digital network), Frame Relay and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode). Racal-Datacom products are supported by network management and managed migration services including network design, implementation, worldwide maintenance and support.

Racal-Datacomm, 1601 N. Harrison Parkway, Sunrise, FL 33323-2899

Mailing Address: PO Box 40744, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340-7044

305-846-1601;  Fax: 305-846-3935


Racal SafeDial V.34 PC CARD
SECURITY AND V34 MODEM IN A PC CARD -- RACAL INTRODUCES NEW SECURE REMOTE ACCESS SOLUTION

April 2, 1996 -- SUNRISE, FL-Racal today introduced a new information security solution for personal communications, telecommuting and mobile computing. The SafeDial V.34 PC card (formerly known as PCMCIA) provides PC and laptop users with secure data communications and remote LAN access over public and private telephone networks. This product prevents unauthorized information access and provides privacy against eavesdropping by encrypting all information between the central site and the remote location.

The SafeDial V.34 combines Racal's tamper resistance and security encryption technology with a V.34 modem in an industry-standard PC card format. This industry-first technology eliminates the need for additional cables and hardware at the remote site. Easy to use and transport, the SafeDial V.34 only requires a password for normal operation. A secure "digital signature" on all communications prevents someone from falsifying their identity when accessing the network. To ensure secure transmissions, SafeDial V.34 generates a different and random encryption key each time it is used, making it unnecessary to generate, update and regularly distribute encryption keys.

Security is a corporate issue

The profile of the corporate workplace is changing. "Sending and receiving sensitive information to and from remote sites is becoming an everyday occurrence for major corporations," said Sandy Epstein, Senior Director of Security Products. "Employees who want to squeeze in a few more work hours at home, at night or on weekends and the growing popularity of telecommuting have increased the number of high-end laptops used by corporations."

The SafeDial V.34 has been designed to meet or exceed government and industry security standards for providing a certified secure product. It uses DES (Data Encryption Standard) and a variety of other national algorithms. It also utilizes Diffie Hellman Key Management, DSA Digital Signatures and X.509 Certificates. As new standards and algorithms arise, all security processes can be upgraded via a secure Flash EPROM, an internal chip which makes upgrades as easy as downloading software. Tamper-resistant design features meet stringent requirements for protecting the operating algorithms and cryptographic keys against a wide variety of attacks.

The total access security solution

At the corporate location the new SafeDial V.34 PC card modems can be inserted in a variety of remote LAN access servers that accept "hot swappable" PC cards. A SafeDial remote LAN access solution will protect e-mail, access to corporate databases and other sensitive business information. Direct plug-in PC card slots mean no cable or interface issues.

The SafeDial V.34 modem will be available in the third quarter of 1996 with a list price of $695 for the DES version. Other algorithms are priced higher.

Racal-Datacom, Inc. is a market leader in solutions for network security, secure remote access systems and secure payment systems, and is a member of the Racal Data Group. With operations in more than 80 countries, the Racal Data Group provides complete, managed network access solutions and services for branch office networks, remote corporate users, telecommuters and multimedia over fiber applications. The Racal Data Group offers a full line of network access products that successfully utilize existing and evolving telecommunications carrier services including ISDN, Frame Relay and ATM. All Racal products are supported by network management and a full array of services including network design, implementation, worldwide maintenance and support.

Racal-Datacomm, 1601 N. Harrison Parkway, Sunrise, FL 33323-2899

Mailing Address: PO Box 40744, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340-7044

305-846-1601;  Fax: 305-846-3935


BFM Software - Shareware Game Catalog
The following products are available from BBS's and shareware vendors. They can also be ordered from BFM Software directly.

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Win Trek has been very successful for us. All of our registered users are very excited about this game. We have gotten nothing but rave reviews over this project.

Win Trek is a star Trek type clone game. It is written for Windows 3.1 and above. It is based on the next generation time period. It is a very involved and detailed simulation of starship operation. It includes a large amount of graphics and animation. It also includes many sound effects. The game is written as a MDI application that uses multiple active windows. The game contains three game levels for the beginner to advanced. There are many options and random events that make the game different each time. Players can do anything from dock with a starbase to create a sensor overload. Also included is a very detailed help file explaining all the star trek terms used in the game. This game includes a toolbar for fast commands. Also, there is a custom game level editor to allow a registered user to change the game objects. For example, allow 99 photons or repair the ship 99 hit points a time.

Please Note: It has come to our attention that two other shareware authors are using the Win Trek name for their star trek clones. We have spoken to both authors. They have agreed to change the name of their game. We have also spoken to Paramount Pictures to make sure we do not infringe on star trek's trademarks or copyrights. We have gone to great lengths to make our game legal.

The current release is 1.71. The registration fee is $12.95 US.

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Win Battle is a Battlestar Galactica theme game. It was built using the same look and feel of our very successful Win Trek game. This game differs from Win Trek in a few ways. The playing of the game is quite different. Now instead of the players going after ships themselves, the players send their fighters to do the fighting. This requires more thought and strategy. The main ships in this game only have defensive fire power. They must depend on their fighters to fight for them. We have given the fighters a great deal of "brains" to fight for you. So, you launch a few fighters at the other ship and watch them fight it out for you. You also have missiles and lasers to help you defeat your enemies.

The current release is 1.02. The registration fee is $11.95 US.

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We would like to inform you that Pelvis is definitely still alive! That's right, he didn't fake his own death. Pelvis did not overdose on little green pills either. Rather, he was taken from us by little green creatures, most commonly known as "aliens." Pelvis has been kidnapped by ALIENS!! Win Pelvis-n-Space was built using the same look and feel of our very successful Win Trek game. This game differs from Win Trek in a few ways. The playing of the game is quite different. Now instead of the players going after ships themselves, the players send their attack drones to do the fighting. This requires more thought and strategy. It also differs from Win Battle because you also have missiles and lasers to help you defeat your enemies. Your mission is to collect all the Relicts and trade them for Pelvis. Then you return to Earth. Windows Magazine gave this game a great review in the August '93 issue.

The current release is 1.00. The registration fee is $14.95 US.

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Win Slot is an offering from BFM Software. This is release 2.00 of BFM Software's original Slot Machine game. Release 1.0 of slot machine was reviewed by Windows Magazine in the June '92 issue. We did a complete rewrite to take full advantage of Windows 3.1. All our beta testers loved this game.

Win Slot is a slot machine game written for Windows 3.1. It includes many very colorful graphics. It has a 3-D look of an actual shot machine. The game simulates a real slot machine for odds in winning. The game includes digitized sound effects for all game actions. A sound card or PC speaker driver is recommended. The payoffs of the slot machine come up in a window that may be positioned anywhere on the screen by the user. This version also includes a wheel and payoff editor so that the player can change the odds of winning. The editors have a unique drag-and-drop interface. It is possible for the player to create a "100% winner" wheel.

The current release is 2.13. The registration fee is $10.95 US.

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Dino Slot is an offering from BFM Software. This game is a huge hit with the kids! The Dino Quiz allows players to learn a lot of fun facts about dinosaurs.

Rrroooaaarrr! !! Dinosaurs everywhere! Dino Slot is a windows Slot Machine game. It includes graphics of dinosaurs and digital sound effects. This slot machine looks as if it is right out of prehistoric times, from the wooden log arm to the rocks used as money. The game includes Dino Quiz, which is a dinosaur trivia game. The quiz allows you to earn more rocks to play the game. This game is addicting. We dare you to try it!

A sound card or PC speaker driver is recommended. The payoffs of the slot machine come up in a window that may be positioned anywhere on the screen by the user. This version also includes a wheel and payoff editor so that the player can change the odds of winning. The editors have a unique drag-and-drop interface. It is possible for the player to create a " 100% winner" wheel.

The current release is 1.04. The registration fee is $13.95 US.

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Release 2.xx/3.xx of CD Wizzard is an audio CD player written for Windows 3.1. It requires a CD-ROM device to play music CDs. CD Wizzard is a complete implementation of a home CD player. Included are buttons for play, pause, scan, stop, eject, track reverse, reverse skip, forward skip, and track forward. It allows fast forward and reverse modes and a real-time display of track number and time. The look and feel of the window can be customized by the user. The icon also displays the track time and track number in real-time. Also, the icon can be set to be always on top. The icon can be single clicked to conveniently pause or resume the current CD. The program will also go into small mode. In small mode CD Wizzard will take up very little screen space but most functions are still available. An output meter will display a graph of the music currently being played. The output meter is also on the small mode. The volume of the CD-ROM can be controlled from the main window and small mode. A status bar displays the current status of the CD player and gives quick help on areas of the window. A shuffle mode can be used to play tracks randomly. A programmed mode allows drag & drop programming of tracks. A disc database is maintained to name each disc and track, artist, category, label, and comments with two additional fields that can be named by the user. The database supports up to 2000 discs. The user can sample the first 4 seconds of each track and save the compressed samples. The samples can be played back without the disc in the drive. This allows the user to find a song on a CD without inserting many CDs. The disc database can be exported to a text file so that it can be imported to a word processor, spreadsheet, or database program. CD Wizzard is as easy to use as a home CD player. A very detailed description of CD-ROM devices is included to help users trouble-shoot their system setup.

The new release 4.xx of CD Wizzard is a full 32-bit application written for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. The new release contains the features mentioned above plus all the following. It takes full advantage of the new Windows environment, incorporating many of its new features. Tooltips are available on both large and small mode areas and buttons. A Windows Taskbar icon displays the current CD status. A right mouse button click displays a CD Wizzard menu. The track number is also displayed in the Time Window. It can print both summary and detailed reports of your CD database. CD Wizzard has improved import and export functions. Users can easily import CCD Wizzard 2.xx INI files, CD Wizzard 3.xx DDB files, Windows CD Player INI files, and comma-delimited files. The Export function offers a wide range of export options to fit the user's needs. The Disc Database dialog displays all of a disc's information using a Windows treeview format. This information can be edited either within the tree or using the Edit Disc dialog window. Individual tracks have a new feature that lets the user identify the individual track artist, composer, and a user defined field. This is especially useful for Various Artist discs. A Date field enables the user to categorize each disc by copyright year. CD Wizzard can now play WAV sounds for different events, such as opening and closing the CD drive door. A series of sounds are included, or the user's own can be used. It now uses the CD-ROM drive letter name to configure the player, allowing for easier multi-CD-ROM drive usage. Small window mode has three text windows to display full disc and track information. The user can reconfigure the Large and Small windows to display whatever disc or track information the user desires. The position and the length of a track that has been sampled can be set. Eject and close works on most drives, even those with faulty BIOSs. CD Wizzard uses the new WinHelp 4.0 system. It offers full contents, index, and find functionality. It also offers context popup help or the "?" button on all dialog windows. New Programmed Random mode will randomly play the programmed tracks selected. The Track Box Display will display only the tracks programmed.

The current release for Windows 3.1 is 3.12.

The registration fee is $15.95 US.

The current release for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 is 4.00.

The registration fee is $19.95.

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BFM Software

38602 Lancaster Drive

Farmington Hills, MI 48331

810-661-1797

73770.1254@compuserve.com


Wilson Bibliographic Indexing on DIALOG
WILSON ANNOUNCES INFORMATION PARTNERSHIP WITH KNIGHT-RIDDER

New York, New York, March 27, 1996 - The H.W. Wilson Company today announced that 18 of its bibliographic indexing, abstracts and full-text databases will become available on Knight-Ridder Information, Inc.'s DIALOG. online service. Cooperation between Wilson and Knight-Ridder - a world leader in information access with 200,000 customers in almost 150 countries - makes Wilson databases more accessible to corporate, government, and college and university libraries worldwide

Wilson databases to become available on Knight-Ridder's DIALOG. service in 1996 include Readers' Guide Abstracts Full Text Mega Edition and Wilson Applied Science & Technology Abstracts. Other databases expected to become available on DIALOG. in the future include Current Biography; Wilson Author Biographies; Wilson Art Abstracts; Wilson Business Abstracts; Wilson Education Abstracts; Wilson General Science Abstracts; Wilson Humanities Abstracts; Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts; Library Literature; Biography Index; Book Review Digest; Cumulative Book Index; Biological & Agricultural Index; Index to Legal Periodicals & Books; Bibliographic Index; and Vertical File Index.

The Wilson Databases

Wilson databases focus on the most widely respected, influential publications in the specialties they cover, for reliable and incisive research and greater relevance to periodical and book collections accessible in libraries. Wilson databases are also distinguished by:

- A cover-to-cover approach to abstracting, indexing, and full-text

  coverage of articles in publications

- Coverage decisions aided by the American Library Association

  Reference and Adult Services Division's Collection Development

  and Evaluation Section's Committee on Wilson Indexes

- Extensive "see and see also" cross-references

- Title enhancements for entries with ambiguous titles

- Precise subject headings

- Unmatched name authority control

- Content codes to expedite access to information.

Brief descriptions of the individual databases are provided on the following pages.

For more information on the H.W. Wilson/Knight-Ridder information partnership, phone Barbara Ottervik, Manager, Advertising and Promotion, at 1-800-367-6770, ext. 2312.

The H.W. Wilson Company

950 University Ave

Bronx, NY 10452

212-588-8400

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Book Review Digest

Indexing from January 1983. Provides citations to and excerpts of reviews of current juvenile and adult fiction and nonfiction

books. An abstract of each book is provided. The reviews originate from some 90 leading American, British, and Canadian

periodicals and cover more than 7,000 English-language works of adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction each year.

Biography Index

Indexing from July 1984. Indexes biographical material from some 2,700 periodicals, some 2,000 current books (annually) of individual and collective biography, and biographical information from otherwise non-biographical books: Autobiographies * Memoirs * Journals * Diaries * Letters * Interviews * Bibliographies * Obituaries * Fiction (biographical novels) * Drama * Pictorial Works * Poetry * Juvenile Literature.

Cumulative Book Index

Indexing from January 1982. A world list of hardcover and paperback books of fiction and nonfiction published in the English language.

Index to Legal Periodicals & Books

Indexes more than 700 legal periodicals published in the United States and elsewhere, and 2,500 books each year. Indexes periodicals beginning August 1981. Indexes books beginning 1993. Subjects: Administrative Law * Air and Space Law * Maritime Law * Communications * Transportation * Domestic Relations * Contraas * Torts * Property * Civil Procedure * Criminal Law * Constitutional Law * Trusts and Estates * Dispute Resolution * Jurisprudence * Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law * Environmental Law * Health, Medicine and Psychology Law * Insurance * Taxation * Bankruptcy * Labor Law * Legislation * Intellectual Property * Science and Technology * International and Comparative Law * Legal Ethics * Legal History * Legal Librarianship and Information Science * Military Law * Religion, Humanities, and Education Law

Library Literature

Indexing from December 1984. Covers some 230 periodicals and 600 monographs from the U.S. and elsewhere. Subjects: Automation * Cataloging * Censorship * Circulation Procedures * Classification * Copyright Legislation * Education for Librarianship * End User Searching * Government Funding * Human Resource Management * Information Brokers Library Associations * Online Searching * Preservation of Materials * Public Relations * Publishing

Vertical File Index

A monthly subject index to pamphlets issued by a broad range of public and private sources. Includes hot topics! - plus a Current Topics section, which lists citations to 10 to 15 newsworthy topics each month from the hundreds of general-interest periodicals indexed by Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, General Science Index and other Wilson publications.

Bibliographic Index

A unique, multipurpose source of information for research in all areas of the arts and sciences. Covers bibliographies published in books, pamphlets, and more than 2,800 periodicals in English, other Germanic languages, and the Romance languages. Indexing from November 1984.

Wilson Business Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 400 leading business journals, The Wall Street Journal, and the Business Section of The New York Times. Indexing from July 1982; Abstracting from June 1990. Subjects: Accounting * Advertising and Marketing * Banking * Construction * Computers * Drugs and Cosmetics * Electronics * Entertainment and Media * Finance and Investments * Government Regulations * Human Resource Management * Industrial Relations * Information Technology * Insurance * International Business * Management * Manufacturing * Mergers and Acquisitions * Occupational Health and Safety * Public Relations * Retailing * Small Business.

Wilson Education Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 400 periodicals, yearbooks, and monographs. Indexing from June 1983; Abstracting from August 1994. Subjects: Administration * Adult Education * Comparative Education * Elementary Education * Educational Technology * Government Funding * Instructional Media * Language and Linguistics * Literacy Standards * Multiculturial/Ethnic Education * Psychology * Religious Education * Science and Mathematics * Secondary Education Social Sciences * Special Education * Student Counseling * Teacher Education * Teacher/Parent Relations * Vocational Education.

Wilson General Science Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 150 popular and specialized English-language science periodicals as well as the Science Section of The New York Times. Indexing from May 1984; Abstracting from March 1993. Subjects: Astronomy * Atmospheric Science Biology * Botany * Chemistry * Conservation * Earth Science * Environment * Food * Genetics * Health * Mathematics * Medicine * Microbiology * Nutrition * Oceanography * Physics * Physiology * Zoology

Wilson Humanities Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 400 English-language periodicals, providing interdisciplinary coverage. Indexing from February 1984; Abstracting from March 1994. Subjects: Archaeology * Area Studies * Art * Classical Studies * Dance * Drama and Film * Folklore * Gender Studies * History * Journalism and Communications * Language and Literature * Music * Performing Arts * Philosophy * Religion and Theology.

Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 415 core English-language periodicals. Indexing from February 1983; Abstracting from March 1994. Subjects: Anthropology * Area Studies * Community Health and Medical Care * Economics * Ethnic Studies * Family Studies * Geography * Gerontology * International Relations * Law and Criminology * Minority Studies * Planning and Public Administration * Criminal Justice and Corrections * Policy Sciences * Political Science * Psychology and Psychiatry * Social Work and Public Welfare * Sociology * Urban Studies * Women's Studies.

INDEXES

Biological & Agricultural Index

Indexing from July 1983. Covers 258 periodicals. Subjects: Agricultural Chemicals * Agriculture * Animal Husbandry * Biochemistry * Biology * Biotechnology * Botany * Cytology * Ecology * Entomology * Environmental Science * Fishery Sciences * Food Science * Forestry * Genetics * Horticulture * Limnology * Microbiology * Neuroscience * Nutrition * Physiology * Plant Pathology * Soil Science * Veterinary Medicine * Zoology.

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Wilson Databases to Become Available Over Knight-Ridder Information, Inc.'s DIALOG.Online Service

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FULL-TEXT

Readers' Guide Abstracts Full Text -- Mega Edition

Indexing and abstracting for 240 periodicals, including Time, NewsWeek, and PC World, plus the full text of 122. Indexing from January 1983; Abstracting from September 1984; Full-text coverage from January 1994. Subjects: Areas of Popular Interest * News and Current Events * Business * the Arts * Computers * Health * Fashion * Politics * Crafts * Food and Cooking * Education * Photography * Science * Sports * History * Home Improvement. Reviews of motion pictures, operas, plays, ballets, music, radio and television programs, and videotapes are indexed.

Wilson Author Biographies

The full text of five popular volumes in the renowned Wilson Authors Series, in a single, searchable electronic reference. Biographies for some 4,300 authors from 800 B.C. to the early 20th century, from British Authors Before 1800; British Authors of the Nineteenth Century; American Authors 1600 - 1900; European Authors 1000 1900; and Greek and Latin Authors: 800 B.C -- A.D. 1000. Current bibliographic data also drawn from such popular Wilson databases as Biography Index and Humanities Index.

Current Biography

Nearly 2,000 full-text biographies and some 1,800 obituaries reflect coverage delivered in Current Biography print issues from 1983 through 1995, and indexing covers Current Biography print issues from 1940 through 1982. Offers data on national and international figures, in all areas of prominence - artists, politicians, business people, journalists, actors, authors, sports figures, scientists, and others in the news.

ABSTRACTS

Wilson Applied Science & Technology Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting of articles from 400 English-language periodicals. Indexing from October 1983; Abstracting from March 1993. Subjects: Acoustics * Aeronautics * Automotive Engineering * Chemical Engineering * Chemistry * Civil Engineering * Computer Instruction * Computer Technology * Electrical Engineering * Energy Resources * Environmental Engineering * Food and Food Industry * Geology * Industrial Engineering * Machinery * Marine Technology * Mathematics * Mechanical Engineering * Metallurgy * Mineralogy * Nuclear Engineering * Oceanography * Optical and Neural Computing * Petroleum and Gas * Physics * Plastics * Robotics * Solid State Technology * Space Science * Telecommunications * Textiles Industry and Fabrics * Transportation * Waste Management.

Wilson Art Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 260 art publications worldwide: English-language, plus French, Italian, German, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, and Swedish sources. Also indexes reproductions of works of art. Indexing from September 1984; Abstracting from January 1994. Subjects: Advertising Art * Antiques * Archaeology * Architecture and Architectural History * Art History * Computers in Archaeology, Architecture, and Art * Crafts * Decorative Arts * Folk An * Graphic Arts * Interior Design * Industrial Design * Landscape Architecture * Motion Pictures * Museology * Painting * Photography * Pottery * Sculpture * Television * Textiles * Video.


Digital Wisdom Mapping/Cartographic Products
Digital Wisdom Inc

Mapping & Cartographic Products Catalog

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Mountain High Maps Version 2

A unique collection of relief maps of the world's continents, countries and ocean floors, provides detailed and accurate relief views which can be used as a base for an extensive range of applications: artwork & advertising, newspaper & television, publication & presentation, education & reference, multimedia software & video use. Mountain High Maps can be quickly loaded into any desktop design or publishing program and customized to your own requirements. The high resolution images can be used for the very highest quality output and are referenced in an extensive catalog.

Version 2 now offers the following features:

* Detailed relief maps showing land and ocean floor relief

* Stunning globe views including cloud masks and starfield backgrounds

* Detailed regional view of high interest areas

* Land/Ocean/Country masks in TIFF format with shadow & vignette masks

* Outlines/borders/rivers/latitude and longitude/linear scales

* Major towns and city locations, with optional city and country names

* Photoshop paths have been include for all mask & vector information

* Selection of 24 bit colorized physical and political maps

* Quicktime or AVI animations showing revolving globes and other

  sequences

* High resolution for quality output by imagesetter for Mac, Windows,

  Unix and SGI

Reproduction rights granted with your purchase of Mountain High Maps allow almost unlimited commercial use. Mountain High Maps are published as a two disc CD-ROM set which includes all FRONTIERS material described below. Retail price for the collection is $795 (Mac 2 CD-ROM set or Win 2 CD-ROM set).

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Mountain High Maps Continental Editions

The unique Mountain High Maps collection of relief maps has been split into five separate products for the designer who only requires a smaller selected group of maps:

Continental - World Views -

   14 map views + selected globe views - $295

Continental Africa -

    8 map views + selected globe views - $195

Continental America -

   15 map views + selected globe views - $295

Continental Asia & Australia -

   14 map views + selected globe views - $195

Continental Europe -

   23 map views + selected globe views - $295

Mountain High Maps - Continental Editions are published as a single hybrid (Mac & Win) disc CD-ROM which includes all Frontiers material as described below.

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Mountain High Map Frontiers - Version 2

Mountain High Map Frontiers is a CD-ROM collection of high quality editable outline maps. This superb resource of 74 map views covers the world and consists of coastline, borders, rivers, city locations and longitude/latitude graticules to fit the MOUNTAIN HIGH MAPS relief map images or can be used independently as a self-contained resource. Each map is available in three formats: Adobe Illustrator (EPS), Aldus FreeHand, and industry-standard TIFF. Reproduction rights allow almost unlimited commercial use. Mountain High Map Frontiers retails for $95 (Mac/Win CD-ROM)

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Mountain High Maps GlobeShots

MOUNTAIN HIGH MAPS - GlobeShots is a uniquely distinctive CD-ROM collection of high quality globe images. This superb resource of 100 high res (300 dpi) and 164 low res (72 dpi) colorized globe views covers the world from of a wide variety of viewpoints (equatorial, polar, strategic, oceanic, continental), a range of colors and multiple backgrounds. The globe images embody exaggerated relief topography in order to express the terrain of the world's surface. Each globe is available in industry-standard format TIFF, LZW compressed RGB. Reproduction rights allow almost unlimited commercial use. GlobeShots retails for $145 (Mac/Win CD-ROM).

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CoolMaps

CoolMaps is a CD-ROM collection of ready-to-use royalty-free maps. Each volume contains around 250 maps. The unique feature of this product is that each volume has been specially created by a team of graphic designers who have produced an imaginative array of dazzling and dramatic maps which are suitable for almost any paper or electronic media publishing application. Each title is available in two volumes; a bitmap format (JPEG) disc and a vector format (EPS) disc. Each volume is supplied in hybrid format usable on both Macintosh and Windows systems. Reproduction rights allow almost unlimited commercial use. CoolMaps VECTOR or BITMAPs retails for $49 (Mac/Win CD-ROM) or as a COMBO SET for $69. Currently we have the world view volume available, 19 other titles will follow during 1996.

Volume 1.1 - World Maps - vector (EPS)

Volume 1.2 - World Maps - bitmap JPEG)

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The FLAG FOLIO with Outline Maps

Professional Quality Postscript National Flags and Maps. The FLAG FOLIO contains over 200 editable EPS national flags and outline maps of the world's national flags and outline maps of all the world's countries in Mac and Windows formats. For Macintosh, the formats are Adobe Illustrator 3 and 5, Macromedia FreeHand 3 and PICT2 at 640 x 480 (NTSC) and 768 x 576 (PAL) resolutions. For Windows the formats are Adobe Illustrator 4 (.AI and .EPS) and 32-bit PCX at PAL and NTSC resolution. Flag Folio presents high quality designs and contains the very latest changes of national borders and flags. Flag Folio retails for $49 (Mac/Win CDROM).

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U.S. Digital Topography

The maps on these CD-ROM's make up an exceptionally detailed atlas of United States topography. They have been computed from the U.S.G.S. 3 arc second digital elevation database giving a scale of 1 :530,000. Height above sea level is indicated by continuous color variation and relief is indicated by shading produced by a westerly artificial light source. The one-by-one degree map files are grouped by state and are designated by the latitude and longitude of their southeast corners. The digital maps in this collection are easily edited in any paint or imaging software that reads graphics in PICT format for Macintosh platforms or TIFF in the PC environment. The CD-ROM's are available as follows: States East of the Mississippi and TX, LA & HI Macintosh PICT $99. States West of the Mississippi excl TX, LA & HI Macintosh PICT $99. All United States including Hawaii PC TIFF (LZW) retail at $198

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To request further information or if you have any questions about our products, please call our sales line 800-800-8560. For international callers, please call 804-758-0670 or fax 804-758. You can also view us at our web site: http://www.digiwis.com


American Software Supply Chain Planning
AMERICAN SOFTWARE INTRODUCES INTERNET-ENABLED SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING

Solution allows companies to cost-effectively extend their supply chains

ATLANTA (April 10, 1996) -- American Software has integrated the capabilities of its supply chain management solutions with the Internet to enable companies to easily and cost-effectively manage their supply chain environments.

American Software's Internet-enabled solution has multiple uses across the supply chain. For example, it could be a fast, easy-to-use link between manufacturers and their local, regional and national distributors. Individual sales forecasts can be reviewed and translated into orders, allowing managers to quickly obtain sales and demand insights for individual products or across the entire enterprise.

"Deploying forecasts and suggested replenishment plans to customers over the Internet represents an innovative approach to customer-interactive demand planning," said Rich Sherman, director, supply chain management research at Boston-based Advanced Manufacturing Research. "American Software is breaking new ground by using the far-reaching, inexpensive capabilities of the Internet in conjunction with supply chain solutions. Using the American Software approach, companies can quickly and easily link departments, customers and suppliers to create interactive information-sharing to reduce cycle time and synchronize production to demand."

The Internet- and intranet-enabled solution permits the simultaneous sharing of supply chain information. Data can be incorporated from the field, distributors and other resources using the Internet in real-time. The information can then be automatically assimilated into comprehensive, accurate forecasts using one of six business models. Managers can then view the results and institute overrides to accommodate seasonality, promotions or other factors. The final results can viewed and adjusted by all levels of the supply chain via the Internet before the data is integrated with manufacturing or purchasing systems.

The benefits of such a solution include the ability for organizations to integrate as virtual organizations, regardless of differing technology architectures. Sophisticated software may also be inexpensively deployed without concerns about version control or high network costs.

"With this product, all components of the supply chain can access the functionality, power and supply chain management expertise supported by Supply Chain Planning," said Mike Edenfield, chief operating officer of American Software.

The Internet-enabled product represents the next step in a long-range strategy to extend the functionality of supply chain management to help speed information, communication and production along each component of the supply chain. American Software initiated the strategy with its January creation of a venture named Intellimedia Commerce, Inc., which focuses on the development, hosting and maintenance of Internet-based solutions for both business and consumer markets.

American Software develops, markets and supports the industry's most comprehensive offering of integrated supply chain management and financial control systems. As a leading provider of multi-platform enterprise software solutions, the Atlanta-based firm offers state-of-the-art business solutions across a wide range of industries internationally. Its product line encompasses integrated business applications such as demand forecasting, logistics planning, warehouse management, order management, manufacturing, financial control and outsourcing services. The company's common shares are listed on the NASDAQ stock market-national market under the symbol AMSWA.

For more information, contact: American Software; 470 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305. (404) 261-4381. FAX: (404) 264-5206.


Best Power Adds Value to UPSs w/FREE Swr
BEST POWER ADDS VALUE TO ITS UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SYSTEMS WITH FREE POWER MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, AND SHUTDOWN SOFTWARE

NECEDAH, WI, April 1996 - Power management, monitoring and shutdown software, and a connectivity cable, will be bundled free with all Best Power's single-phase uninterruptible power systems (UPS), starting April 2, 1996. The company's Fortress , FERRUPS , and UNITY/I Single- Phase models will include CheckUPS II software and the cable with every unit shipped. The Patriot UPS will include a coupon offering the free CD-ROM/cable package by mail.

"Now computer and network users will receive a truly comprehensive power protection solution," says Brian Crowe, Best Power vice president, sales. "This power protection industry 'first' makes it both affordable and convenient for Best Power UPS customers to get a complete power protection package at no additional cost, and also avoids confusion over selecting the right software and cable," emphasizes Crowe.

The initial release of the CD-ROM will have power management, monitoring and automatic shutdown of DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2, UNIX and Novell Netware operating systems. Subsequent releases of the CD-ROM will add more functionality to the existing platforms. Quarterly releases of an updated CD-ROM also are planned, as feature sets and bundled platforms evolve. Changes and upgrades will soon be available free via Best Power's World Wide Web site.

CheckUPS II gives system administrators and computer users a complete record of critical UPS and power-line events. Event logs may be plotted over a user-specified time period on the computer screen. The Graphic Display Module helps users spot, diagnose, and react more effectively to problems as they happen. CheckUPS II also provides automatic, unattended shutdown when needed.

Best Power, a unit of General Signal, is based in Necedah, Wisconsin, and is a leading manufacturer of uninterruptible power systems which protect computers, information networks, and other critical systems from power-line disturbances.

Best Power

P.O. Box 280, Necedah, WI 54646 USA

Phone: 608-565-7200; Fax: 608-565-2929

E-Mail info@bestpower.com


Major League Baseball Area on AOL
America's Favorite Pastime Slides into the Homes of Millions of America Online Members

Vienna, VA, April 8, 1996--America Online announced today, that fans of America's favorite pastime--baseball--can enjoy the excitement of Major League Baseball and communicate with other fans in an interactive arena of news, history, statistics, message boards, trivia and games, photos, and more. Through AOL's Major League Baseball area online, members can read commentary and interact directly with the game's most passionate authorities---the players and the fans! AOL members can access all baseball content online at keyword: baseball.

AOL's baseball programming includes:

Commentary

AOL members gain access to the happenings on the field, in the dugout and in the locker room thanks to the inside perspective of players such as the LA Dodgers' Eric Karros and San Francisco Giant Matt Williams.

Real-Time Scoreboard and Player Profiler

Following the exploits of your favorite teams or players has never been easier (or more timely), as STATS, Inc. offers up in-progress game scores and their Player Profiler.

Trivia and Polls

NTN Sports Trivia tests the baseball novice and die-hard fan alike with its baseball trivia. AOL members will also enjoy NTN's Polls, where they will be able to cast their vote for player of the day, blooper of the week, and other topical issues.

The Sporting News

Slated for a mid-April launch, the "bible of baseball", will bring its 100+ year old publication online in a dynamic addition to AOL Baseball. Look for great analysis, team-by-team coverage, the opinionated 'Fly", and interviews with the movers and shakers of the sport.

Fantasy Baseball

The Grandstand is a place for sports fans to talk, write, and at times, yell about the latest happenings on and off the field. The area will also feature Fantasy Baseball where members can test their knowledge of the game and managerial expertise with other AOL members/fans around the nation. Two distinctly different fantasy leagues will be offered - one for the entry level owner, the other for the seasoned veteran. Both fantasy leagues will be free of charge.

Live Events

Throughout the season, AOL Sports will feature live events with top players, managers and other baseball "experts." First up will be former manager Sparky Anderson. Anderson will have a weekly talk show on AOL, presented by The Sporting News. His debut show is scheduled for April 18 at 10 pm ET.

In a related announcement, AOL announced today it will offer Extreme Fans' Baseball Daily, a new interactive sports forum that provides a humorous, entertaining and comprehensive look at all aspects of the national pastime -- from the locker room to the stadium to the fans' living room. Developed for and by serious baseball fans, EF Baseball Daily offers a forum for baseball fans to engage in unabashedly biased sports reporting and commentary.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its 5 million members a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.


AOL Debuts Extreme Fans Baseball Daily
America Online Steps Up To The Plate With Debut of Extreme Fans Baseball Daily

VIENNA, VA, April 8, 1996 -- Today, America Online announced that it will offer all the fun and excitement of professional baseball through Extreme Fans Baseball Daily, a new interactive sports forum that provides a humorous, entertaining and comprehensive look at all aspects of the national pastime -- from the locker room to the stadium to the fans' living room. Developed for and by serious baseball fans, Baseball Daily is the only online sports area offering a forum for baseball fans to engage in unabashedly biased sports reporting and commentary. In fact, they've already started with their "Top Ten Things Pat Buchanan would change about Baseball if he were Commissioner"

Extreme Fans Baseball Daily is a service of The AOL Greenhouse(tm), a business unit of America Online, designed to support "infopreneurs" in the creation of groundbreaking interactive content developed exclusively for the online medium. Baseball Daily is available on America Online in the Sports Channel and at Keyword: Hardball.

By visiting Baseball Daily, AOL members can not only track the latest baseball scores, stats and gossip for all levels of the game, they can also participate in the coverage. According to Hank Adams, co-founder of Extreme Fans, "There are lots of services that give you news and scores; Baseball Daily also gives you the spirit and enthusiasm of the game. The participative nature of our service makes the fans an important part of our forum."

Baseball Daily is the second in a series of online sports communities being brought to AOL members by Extreme Fans, the guys who brought members great NCAA basketball tournament coverage via College Hoops. Since launching in January of 1996, Extreme Fans College Hoops recorded 750,000 actual visits (not hits) to the site and expects to break 1 million visits this month.

"Building on the success of College Hoops, America Online is pleased to provide its members an interactive way to share in America's resurgent passion for baseball," said Ted Leonsis, President of America Online Services Company.

With the first full baseball season in several years coinciding with an election year, Baseball Daily mused on the possibility of connecting the two. How would baseball be changed if there was a general election for the Commissioners office? What would happen if populist Pat Buchanan won the office? Baseball Daily offers some insights in its "Top Ten Things that Pat Buchanan would change about baseball if he were elected Commissioner."

 10. All outfield walls raised to 20 feet and guarded by border patrol

  9. Special "foreign labor" tax levied on Montreal and Toronto games

  8. Al Campanis named director of media relations

  7. Right to Life Night at all ball parks.

     Carry the child to term? 1/2 price

  6. White Sox renamed America's Team

  5. Installs Crossfire gang in the TV booth with Harry Carey to add

     extra excitement to baseball fans watching at home!

  4. Whitey Ford appreciation day changed to Whitey appreciation day

  3. Catchers issued semi-automatic weapons.....for home-plate

     protection only, of course

  2. No more Nomo!

And the top thing that Pat would change about America's pastime:

  1. New Hampshire gets the next expansion franchise

ONLINE DEPARTMENTS

In addition to the humor, Baseball Daily gives fans the hard data they want. This comprehensive baseball information is now at the fingertips of every fan through the 7 interactive departments. Departments include: Feature Articles, where fans can read funny, insightful and up-to-the minute baseball articles; News Articles provides all the newsworthy stories at the click of a mouse; Team Information for recaps and complete boxscores for every game, injury reports, team rosters, player stats, schedules, streaks and more; The Stats Center offers all the inside stuff you need to follow your team and get rotisserie picks right, while the Live Scoreboard will provide all the scores as they happen. AOL members can also test their baseball knowledge every day and win big prizes at the same time in the Contests area. And finally, Interactivities offers Top 10, Quotables, Chat Rooms and Message Boards to remind us that the game is, after all, supposed to be fun.

The AOL Greenhouse provides Extreme Fans Baseball Daily with online production support including full utilization of AOL's publishing tools, Internet publishing support, seed equity funding, marketing resources, online promotion, and an audience of more than 5 million America Online subscribers. Partners in The AOL Greenhouse are given the opportunity to team with interactive marketing partners to assist in the development of new revenue streams.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 3,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.


AOL Launches International Channel
America Online Launches International Channel Showcasing Global Services with Local Appeal

Vienna, VA, April 8, 1996 -- America Online today launched the International Channel -- a new area designed to extend the AOL community to its emerging global membership. This channel provides direct access to all of AOL's recently launched services outside of the US and joins AOL's numerous channels focused on special areas of interest to AOL members.

In the past six months, AOL Europe, a joint venture between America Online, Inc. and Bertelsmann AG, Europe's largest media company, has launched local AOL services in Germany, the United Kingdom and France. In addition, America Online launched AOL Canada in January. Each service is offered in the local language and features local content, news, chat, message boards, and complete access to the US service along with each of the other European services.

"This new channel promotes our vision of a global community by creating the opportunity for the US members to interact with AOL members around the world," said Jack Davies, President of AOL International. "We've remained focused on creating services that are truly country-centric, so that US members can get a real taste of each culture and meet their cyber-neighbors at the click of a button."

The International Channel (keyword: International) will provide Windows users with access to each of these international services as well as internationally oriented content of interest to AOL's more than 5 million US members. Initially, the channel will feature the entire AOL UK and AOL Canada services plus highlights from France and Germany. Later this month, members can also download a special Windows version of AOL in order to access the entirety of the international AOL services and functionality. Access via Macintosh will be available later this year.

The International Channel plans to host global events with notable personalities from around the world, as well as develop original content properties that appeal to a broad international audience. Current areas of note include the UK's Digital Cities London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, where travelers can explore restaurants, local entertainment, city guides, local news, chat and integrated Web links; Canada's MuchMusic, the nation's first national music television channel -- providing innovative and participatory content; France's Paris Non Stop and La Tribune; and Germany's "Owl" newspaper and Elfer soccer area.

AOL members who travel worldwide can now easily connect to AOL at significant savings to other network alternatives through AOLGLOBALnet in 73 countries and 183 cities, many with 28.8 access speeds. AOLnet, with no surcharge, is offered to AOL travelers to Canada in 18 major cities, and in addition offers a modestly surcharged 800 number to access from remote areas of Canada.

America Online, Inc., based in Vienna, Va., is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with more than 5 million subscribers. AOL offers its subscribers a wide variety of services including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express.


Best Power Rackmount Fortress UPS
FULL PRODUCTION OF POPULAR, NEW RACKMOUNT FORTRESS UPS NOW UNDERWAY

NECEDAH, WI, April 1996 - Best Power Rackmount Fortress UPS are now in full production. The three rackmount models, initially available include 720VA, 1020VA, and 1420VA units.

Market acceptance has been strong and the backlog of orders is now being filled, says Brian Crowe, Best Power vice president of sales.

Best Power, a unit of General Signal, is targeting internetworking and communications users with the new rackmount version of its server- sized patented Fortress no-break UPS. Ideally suited for the high- growth segment of the internetworking industry, the Rackmount Fortress is aimed at the rapidly expanding number of users of servers, hubs, routers, and other rackmounted equipment.

The rackmount units are a natural outgrowth of our very successful Fortress UPS line as more networking users elect to put their most important equipment on racks, says Crowe.  The Rackmount Fortress is more compact (only 3.5 inches high) and uses less rack space than any other UPS in its size range. In fact, the Rackmount Fortress UPS is smaller (two-thirds the size of Smart-UPS ) and lower priced than competitive standby and double-conversion products, Crowe emphasizes.

Rackmount Fortress list prices are $799 (U.S.) for the 720VA, $949 (U.S.) for the 1020VA, and $1,149 (U.S.) for the 1420VA. All Best Power Fortress systems come with the company s $25,000 Double Lifetime Limited Warranty, which covers both the BEST products and the computer systems and equipment they protect. (Details are available from BEST on request.)

Regardless of their compact size and value pricing, these Rackmount Fortress UPS don t cut corners -- offering the same user-oriented and protection features as Best Power s standard Fortress line. They have an intelligent user interface with front key pad for easy customizing of different configurations (unlike competitive systems, this doesn t require additional software or connected computers). They offer full surge, spike, brownout and high-line (potentially damaging overvoltage) protection. And they use line-interactive technology to provide only clean, safe power and to isolate protected equipment from power line problems.

Rackmount Fortress units can be installed in either relay-style or enclosed racks and feature user-replaceable batteries with convenient front access that doesn t require tools.

These new rackmount units are also equipped with a communications port for interactive local and remote power management and automatic shutdown capabilities. They are fully compatible with BEST CheckUPS, CheckUPS II and SNMP interface and control products.

Best Power, a unit of General Signal, is based in Necedah, Wisconsin, and is a leading manufacturer of uninterruptible power systems which protect computers, information networks, and other critical systems from power-line disturbances.

Best Power

P.O. Box 280, Necedah, WI 54646 USA

Phone: 608-565-7200; Fax: 608-565-2929

E-Mail info@bestpower.com


CIS Adds Powerful Graphics Tools
QUICKER THAN A WINK--

CompuServe Adds Powerful Graphics Tools In Alliance With Pegasus Imaging Corporation

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 8, 1996 -- No more going for coffee or taking a quick snooze while the PC monitor slowly fills with a picture or graphic you'd like to check out. CompuServe Incorporated announced today that it is partnering with Pegasus Imaging Corporation to integrate its leading edge graphics technology, RapidVue, into the new online service WOW!, CompuServe Information Service release 3.0 available this spring, and all future CompuServe Internet products. RapidVue is a breakthrough imaging product that offers the industry's quickest access to online color pictures through high-speed transmission of compressed graphics through open standards technology based on the progressive JPEG specification. Tests performed by CompuServe have demonstrated that RapidVue's images are faster and smoother than any proprietary graphics product currently available.

This announcement is a continuation of CompuServe's commitment to incorporate advanced multimedia capabilities into its new interfaces. Pictures and graphics may be viewed from any area on CompuServe that contains JPEG graphics. The Electronic Mall area will offer a quick picture of an item for purchase. News photos and magazine covers quickly grab attention, and CompuServe's art and design forums take on new, exciting possibilities. CompuServe's Viewer video conferencing product will also use the RapidVue technology to enhance the picture quality of live action shots.

RapidVue allows applications to display progressively clearer images as they are transferred online through JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image viewing. The unique compression technology provides excellent clarity that allows the user to view the image with as little as one-fifth of the total image transferred. The user has the option of displaying images at their full size, or as small thumbnail sketches. As each layer is transmitted, the image quality increases until the entire image is received. Features include a start/stop function, dynamic color mapping, zooming, and low memory requirements. Users with 256 color monitors will notice a vast improvement in the image quality of JPEG files.

"This is a critical component in our expansion of multimedia capabilities," said David Eastburn, vice president of Product Planning and Development for CompuServe. "We are committed to providing our users with the fastest, highest quality images possible. Using the right tools is part of that commitment. Other graphics tools are available, but RapidVue is state-of-the-art. Waiting several minutes for color graphics to fill your PC screen is now a thing of the past."

"This partnership with CompuServe is shaping the future of communications," said Jack Berlin, president of Pegasus. "We're changing the way people use online technology by providing them with almost instantaneous access to enough information to make quick browsing decisions--no more waiting around while you download the entire file to see it is what you wanted in the first place. The biggest complaint about online graphics use is the speed -- we've solved that!"

Pegasus Imaging Corporation was established in 1991 in Tampa, Florida. It is a leader in digital photographic imaging compression technology and in providing imaging solutions to corporate clients. Pegasus specializes in providing high speed imaging tools to publishers and developers which allow for the incorporation of highly compressed, yet high quality, images into applications. Pegasus also provides tools for color palette control for quality viewing on 256 color displays. Its consulting group provides turnkey imaging solution for corporate clients.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to nearly 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


Nolo Press Partners with WOW! CompuServe
NOLO PRESS PARTNERS WITH WOW! FROM COMPUSERVE TO OFFER LEGAL SELF-HELP INFORMATION

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 8, 1996 -- WOW! from CompuServe today announced its partnership with Nolo Press, the premier self-help legal publisher, to provide online legal information to consumers through CompuServe's new online service.

The publisher of easy-to-use books and software on consumer law subjects will serve as a key content provider on WOW!, providing legal self-help information throughout the WOW! Law Community. Nolo Press will work with the WOW! editorial staff to adapt information, taken from their catalogue of over 100 products, specifically for WOW! members. Written in layman's terms, online articles will be adapted from Nolo articles and books. Topics will range from family law (divorce and child custody), and estate planning (wills and living trusts), to personal finance (credit and debt) and workplace rights (hiring, firing and sexual harassment).

"Our commitment to WOW! members is to offer legal information they can understand," said Scott Kauffman, vice president of consumer markets and general manager of WOW! "Nolo helps us meet that commitment by providing a variety of choices on legal topics ranging from debt to divorce, and from wills to rights in the workplace."

Linda Hanger, president of Nolo, explains why the partnership is ideal: "Nolo Press and WOW! from CompuServe were both born of the need and desire to offer consumers ready access to information that is truly user-friendly and cost effective. We look forward the synergies of providing practical legal information through WOW!, a service designed for all levels of user."

WOW! from CompuServe is a powerful new consumer online service created specifically for home use. The service offers each household member easy access to information, entertainment and communication -- including the Internet -- combined with the flexibility to customize and control the online experience. Its many features include distinct views for grown-ups and children, easy electronic mail, seamless Internet access and multimedia that enliven the service with sound and motion.

Other content providers on WOW! include AutoSite, Dr. Joy Browne, Entertainment Weekly, E-Town, Hearst New Media & Technology, Nash and Brown, National Geographic, On Location Education, Charles Schwab, Sports Illustrated For Kids and Travelocity. To become a charter member of WOW!, call 1-800-9GETWOW. WOW! members pay $17.95 per month for unlimited access to WOW! and the Internet. Each account provides unique e-mail addresses for up to six members of a household. Those signing on before June 30 will become charter members and are guaranteed this pricing for life.

Nolo Press has been the nation's leading source of plain English, self-help legal information for over 25 years. Founded by two former Legal aid lawyers who were fed up with the public's lack of affordable legal information, they began writing understandable, easy-to-use self-help law books. Now, with over 100 products -- books, software packages and more, Nolo has a resource for most legal issues. Nolo Press employs 75 people in an old clock factory in Berkeley, CA.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company. Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in more than 185 countries.


WinNT Support for StorageWorks RAID Array
DIGITAL ANNOUNCES MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SUPPORT FOR STORAGEWORKS RAID ARRAY 410 SUBSYSTEM

StorageWorks Provides Fast-Growing Base of Windows NT Users With Robust RAID Solution to Meet Enterprise Storage Requirements

MAYNARD, Mass., April 5, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation today answered the call of Microsoft Windows NT users seeking more robust storage solutions by extending support of the StorageWorks RAID Array 410 storage subsystem to NT environments. The RAID Array 410 is the first high-end RAID solution to provide NT users with highly-reliable, robust RAID storage capabilities and, with its significant performance enhancements, offers the best price/performance of any RAID system supporting a multi-vendor environment.

As applications continue to move from mainframe to client/ server environments, users are demanding the same levels of performance, data availability and reliability found in the datacenter. And organizations upgrading their workstations or consolidating their UNIX and PC networks demand higher-end features and expanded storage capacity. The RAID Array 410 for NT addresses storage requirements in both these common scenarios.

"Intel-based NT has become the platform of choice and NT users will increasingly require industrial-strength storage solutions to meet their enterprise needs," said Bruce Baird, StorageWorks PC Networks marketing manager. "As the pioneer in providing NT users with the power of RAID, first with our award-winning RAID Array 230 and now with the RAID Array 410, Digital is pleased to be addressing NT users' storage requirements at the high-end."

RAID Array 410 Features and Benefits

The RAID Array 410 provides reliable, expandable, cost-effective RAID storage for NT environments. The modular architecture, snap-in, hot-swap components, and intuitive graphical user interface allow for easy installation, maintenance and expansion. Key features of the RAID Array 410 for NT include optimized performance with up to 4,350 I/Os with a single controller configuration and increased ease of management through a unique caching algorithm that senses workload demands and dynamically adjusts to RAID Level 5 or 3 implementation.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the StorageWorks RAID Array 410 Subsystem for NT begins at $21,103. The product is available immediately from select Digital distributors and value-added resellers (VARs). Call 1-800-STORWORKS (1-800-786-9675) for more information or visit http://www.storage.digital.com/ on the World Wide Web.

The StorageWorks product line is a comprehensive family of storage subsystems, offering modular, competitively-priced, industry-standard solutions in customizable desktop, deskside, and datacenter enclosures. StorageWorks products are available on multiple operating systems and hardware platforms, including Digital, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Sun workstations and servers, and Novell and Windows NT environments.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


Digital, MCI & Microsoft Comm Services
Digital, MCI AND Microsoft ALLY TO OFFER INTEGRATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Companies Expand Relationships to Deliver Intranet, Messaging and Groupware Solutions From MCI

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- April 9, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corp., MCI Communications Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today announced they are delivering integrated intranet, electronic mail and messaging, and groupware business communications services. Digital Chairman Bob Palmer, MCI Chairman Bert Roberts, and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates stated that this alliance builds on existing agreements and leverages MCI's communications expertise and integration capabilities, Digital's technology and support services, and Microsoft software products and technology.

Incorporating the combined expertise of the three companies, MCI will package and deliver local and wide area end-to-end managed network services. Initially targeting the U.S. business market, the solutions will be marketed by MCI under its recently announced Enterprise Network Solutions initiative and supported by the company's networking, Internet and communications technologies and the consulting and implementation expertise of its systems integrations subsidiary SHL Systemhouse. The underlying components of the service's first offerings will include Digital's client-server computing and support strengths and components of the Microsoft BackOffice(tm) family of integrated server software -- Microsoft Exchange Server, Internet Information Server and the Windows NT(tm) Server network operating system.

"Large corporate customers and small businesses alike will benefit from the leading-edge turnkey communications solutions that enable them to better serve their customers through gains in efficiency and enhanced communications capabilities," Roberts said. "MCI will leverage the world's leading hardware, software and network services to deliver the next generation of enhanced intranet and messaging applications for its business customers."

Electronic Mail, Messaging and Groupware

Working together, the three companies intend to develop a fully integrated suite of managed electronic mail and messaging solutions, which will be marketed and licensed by MCI. These solutions combine MCI's robust messaging network; Digital's Alpha server systems; and the Microsoft Exchange server software, the first messaging platform with integrated groupware and Internet connectivity. The suite will provide customers with a "single source" managed environment for enterprise electronic mail and groupware. The service also provides systems management, operations, administration and help-desk services to provide customers a turnkey managed electronic mail environment.

Because of the dramatic increase in Internet use, electronic mail and enhanced messaging services have become critical to business productivity. As a result, the business is expected to grow to $62 billion by the year 2000.

Following are benefits of this powerful combination of products and technology:

    o   Installation and management.  Seamless delivery, installation

        and management of hardware and communications services -- from

        a single point of contact and with one high standard of

        network performance and reliability.  This will allow

        businesses to achieve enterprisewide messaging and

        interoperability.

    o   Messaging services.  A comprehensive package of messaging

        services ranging from basic electronic mail services, such as

        Internet electronic mail, to premium electronic mail and

        messaging services that integrate directory functionality,

        message storage and gateway services with reliable, secure

        delivery.

    o   Network and applications management.  Around-the-clock network

        and applications management, which takes advantage of the

        global network management capabilities of MCI and the

        client-server telecommunications management information

        platform (TeMIP) management software from Digital to ensure

        reliable message delivery.

    o   Systems integration.  Systems integration and services

        expertise will be delivered by MCI's SHL Systemhouse with

        support from Digital.

    o   Groupware services.  A comprehensive package of groupware

        services ranging from simple bulletin boards and discussion

        databases to more sophisticated sales-tracking applications

        will be developed on Microsoft Exchange Server public folders.

        Public folders are replicated databases that can be used to

        distribute and share information both inside and outside an

        organization.

MCI has also announced it will use Microsoft Exchange Server for its internal messaging platform. MCI will integrate Microsoft Exchange Server with the MCI Mail infrastructure to provide enhanced messaging and groupware capabilities to its employees and customers.

"Microsoft Exchange was created to meet the messaging, groupware and Internet electronic mail requirements of companies today and in the future," Gates said. "Providing a reliable and high-performance solution to today's distributed workplace, Microsoft Exchange enables work teams spread across an enterprise to share information and collaborate as if they were across the hall. The combined services of Microsoft Exchange Server and the communications, network management and computing capabilities of MCI and Digital offer customers a complete infrastructure for deploying mission-critical business solutions."

Intranet Networking Services

The three companies will work together to develop solutions that will enable MCI to help businesses increase workplace collaboration and productivity by offering a package of managed intranet solutions. Included in the initial offerings will be MCI WebSite Services and MCI Enterprise Connect. Intranets, private web-based Internet networks accessible only within an enterprise, are used to connect employees and business partners to critical corporate information. Intranets are also used for file sharing, document transfers and establishing interactive bulletin boards within an enterprise.

"This alliance combines all of the technologies and services required for businesses to gain the enormous productivity benefits of a corporate intranet," Palmer said. "Digital, MCI and Microsoft will bring to the intranet market the same innovations they have already delivered to the Internet."

Industry analysts estimate the current $400 million market for intranet services, software and hardware will reach $8 billion by 1998. It is also projected that by the end of the decade, 90 percent of all Web servers and software sold will be for intranet applications.

The end-to-end managed network solution combines the world's leading Internet technologies to provide the following products and services:

    o   MCI WebSite Services.  Provides Web site content creation,

        hosting, access and Internet security and management.

    o   MCI Enterprise Connect.  A component of MCI's new Enterprise

        Networking Solution initiative, MCI Enterprise Connect offers

        a range of intranet and Internet connectivity options over

        MCI's Internet backbone, including dedicated, frame relay,

        SMDS, ISDN and remote dial-up access.

    o   Search engine and interactive tools.  A suite of technologies

        from Digital that provide Internet search and indexing

        capabilities, workgroup collaboration software for online

        audio, and document conferencing with remote access and

        security.

    o   Web site and browsing software.  MCI will package leading

        Internet software with its intranet solution, including the

        following:

        -  Microsoft Internet Information Server.  These new services

           will be built upon Internet Information Server (IIS), the

           only Web server integrated into Windows NT Server.  IIS is

           an easy-to-use yet powerful platform for Web applications.

        -  Customized versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer.  MCI

           will offer privately branded versions of Microsoft Internet

           Explorer to businesses both for their own internal use and

           to provide to their customers.  Microsoft Internet Explorer

           is the first cross-platform Internet client to integrate

           ActiveX(tm) technologies, which enables businesses to

           create, view and share highly interactive applications and

           content.

MCI will adopt Windows NT Server and Microsoft Internet Information Server for its Internet and Intranet Web Hosting Services.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

MCI (NASDAQ "MCIC") is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing diversified communications companies. With annual revenue of more than $15 billion, MCI offers consumers and businesses a broad portfolio of services including long distance, wireless, local access, paging, Internet software and access, information services, outsourcing, business software, advanced global telecommunications services, and music distribution and merchandising. An MCI company, SHL is a leader in client-server computing and offers a wide range of consulting and systems integration services as well as customized software solutions.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

For more information, press only:

For Digital:    Tom Madden, (508) 264-6675

For MCI:        Jim Monroe, MCI, (800) 644-NEWS

For Microsoft:  Megan McKenzie, Waggener Edstrom, (503) 245-0905

                Helene Love, Waggener Edstrom, (206) 637-9097

For product information, customers may call: (888) 200-7002


Digital Opens Enterprise Solutions Center
DIGITAL OPENS INDUSTRY'S FIRST ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS CENTER FOR WINDOWS-BASED SOLUTIONS

First of Planned Worldwide Centers from Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing

Provides Microsoft Windows-based Solutions for Multivendor Environments

BELLEVUE, WA -- April 9, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation, as part of the Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing, today opened the world's only center that supports companies deploying Windows NT and BackOffice solutions in a multivendor environment. The new Enterprise Solutions Center for Windows, located here, will be the expertise hub for Windows NT support at industry and technology centers located around the world.

The center provides the multivendor hardware and software environments typically found in large IT installations. Available at the center are experts in client/server computing and software applications from Microsoft and partners. Real-world Scenarios

At the center, visitors can examine Windows-based applications working with existing software applications in prototype IT environments. Visitors can use these prototypes, or build custom hardware and software environments, as starting points to test real-world scenarios for their business applications. No other facility in the world offers this capability.

Companies deploying Windows NT and BackOffice solutions in a multivendor environment now can gain the benefits of integrated consulting and technology solutions at a single location. The center provides expertise in networking, client/server systems management, the Internet, information management, electronic messaging, and object-oriented application development, in addition to several industry-focused Windows solution prototypes. One-Stop Shopping

"More and more large IT installations are adding Windows NT to their multivendor computing environments," said Vincenzo Damiani, vice president and general manager of Digital's Accounts Business Unit. "This center will give them the one-stop shopping they need to smoothly incorporate the benefits of Microsoft Windows- and Windows NT-based applications that support their business operations."

"The Center delivers the type of integrated technology and services that enterprise customers require," said Bob McDowell, VP, Microsoft Enterprise Relationships. "Our goal is to help customers meet the current and future challenges of enterprise computing by providing a unique setting for working out business problems with technology and consulting. Cutting-Edge Competency

"This center is yet another example of concrete benefits from the Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing -- providing cutting-edge competency from the Digital/Microsoft team for companies using Microsoft solutions across their enterprises," said Robert Bismuth, Digital's vice president of the Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing.

The Microsoft/Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing (AEC) was initiated in August 1995. The Alliance combines Digital's leading multivendor support services and systems integration with Microsoft products and services and Digital Alpha and Intel products, connectivity software, and enterprise systems. The Alliance enables customers to deploy business solutions on the Microsoft Windows and Windows NT operating systems with assurance of integration into the most demanding multivendor business environments.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


Realignment of Two Digital Business Units
DIGITAL ANNOUNCES REALIGNMENT OF TWO BUSINESS UNITS

MAYNARD, Mass., April 10, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation today announced that its Digital Semiconductor Business Unit will move to the company's Components Division and that its Storage Business Unit will become part of its Systems Business Unit.

"These changes better align the company's business model with the marketplace, enhance competitiveness and streamline our product distribution," said Digital Chairman Robert B. Palmer.

The new alignment of Digital Semiconductor is designed to help the company expand alliances and partnerships in the growing 64-bit computing environment, Palmer said.

The move of the Storage Business Unit to the Systems Business Unit takes advantage of the synergy between the two businesses. In addition, it further leverages Digital's storage technology with respect to Very Large Memory (VLM) architectures, as the company increases its leadership in the market for large-scale servers, Palmer said.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace. All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


WWW Java Contest Sponsored by JavaWorld
InterAct '96 Launches World Wide Web Java Contest Sponsored by JavaWorld

JavaWorld and Java Applet Rating Service (JARS) sponsor InterAct '96 Java Contest

MARLBOROUGH, MA -- InterAct '96, the world's first virtual trade show in conjunction with JavaWorld and Java Applet Rating Service (JARS) today launched its first annual Java Contest for Java programmers around the globe. Leading Java Programmers will submit their innovative Applets to a panel of judges from JavaWorld and JARS for consideration. The winning Applets will be announced at the InterAct '96 virtual trade show on April 25 and the top applet entrant will receive a trip for two to Jamaica. Interested applicants will find more information at: http://www.interact96.com, or http://www.javaworld.com/common/interat.contest.html.

Java programming language allows small applications to be downloaded across the Internet and run within Internet browsers. Java is currently used in the development of some of the most innovative Web applications. These types of applications will be featured at the InterAct '96 virtual trade show from April 23 - 25.

Java programmers are encouraged to enter their most creative and innovative applets to the contest by April 15th for review. Submitted Applets will be adjudicated based on presentation, content, visual appeal, quality, graphics, programming-difficulty, function, and originality of design.

"We are excited to have a venue, like InterAct '96, for developers and programmers to showcase their most creative Java Applets," said Michael O'Connell,  editor- in-chief of JavaWorld. "This contest promises to demonstrate to InterAct '96 attendees the most innovative uses of the Java programming language from leading programmers around the world."

JavaWorld is IDG's Web-only magazine for the Java community of developers and enthusiasts. Located at http://www.javaworld.com, JavaWorld is a full-fledged magazine with hands-on features and how-to columns (which include live Java applets and example Java and JavaScript code), reviews, tips, new-product news, news analysis, and links to key sites. The magazine helps readers choose products, understand key Java issues and concepts, identify opportunities, and get the most out of Java and related technologies. JavaWorld is published by Web Publishing Inc., an IDG Communications company.

InterAct '96, a joint project of InfoWorld, Stratus Computer, Inc. (NYSE:SRA), and TIME Magazine, will open its virtual doors April 23-25, 1996, and can be attended by anyone with Internet access. The conference will provide exciting interactive access to a wide variety of activities including: on-line presentations, virtual demonstrations, meetings with vendor organizations, virtual press conferences and daily personal contact with industry leaders, presenters, and other attendees. All presentations will be available at any time to conference attendees in both video, audio and text formats and will remain at the conference site: http://www.interact96.com until May 15.

InterAct '96, the world's first virtual conference, will welcome thousands of attendees and companies on-line on April 23. Partners, vendors, attendees, press, and analysts can access additional information at: http://www.interact96.com or info@interact96.com. For more information on being a partner please call 1-800- 556-2589. InterAct '96, where minds meet, is a joint development project from InfoWorld, Stratus Computer, Inc., and Time Magazine.

Contact: Francois Gossieaux, Stratus Computer, Inc.

Voice: 508-460-2715

Email: info@interact96.com

or

Contact: Gene Carozza/Jane Hiscock, Neva Group

Voice: 617-441-4000, ext. 244/224

Email: jhiscock@neva.com


NetScheme Intros InterMart Toolkit
NetScheme Introduces InterMart Toolkit For Developing Web Front-Ends to Datamarts

New Toolkit Enables Developers to Build Easy, Intuitive Web Browser-Based Applications for Navigating Relational Databases Without SQL Knowledge

URL: http://www.netscheme.com

MARLBOROUGH, MA -- NetScheme Solutions, Inc. today introduced NetScheme InterMart Toolkit(, the first application development toolkit that combines intuitive Web browser-based database access to powerful, object-based querying and data navigation. InterMart Toolkit enables developers to provide business users with easy access -- without SQL knowledge -- to data stored in relational databases by turning their data into hypertext links that can be easily navigated using popular Web browsers.

An innovative set of easy-to-use data navigation tools for both Internet and Intranet database applications, InterMart Toolkit supports the popular Microsoft SQL Server databases on the Windows NT platform. In addition, InterMart Toolkit will support any relational database which complies with Microsoft's ODBC connectivity specification. The alpha version of InterMart Toolkit is available for developers starting this week, with the beta version available in May and first customer shipments of Release 1.0 of the product slated for July. NetScheme will be demonstrating InterMart Toolkit in its Booth #435 at DB Expo next week in San Francisco and in its Booth #2123 at Internet World starting April 29 in San Jose.

"InterMart Toolkit gives developers the ability to rapidly build Web-based applications that make it easy for anyone to browse data in relational databases, without requiring the user to write or understand SQL," said Carl J. Young, NetScheme president. "We believe that developers and database administrators that are creating Intranet front-ends for their corporate datamarts will find the benefits of InterMart Toolkit compelling."

InterMart Toolkit is the first suite of database tools to allow intelligent, focused queries of database data by end-users working from an intuitive, easy-to-use Web browser. InterMart Toolkit will make it practical for corporate datamarts to be connected to an Intranet as a means of providing easy data browsing throughout the enterprise.

InterMart Toolkit Users

The InterMart Toolkit is designed for major corporations, OEMs and ISVs that are developing distributed Intranet and Internet applications for corporate data warehouses and datamarts that need to provide Web-based access.

"Most users need fast, easy and flexible access to corporate information stored in datamarts or data warehouses," said Dave Kelly, director of the Applications Development Service at Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc. "We expect to see a convergence of datamarts with Intranet Web browser support as a way to provide that capability."

NetScheme is also targeting ISVs and VARs who will license the product for a wide variety of applications. Visibility, Inc., Wilmington, MA, a leading vendor software systems for enterprise resource planning (ERP) in the manufacturing industry is a NetScheme alpha development partner. Visibility is testing InterMart Toolkit with its customer, Aavid Thermal Technologies, Laconia, NH, a manufacturer of custom heat dissipation devices for the semiconductor industry. Visibility and Aavid are building a prototype Web- based ad hoc inquiry system for Aavid's network of manufacturer's reps.

"The software products we will develop using InterMart Toolkit will enable our customers to gain competitive advantage by tapping the power of the Web to easily access real-time mission-critical business information stored in back-end databases," said Scott Lundstrom, vice president of product management at Visibility. "NetScheme's object- based modeler makes it possible for end-users to easily browse a production database using only hypertext navigation links. This means Aavid's reps will be able to log in via the Web to access real live production data such as delivery schedules or application descriptions, or even place an order through the Web."

Connecting the Datamart to the Intranet

"The client-side delivery mechanism of choice for datamarts is fast becoming HTML-based Web browsers deployed on internal corporate Intranets," said Dr. Robert Rubin, NetScheme's vice president of engineering. "Web browsers offer a natural, easy-to-use mechanism for navigating from one item of information to another: hypertext links that are followed simply by pointing and clicking with a mouse. Thus we designed InterMart Toolkit to meet the challenge of transforming the data in the datamart into navigable hypertext."

InterMart Toolkit Components The InterMart Toolkit is implemented by four cooperating components: the Navigation Model, NetScheme Modeler, the Navigation Server and the ODBC Driver:

Model-Based Architecture

--NetScheme InterMart Toolkit creates an object-oriented navigation model that displays the database objects, their descriptive and identifying properties, and the relationships among them. The architecture incorporates a RADD (Rapid Application Development and Deployment) Modeler and a scalable Navigation Server.

NetScheme Modeler

--NetScheme Modeler creates a business-oriented navigation model that presents information to users in their own terms. The Modeler uses a wizard to transform the database schema into the initial navigation model. The Navigation Model Wizard inspects the database and automatically generates a Navigation Model that includes all of the business objects and navigation links. This wizard enables users to automatically create a set of forms that contain navigation links. This step is as straightforward as creating a presentation using any software package.

NetScheme Navigation Server

--The scaleable NetScheme Navigation Server lets users navigate through the data, browsing from form to form simply by pointing and clicking on navigation links. These actions trigger intelligent, focused queries that retrieve the appropriate data, reporting it in whatever format is most useful. The Navigation Server uses the navigation model to translate requests from a standard Web browser into SQL queries performed against the database employed to build the model. Besides enabling the user to browse the data, the Navigation Server also supports browsing the dictionary that describes the model itself, keeps a browsing session history that lets the user revisit or reuse any form that was previously displayed, and archives the context of the query. The model also contains a data governor that can be set to any desired parameters, preventing so-called "run-away queries" that run amok by returning enormous amounts of unneeded information.

ODBC Driver

--The InterMart Toolkit ODBC Driver lets any desktop application link with the Navigation Server, making it easy for even untrained users to issue queries and retrieve information. In addition, it presents a common view of the database to all users of Internet browsers and other standard desktop tools.

System Requirements for InterMart Toolkit

NetScheme Modeler:

--Operating System:     Windows 95 or Windows NT

--RAM:                  16 MB minimum recommended

--Disk Space:           20 MB minimum recommended

Integrates with leading HTML editors, Web browsers and Web servers.

NetScheme Navigation Server:

--Designed for use with Microsoft NT Server and Microsoft SQL Server

--Can be accessed by any Windows, Macintosh or UNIX Web browser or

--ODBC-compliant Windows desktop application.

Pricing and Availability

InterMart Toolkit is available immediately for professional developers. Pricing for the toolkit license is $695 per server. There are no client license requirements or run-time fees. Support will be available through the NetScheme Web site, where users can get up-to-date technical information and download software updates, demos and sample applications.

NetScheme Solutions, Inc. is a new company formed from the core technology, management team, engineering team of Open Data Corporation. The company's mission is to create a family of premier software tool products designed to meet the needs of professional developers creating Internet- and Intranet-based datamarts. The company is backed by a prestigious group of venture capital investors, including Applied Technology, Oak Investment Partners, Highland Capital Partners, Invemed, Soros Fund Management and Venrock Associates. Headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, NetScheme is located at 201 Boston Post Road West, Suite 400, Marlborough, MA 01752, and can be reached at (508) 480-0877, via fax at (508) 480-0983 or on the Web at http://www.netscheme.com.

Contact: Brenda Nichols, Parker, Nichols & Company, Inc.

Voice: 508-369-2100

Email: bnichols@parker-nichols.com


ichat SELECTS FITZGERALD INTERACTIVE

INTERNET CHAT SYSTEMS COMPANY NAMES AGENCY OF RECORD

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- FitzGerald Interactive Inc., a marketing communications agency that designs and implements programs for leveraging new media technology within clients overall communications strategies, today announced the addition of Austin, Texas-based ichat, Inc. to its client roster. ichat, Inc. is a privately held company whose mission is to provide a user-friendly channel for accessing Internet chat resources, and to provide tools for creating robust and professional chat servers that can be integrated with the World Wide Web.

Communications programs for ichat, Inc. will center around World Wide Web site development and public relations outreach to business press and the new media industry infrastructure. FitzGerald Interactive will also develop and manage online and traditional communication activities to promote ichat client/server tools which expand the functionality and uses of real-time chat systems on the Internet.

ichat, Inc. Selects FitzGerald Interactive

"We chose FitzGerald Interactive because they have combined expertise in new media marketing communications and Web site development," said Andrew Busey, founder and president of ichat, Inc. "We are excited at the prospect of working with FitzGerald Interactive and are confident that our coordinated efforts will lead to significant mindshare gain in the Internet marketplace."

About ichat

ichat, Inc. is a privately held company whose mission is to provide a user-friendly channel for accessing Internet chat resources and provide tools for creating robust and professional chat servers that can be integrated with the World Wide Web. For more information on the company and its products, visit the ichat Web site at http://www.ichat.com.

About FitzGerald

Launched by parent company FitzGerald Communications Inc. in January 1996, FitzGerald Interactive Inc. provides consulting, creative solution development, implementation, management and promotion of new media applications for interactive marketing and communications. FitzGerald Communications Inc., founded in 1994, provides strategic communications counsel, including public relations and investor relations, to high-technology companies spanning a wide range of market segments. A results- driven agency, FitzGerald is built on long-standing industry relationships and is committed to delivering unmatched product quality and client service. FitzGerald Communications was recently named the fifth largest high-technology agency in New England by the Boston Business Journal and one of the nationUs RHot Technology AgenciesS by Inside PR. Both companies are based in Cambridge, Mass. and are featured on the World Wide Web at http://www.fitzgerald.com.

Contact: Stacy Breines, FitzGerald Interactive Inc.

Voice: 617-494-9500, ext. 259

Email: stacy_breines@fitzcomm.com


InterAct '96 Showcases Internet Technologies
INTERACT '96 SHOWCASES INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES IN WORLD'S FIRST VIRTUAL TRADESHOW FOR DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING

InterAct '96 Delivers Technology Firsts Through Integration of HTML, ShockWave, Java, VRML and Avatars

MARLBORO, MA-- InterAct '96, the first virtual trade show for distributed computing, is preparing to unveil the world's most innovative integration of hypertext markup language (HTML), Java, and virtual reality markup language (VRML) programming available on the World Wide Web. Developed by programmers specializing in HTML, Java, and VRML, InterAct '96 is the only Web site to showcase a combination of 3-D VRML chat rooms, streamed audio and video, and innovative Java applets. InterAct '96 promises to deliver the most unique technology trade show experience to all attendees, vendors, and press.

"We have tested our technology with leading Java developers, HTML encoders, and VRML programmers. This is the most innovative integration of these technologies available on the Web," said Francois Gossieaux, director of InterAct '96. "The InterAct '96 trade show has been tested by industry leaders who claim that this level of technology integration is an industry first."

Trade Show Technology in Action

After traveling through the virtual conference gates, InterAct '96 attendees will choose their trade show experience as a standard HTML trade show or as a Virtual VRML trade show. For access to the HTML trade show, the attendees can access the World Wide Web via any Web browser. The trade show experience improves, however, if the user's browser has the capacity for multimedia applications. InterAct '96 trade show content exists in a number of formats including: Java, Shockwave, streamed audio/video, and net-phone.

The VRML trade show booths are visible to anyone with a VRML browser. A VRML browser allows users to enter the 3-D trade show floor and participate in virtual chat sessions through Java chat rooms. In addition, interactive avatars are available through Black Sun Inc.'s CyberGate technology. Avatars are other figures that users see moving throughout the trade show floor. When a user clicks on an avatar, it will show the InterAct '96 Cybercard, a virtual business card. The avatars provide a high level of interaction and discussion between attendees since users are able to see where others are gathered on the show floor.

Real-Time Video

InterAct '96 promises to deliver the industry's leading minds in Web and distributed computing technologies. InterAct '96 attendees will have an opportunity to view a range of speakers, from Business@Web's Klaus Besier, to America Online's Ted Leonsis, in real-time video facilitated by Voxware. In order to view the streamed audio and video technologies, users are required to have the plug-ins provided by VDOnet and Voxware. All of the necessary plug-ins for InterAct '96 can be obtained in the toolbox section of the home page: http://www.interact96.com. Users who do not wish to experience the speaking presentations through audio or video can obtain text-only transcripts of the speeches, and participate in on-line chat sessions that occur at pre- scheduled times during the show.

Chats

There are three main types of discussion rooms available for InterAct '96 chat sessions: discussion rooms for technical topics, partner chat rooms that are linked to the partners' booths, and Q&A speaker sessions that follow the presentations. The chat sessions are available through a combination of technologies, depending upon the users capabilities. All of the formats allow the user to participate in on-line discussions with other InterAct '96 attendees. Intelligent Navigator

Unlike other trade shows where attendees must choose between speaking sessions and demonstrations, the InterAct '96 trade show allows attendees to create their own schedule. This is possible through the InterAct '96 Intelligent Navigator. The Intelligent Navigator creates a customized InterAct '96 schedule for each registered attendee. To initiate the Navigator, the attendee fills out a registration form at any point before or during the conference. The form asks for answers to specific questions regarding the attendee's technology level, their interests, the types of software or hardware they use or are planning to buy, or any "hot topics" they would like to flag. Each time the attendee logs on to InterAct '96, the Navigator will inform them of forthcoming discussions and events, changes in speakers, and other important information relevant to the attendee's profile.

InterAct '96, a joint project of InfoWorld, Stratus Computer, Inc. (NYSE:SRA), and TIME Magazine, will open its virtual doors April 23-25, 1996, and can be attended by anyone who registers at the InterAct '96 Web site: http://www.interact96.com. The conference will provide exciting, interactive access to a wide variety of activities, including on-line presentations, virtual demonstrations, meetings with vendor organizations, virtual press conferences and daily personal contact with industry leaders, presenters, and other attendees. All InterAct '96 presentations will be available all times to conference attendees in video, audio and text formats at the conference site: http://www.interact96.com, until May 15.

Contacts: Francois Gossieaux, Stratus Computer, Inc.

Voice: 508-460-2715

Email: francois_gossieaux@stratus.com

or

Contact: Gene Carozza or Jane Hiscock, Neva Group, Inc

Voice: 617-441-4000 ext. 244/224

Email: gcarozza@neva.com or jhiscock@neva.com


Surefine Online Data Backup/Recovery via CIS
SUREFIND ONLINE DATA BACK-UP AND RECOVERY NOW AVAILABLE ON COMPUSERVE INFORMATION SERVICE

Product Makes Powerful Data Back-up Easy for Anyone

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 9, 1996 -- CompuServe, the world's leading Internet access provider and most extensive online information service, today announced the availability of Surefind Online, a new service that provides CompuServe users with online data back-up and recovery. CompuServe recently signed an exclusive marketing agreement with Surefind to act as the online marketer of the Surefind service.

Surefind protects CompuServe users from common data problems, including overwriting a data file, a hard disk crash or loss of data due to a power failure. By using the Surefind service, home-based or corporate computer users can protect themselves from losing important business, personal or legal documents, all of which could lead to costly data replacement and loss of business.

How Surefind Online Works

Users can download the Surefind software through CompuServe (GO BACKUP) or by calling Surefind at 1-800-787-0009. With Surefind, users can schedule their PCs to dial the Surefind center and automatically back-up their PC data files to Surefind electronic vaults via the user's PC modem. Data is encrypted and password-protected prior to transmission to ensure privacy and security, and is available for around-the-clock recovery within minutes.

Surefind stores the user's data in secure locations on optical platters. The Surefind service allows users to perform regularly scheduled back-ups without having to purchase tape drives, use fragile diskettes or remember to perform any manual back-up tasks.

Pricing and Availability

The Surefind service is available now in the United States and Canada and is compatible with most of today's operating systems. International access to Surefind and support for Windows 95 and Windows NT will be available later this month.

With Surefind software, users receive up to 100 megabytes of initial data storage, one free month of basic service (weekly updates of five megabytes each) and two free data recoveries (of up to 20 megabytes each) within the first month's service, all for a one-time fee of $19.95. Afterward, the basic monthly service is $9.95 for weekly updates of five megabytes each with a 50 cent fee for each additional megabyte. Users can recover directories, files or even file versions for a 50 cent fee for each megabyte after a $5.00 minimum.

In addition, Surefind also offers users a three-day-a-week preferred' service for $24.95 and a seven-day-a-week premium' service for $54.95.

Interested users can call 1-800-787-0009 or CompuServe users can access the Surefind service online (GO BACKUP).

Surefind Information, Inc., is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. The company also sells its services to corporations and organizations that require online storage and retrieval for local area networks. Surefind Information, Inc. was recently acquired by Stamford, CT-based EIS International (Nasdaq: EISI). EIS International is a leading application software and systems supplier, providing business solutions to the financial service, direct marketing, fund raising and telecommunications industries.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 900 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


Zuken-Redac VISULA Design Partitioning
Zuken-Redac Launches VISULA Design Partitioning

Tewkesbury, 19 March 1996 - Zuken-Redac, the world's number one supplier of CAD/CAM solutions for PCB/MCM electronics design* launches VISULA Design Partitioning, a new hierarchical PCB/MCM layout tool for subcircuit reuse and concurrent board layout.

Available as an option to VISULA Layout Editor, the Design Partitioning toolset allows designers to apply a hierarchical approach to the layout process. A dramatic increase in productivity can be achieved by using the concurrent layout methodology which allows more than one designer to work in parallel on the same large complex board. The result of each individual designer can then be combined into the final design. Team-based design helps to meet demanding schedules.

KEY FEATURES OF VISULA DESIGN PARTITIONING ALLOWS;

* Designers to apply a hierarchical approach to the layout process

* More than one designer to work in parallel on the same design

* Reuse of existing areas (complete designs or selected parts) of

  circuitry that have already been placed, checked and tested.

* Analysis (Thermal, EMC and High-Speed) to be performed on design

  partitions, which improves design throughput to achieve a right-

  first-time design methodology.

"For some time now, designers have been able to reuse sections of a design at the logical level via the use of hierarchy in schematics. Traditionally PCB layout tools have not supported hierarchy or subcircuit reuse. We believe that reuse of proven sections of layout will increase the quality and reduce design cycles. VISULA Design Partitioning will provide our customers with hierarchical layout and the ability to take advantage of subcircuit reuse and concurrent layout," said Mark Thompson, VISULA Product Marketing Manager.

The customer requirements for such product functionality (as now available in VISULA Design Partitioning) began in 1993 as a three year joint European project called CONSOLE, involving Zuken-Redac, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Matra Marconi Space France, Matra Defense and ICL. This project was partially funded under the ESPRIT initiative - project number 8369. The project aims were to deliver solutions that offered significant gains in systems design and layout productivity, and to reduce the number of design cycles caused by manufacturing issues constraints. The solution had to give both the CAD layout designer and the production engineer a set of tools that would assess the manufacturability and testability of a given design against a known manufacturing configuration.

The CONSOLE project partners are committed to use the tools developed as part of this project, on real production designs, and when proven to adopt them into their design departments. The results are to be progressively delivered to the market via the distribution channels of the EDA vendor partner. This release is phase one of the CONSOLE project. Phase two will be full system hierarchy, to be released in 1997.

ICL operate in the highly competitive, price sensitive computer segment of the electronics market. A recent design for a very large and complex high performance PCB took 4 months. Jim Heaton of ICL Limited stated "Using VISULA Design Partitioning concepts on a design of this complexity, will save a considerable amount of layout time, at least one iteration could be saved."

Design Partitioning

By using the ability to partition the design, any number of designers in a team-based environment can work in parallel on the same design. At the same time, it ensures that any conflicts between the separate designs are reduced to a minimum, when the partitions are combined to create the final layout.

This method of working will ensure that the designs have compatible technology and design rules, also that the circuit corresponds to a block in the original design, therefore allowing the partitioned designs to be consistently managed and verified throughout the design process.

Partitions can be examined and checked for progress in the master design during the layout process, and any discrepancies can be taken care of in the early stages. DRC and post-processing can be performed at any stage before or after the final design has been put together.

"This Design Partitioning methodology in PCB layout allows a number of designers to work in parallel on the same design. At the same time, it ensures that any conflicts between the separate designs are reduced to a minimum when created with compatible technology and design rules, and that the circuit description maintains an exact match with the original logical design. Also, design partitioning in PCB CAD tools is unique to Zuken-Redac's VISULA system," added Thompson.

Subcircuit Reuse

Areas of circuitry that have already been placed, checked and tested, either on the same design or on different designs can be easily added to a library of reusable designs. Designers can then browse the library of existing verified designs or parts of designs and when a design has been selected for reuse, it can be loaded into the master design. The design can be loaded and copied into the master design as many times as required.

Areas of circuitry are often repeated on PCB layouts, either on the same board or between boards. Many systems make use of multiple channels of essentially identical functionality on one board. Design time can be reduced if all these channels can be designed once and used as many times as necessary.

VISULA Design Partitioning will be available in Calendar Q3 1996. Pricing will be in the region of 10,000 per license.

With annual sales in excess of $140 million, Zuken-Redac is the worldwide number one vendor in the PCB/MCM design market*. The company provides a full range of high performance software solutions for 'right-first- time' electronics PCB design and layout through to manufacture - under all Windows platforms and Unix. Zuken-Redac has sales, support and development offices in Europe, USA and the Far East, and an international network of distributors and business partners.

* Source Dataquest: February 1996

Editorial contacts:

Cathryn Hage    Zuken-Redac, Tewkesbury, UK

                Tel: +44 (0)1684 294161  Fax: +44 (0)1684 299754

Jackie Harris   Press Officer, Wokingham Berkshire, UK

                Tel: +44 (0)1734 891978  Fax: +44 (0)1734 891972


EarthLink Selects SurfWatch Parental Control
EARTHLINK SELECTS SURFWATCH PARENTAL CONTROL SOFTWARE FOR ITS EXPRESSNET SUITE

Nation's Third Largest Internet Access Provider Makes SurfWatch Widely Available as Part of a Comprehensive, Affordable New Internet Solution

LOS ALTOS, Calif., April 9, 1996 - SurfWatch Software, Inc., today announced an alliance with EarthLink Network, Inc. to include SurfWatch, parental control software, in a comprehensive Internet solution package being offered by Graphix Zone for the Internet access provider.

In addition to SurfWatch, every copy of EarthLink Network's ExpressNet Suite includes Netscape Navigator 2.0, the most popular and highly acclaimed Internet Web browser; free Internet account set-up plus seven days of free use from EarthLink Network; an interactive Internet Coach Netscape tutorial by APTE; VocalTec's Internet Phone, which lets users participate in real-time, two-way Internet conversations worldwide; and a variety of Netscape Multimedia Plug-ins that enhance the multimedia capabilities of the Internet. Valued at more than $250 as separate products, ExpressNet Suite sells for $49.95 per multi-platform CD-ROM.

"SurfWatch makes it easy for parents to proactively control what their kids have access to, and it does so without restricting the fundamental freedoms the net was built on," said Sky Dayton, CEO of EarthLink Network, Inc.

"EarthLink Network's ExpressNet Suite is ideally suited for families and new Internet users, who are SurfWatch's prime customers," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch Software. "ExpressNet Suite is an easy, affordable way to take advantage of all the educational and entertainment advantages of the Internet, and SurfWatch will help parents let their children have a positive Internet experience."

SurfWatch lets parents, teachers and employers block unwanted sexually explicit and other material from their computers' Internet access-without restricting the access rights of other Internet users. The SurfWatch software removes no material from the Internet or any server, but simply blocks it at any computer or local network where it is installed. SurfWatch screens Internet newsgroups, World Wide Web, FTP, Gopher, Chat and other services.

EarthLink Network is one of the largest national "pure Internet" access providers in North America. It provides local 28.8kb Internet access and business Internet services from more than 250 points of presence (POPs) in the U.S. and Canada-with more cities being added weekly. In less than two years, the company has grown from two employees to more than 325. EarthLink Network's Total Access was recently rated "A" by The Net magazine.

SurfWatch Software, Inc., based in Los Altos, Calif., is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. Founded in January 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products that have a positive impact on peoples' lives, SurfWatch's first products enable parents, teachers and employers to block sexually explicit material on the Internet. SurfWatch Software can be reached at 415-948-9500 or via the World Wide Web at http://www.surfwatch.com.

Contacts:

Jay Friedland               Vikki Holmes

SurfWatch Software          EarthLink Network, Inc.

Phone:  415.948.9500        Phone: 818.296.2467

Fax:    415.948.9577        Fax:   818.296.4161

jay@surfwatch.com           vh@earthlink.net

http://www.surfwatch.com


Millions View WebCruise on TV News
MILLIONS VIEW "WEBCRUISE" ON TV NEWS AS "JUMPCITY!" LAUNCHES

New Primetime TV Show about the Internet to Debut

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Millions of consumers this weekend watched a first-ever three minute feature news segment called "WebCruise!" which showcased three popular sites on the World Wide Web, bringing pictures of the wired revolution to watchers of network news.

"WebCruise was our way of testing the waters with TV news directors, who really have a finger on the pulse of what people want. They jumped on this story, and it really reinforces our belief that this is THE time to launch our Primetime reality-based entertainment series about the Internet," stated "JumpCity!" producer Daniel Hopsicker.

"We think the Internet's the biggest consumer phenomenon since the hula hoop, and it clearly deserves a show conveying the gleeful fun and sheer joy of 'cyberpilots' worldwide."

"WebCruise" will be a weekly feature, both going to satellite as news, and playing as a segment on "Global Business 2000," which airs on NBC internationally, as well as inflight on flagship carriers like United and USAir. Its designer to help consumers learn of great sites to access, and allow marketers to generate more traffic to their World Wide Web sites.

Contact: Daniel Hopsicker, Economic Television

Voice: 1-800-264-0920

Email: econtv@earthlink.net


REVERSE SEARCHING NOW AVAILABLE ON PC411

Leading Online Phone Directory Service Announces Newest Version 2.0 for Windows Release

INGLEWOOD, CA -- PC411, Inc., a pioneer in providing instant online access to telephone directory listings, announced the release of its latest software product, PC411 for Windows Release 2.0, which will be available in early June. The software will greatly enhance the ability of users to find listings in the largest online telephone directory available. PC411 provides access to more than 108 million white and yellow page listings in the U.S. and Canada as well as the AT&T National 800 directory.

Utilizing the 2.0 release, users will be able to type in a telephone number and retrieve the business or residential name as well as the complete mailing address with ZIP code. Users can even enter the seven digit `local phone number' and receive a list of all numbers that match from different area codes in a given state. "We're very pleased to be able to provide this functionality in a simple-to-use format," said Chris Hansen, president of PC411, Inc. "With PC411, a user can look up just one listing or hundreds at a time. More than 25 area codes are expected to split in the next year-and-a-half, creating an overwhelming task for people and businesses to keep their telephone lists up-to-date. Many telephone numbers quickly become unusable. PC411 can assist in finding the correct new number."

Advances in personal computer telephony products such as built-in answering machines, fax machines, speakerphones, Caller-ID services and modem capabilities make online phone directory services integrated directly with PCs a must. PC411 can take names or numbers from other software applications and search for any published listing in the United States and Canada, printing or storing the listings and even dialing the numbers directly for the user.

PC411's reverse searching capability is of immediate use for people with numeric pagers and with the new Caller- ID services from the phone companies. Caller-ID will become available in California on June 1 and is currently available in many other parts of the country. Often, subscribers to Caller-ID services don't have access to names and addresses associated with identified numbers. Businesses now can use PC411 to associate names and addresses to phone numbers and target people most interested in their products or services. Additionally, organizations, with or without Caller-ID, now have the means to match names and addresses to telephone numbers that appear on telephone billings.

PC411 charges fifty cents ($0.50) per reverse number search. Traditional name searches within any city also are fifty cents. PC411 charges additional, low rates that allow users to scan various regions, as large as the entire United States or Canada, for a listing. All 800 number searches are free. There are no monthly fees, no connect-time charges and no charges for searches that return no listings. Access to PC411 does not require a connection to either the Internet or a commercial online service. Corporate accounts are available for businesses with search needs exceeding $50 a month.

PC411 for Windows Release 2.0 will be available in early June and like the current release 1.2, can be obtained for free via the company's Web site (http://www.pc411.com) or by calling PC411, Inc. at 1-800-2-GET-411. To begin using the service new customers must prepay $15 of usage on a credit card. Additional usage is billed automatically as it is incurred.

Use of the PC411 service requires a 386 PC or higher running Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Windows NT or OS/2 Warp, a Hayes-compatible modem and a major credit card. No CD-ROM drive is needed.

For more information, contact PC411, Inc., 9800 La Cienega Blvd., Suite 411, Inglewood, CA 90301-4440. Telephone: (310) 645-1114. Fax: (310) 645-1112. Email: info@pc411.com. Web site: http://www.pc411.com

Contact: Heather Gore, The Terpin Group

Voice: 310-821-6100

Email: hgore@terpin.com


Microtest Enhances CD-ROM Networking Server
MICROTEST ENHANCES CD-ROM NETWORKING SERVER SOLUTIONS

Powerful Installable File System and New Lower Pricing Announced.

(March 28, 1996, Phoenix) Microtest Inc. (NASDAQ: MTST), today announced significant enhancements to its family of CD-ROM server software, including a powerful Installable File System (IFS) for NetWare. The product line has been expanded and new lower pricing has been established. A new product has been added to the line of enterprise server CD-ROM solutions; CD-NOW! (without NetWare) is available as a single user license and extends CD-ROM networking services on an existing Novell NetWare fileserver.

The CD-NOW! family software instantly transforms PCs into the highest-performance, highest-capacity CD-ROM servers available on the market today, giving users instant access to hundreds of titles. The product family is designed for businesses and organizations where instant access to CD-ROM titles is critical. The CD-NOW! product family was designed to support local area network (LAN) administrators and information systems (IS) managers in organizations who are sharing CD-ROMs on a regular basis and want centralized control. System integrators who recommend CD-ROM products and solutions to end user organizations can also benefit from using CD-NOW! The family is fully compatible with all CD-ROM formats, jukeboxes, LUN expanders, NetWare versions and protocols.

CD-NOW! (without NetWare built in) is now available giving LAN administrators and IS managers the ability to install CD-NOW! on an existing NetWare fileserver on their network. CD-NOW! with NetWare whichcomes with NetWare 4.1 built in (supports NetWare 3.x and higher) was introduced Spring, 1995. Both products in the family now feature Microtest's IFS technology which:

1. Limits the amount of memory needed to mount CDs. Now, as little as 6K of RAM per CD (as opposed to up to 1 MB) is needed to mount, minimizing the hardware investment necessary. Now, hundreds of volumes can be mounted on a low-end (16 MB) server.

2. Provides dynamic security. Security is now volume-centric rather than drive-centric. This means that security parameters are associated with the CD-ROM titles themselves rather than with the drives.

3. Provides dynamic volume configuration. CD-NOW! provides a method for CD-ROMs to be added to a volume set without taking the volume off-line while keeping the users on-line.

4. Optimizes the mount process. The mounting process has been optimized, giving users the ability to automatically detect, configure and mount CDs automatically with the insertion of a CD-ROM.

5. Provides greater flexibility. The CD-NOW! family is DVD-ROM ready with tiered caching capability and control over hybrid CDs. This means that there is a clear migration path forward to include new CD-ROM technologies.

"With CD-NOW! I can load a CD and mount it in a matter of seconds, instead of minutes, and it's there and ready for my users--transparently," said Rick Goforth, computer specialist, North Carolina National Guard. "After setting up the SmartLaunch feature, users can easily access data. Mapping drives and setting parameters is transparent to them. They just open up the SmartLaunch window, choose the icon and access the information. With the volume-centric security feature of CD-NOW!, I can assign security to an entire volume set without having to assign rights to each individual member of the set, which reduces the time I spend on security by 75%."

"We see superior performance, faster installation, wider compatibility and automated management functions as key reasons why CD-NOW! is superior to other CD-ROM sharing solutions currently available," said Ann Damiano, manager of product marketing. "It is the highest capacity, highest performance CD-ROM server software available today. Now, with IFS technology, the CD-NOW! family provides users with immediate access to hundreds of CD-ROM titles while minimizing hardware investment. IFS has allowed us to reduce server RAM requirements for CD-ROMs from thousands of kilobytes per disc to less than 10 kilobytes."

CD-NOW! Now Available at a Lower Price

The price on CD-NOW! with NetWare has been lowered. The U.S. list price for CD-NOW! with NetWare is $695 for a 25-user license (new); $995 for a 50-user license (formerly $1,495); $1,695 for a 100 user license (formerly $2,495); $2,495 for a 250-user license (formerly $3,995); $4,295 for a 500-user license (formerly $6,995); and $7,595 for a 1,000 user license (formerly $9,995). Expansion kits are now available. The price structure for the expansion kits is: $395 for 25 user; $695 for 50 user; $895 for 100 user; and $1,995 for 250 user.

CD-NOW! (without NetWare built in) is available as a single user license only for $595. Both CD-NOW! and CD-NOW! with NetWare will be available second quarter through a worldwide network of Microtest authorized distributors and resellers.

The CD-NOW! family comes with DiscView PRO which permits users to manage CD-ROM resources through a graphical Windows user interface. SmartLaunch, a feature of DiscView PRO, automatically prepares CD-ROM titles so users can access them, and functions as a transparent user interface shielding users from network and CD-ROM complexities.

Founded in 1984, Microtest is a leading worldwide manufacturer of network troubleshooting, cable certification and connectivity products for Local Area Networks (LANs). Microtest's mission is to make information technology easy to apply. The Company has pioneered several networking products, such as PentaScanner, COMPAS, and DiscPort. Microtest is headquartered at 4747 North 22nd Street, Phoenix, AZ. Microtest's European headquarters are located at 2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 2XN, United Kingdom. Microtest's stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol MTST.

More information is available on our World Wide Web site at http://www.microtest.com, or e-mail us at info@microtest.com in U.S.; in Europe, e-mail us at infoMTE@microtest.com.


Microtest PentaScanner 350 Cable Tester
MICROTEST INTRODUCES PENTASCANNER 350 FOR LOCAL AREA NETWORKS

Cable Tester Now Measures Performance of 350MHz Cabling

(Phoenix, March 28, 1996)--Microtest Inc. (NASDAQ: MTST) today announced the availability of the PentaScanner 350. The product is the only tester that supports the advanced capabilities of the new, wider dynamic range cable types designed to operate at 350 MHz. The PentaScanner 350 is used by cable installers and LAN administrators for the installation and maintenance of cabling for Local Area Networks (LANs).  PentaScanner 350 is available with PentaScanner+ for $4,795 (U.S. list) or as an upgrade to existing PentaScanner+ owners for $495 (U.S. list) through Microtest's network of authorized distributors.

This product is the result of an industry initiative that promotes the performance grading of premium high quality cabling on Category 5 networks. The initiative is supported by premiere suppliers of Category 5 cabling and components, such as: Belden, Krone, Mohawk, CommScope, Berk-Tek, Thomas & Betts, and Bell Global Solutions. The initiative is the result of the growing availability of higher performance cables and connector systems that are often rated to 350 MHz or more.

Link quality depends upon a complex combination of factors including cables, components and installation techniques. With networks relying on today's advanced communications technologies to transmit data, it is even more important for LANs with Category 5 cabling to be certified for performance at higher speeds.

Prior to the release of the PentaScanner 350 product, performance could not be tested beyond a simple pass/fail measurement; testers couldn't distinguish between links that barely meet Category 5 requirements and those offering superior performance. Now users can verify if their installed links exceed Category 5 performance standards, thereby ensuring support for future high speed applications.

"We agree that performance grading more clearly defines the quality of a link than a simple pass or fail rating. The accuracy of the PentaScanner+ has been verified by CommScope's Test and Measurement laboratory to meet Level II NEXT accuracy. This is true even for [CommScope's] Category 5 Ultra links, typically measuring 15 to 20 dB better than specification," Rob Wessels, engineering manager, at CommScope said.

"Users who certify their network links using the PentaScanner 350 can now be confident that their links will meet requirements well into the future." Chris Hudson, vice president, network management products said. "It is imperative for LANs that run high-speed applications to have performance quality graded by the new PentaScanner 350. Now, companies that rely on high speed networks can validate the higher performance cabling."

Introduced in 1995, PentaScanner+ certifies cable links up to 100 MHz. PentaScanner+ with 2-Way Injector+ is Microtest's most advanced cable management system and is capable of certifying cable links to 100MHz performance specifications. PentaScanner+ offers professional cable installers, service providers and network managers an easy-to-use, handheld solution for installing, managing and troubleshooting Category 5 and ISO Class D cabling systems. The 2-Way Injector+ is an accessory to the PentaScanner+ that measures Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) and Attenuation- to-Crosstalk Ratio (ACR) from both ends of the installed network cable link which saves installation time. It also performs wire map, frequency generation and far-end termination. PentaScanner+ with 2-Way Injector+ sells for $4,595 (U.S. List) and can be purchased through authorized Microtest distributors.

Founded in 1984, Microtest is a leading worldwide manufacturer of diagnostic, certification and connectivity products for local area networks. Microtest's mission is to make information technology easy to apply. The company has pioneered several networking products, such as PentaScanner, COMPAS, and DiscPort. Microtest is headquartered at 4747 North 22nd Street, Phoenix, AZ. Microtest's European headquarters are located at 2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 2XN, United Kingdom. Microtest's stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol MTST.

More information is available on our World Wide Web site at http://www.microtest.com, or e-mail us at info@microtest.com in U.S.; in Europe, e-mail the company at infoMTE@microtest.com.


Internet COMPAS Troubleshooting Tool
MICROTEST ANNOUNCES INTERNET COMPAS, TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL FOR THE INTERNET

Local Area Network Troubleshooter Now Detects Problems With Connections Outside the LAN

(Phoenix, March 28, 1996)--Microtest Inc. (NASDAQ: MTST) today announced Internet COMPAS , an addition to its existing line of network troubleshooting devices. Internet COMPAS is an option that runs on Microtest's NetWare COMPAS product. It simplifies troubleshooting through the Internet and in local TCP/IP environments. It provides users with the ability to seek out common problems encountered when connecting to the Internet. Internet COMPAS is available for $1,195 (U.S. list) and runs on NetWare COMPAS ($2,995, U.S. list) through Microtest's network of authorized distributors.

Internet COMPAS simplifies troubleshooting Internet connections. The product includes a trace route feature that permits users to trace the route that IP packets take to reach their destination, indicating where the problem lies within the connection.

"With Internet COMPAS we have been able to resolve IP addresses to host names which previously required several pieces of equipment and up to three days. This new product from Microtest, has helped me cut my troubleshooting time down to just minutes," said Theresa Boyle, Systems Programmer, Glendale Community College.

Domain Name Services (DNS) has also been added. COMPAS is the first handheld tool to resolve from a user host name to the IP address and visa versa.

Internet COMPAS gives users a wide range of troubleshooting capabilities for common Local Area Network (LAN) IP problems, such as, Duplicate IP Address Detection, IP Ping, IP Host Summary List and Detail, IP Local Segment Information, and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Monitoring.

Introduced in 1994, COMPAS is a handheld LAN troubleshooting tool designed to find common problems that occur on Ethernet networks. It is the first portable tool which combines the best features of protocol analyzers, cable testers, network diagnostic utilities and serial communications testers. COMPAS is designed for LAN Administrators, technicians and third-party service providers who are tasked with solving everyday, common network problems.

Founded in 1984, Microtest is a leading worldwide manufacturer of diagnostic, certification and connectivity products for Local Area Networks (LANs). Microtest's mission is to make information technology easy to apply. The Company has pioneered several networking products, such as PentaScanner+, COMPAS, and DiscPort. Microtest is headquartered at 4747 North 22nd Street, Phoenix, AZ. Microtest's European headquarters are located at 2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 2XN, United Kingdom. Microtest's stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol MTST.

More information is available on our World Wide Web site at http://www.microtest.com, or e-mail us at info@microtest.com in the U.S.; in Europe, e-mail us at infoMTE@microtest.com.


Microtest Expands Sales Channel
MICROTEST EXPANDS SALES CHANNEL - RESELLER REBATE ANNOUNCED

(Phoenix, March 28, 1996)--Microtest today announced a new, multi-faceted sales strategy to include the addition of a manufacturer's representative program, the re-positioning of Microtest regional sales staff, and the institution of a reseller rebate initiative.

Nearly 20 manufacturer's representative firms have been contracted to represent the company's local area network (LAN) management products throughout North America. The firms, which specialize in physical layer/structured cabling solutions for resellers, installers, contractors, construction consultants and end users, employ over 120 field sales representatives.

The company has also re-focused their regional sales managers to pro-actively sell and support Microtest's network connectivity product line, specifically the CD-ROM networking products. The regional managers will also manage the efforts of the manufacturer's representatives efforts in selling the network management products.

Additionally, the company has instituted a reseller rebate program to Microtest's Connectivity VAR channel. Commencing April 1, the VARs selling Microtest's products will receive a 5% reseller rebate.

"Our strategy throughout 1996 is to bring Microtest solutions to the customers through a variety of methods," said Robert M. Tanner, vice president, worldwide field operations. "Our traditional approach of distributing product has been through a two-tiered model which involves authorized distributors and resellers around the world. By enhancing this winning strategy, we're now even closer to our customers' decisions and better positioned to provide products which improve the performance of networks."

Founded in 1984, Microtest is a leading worldwide manufacturer of diagnostic, certification and connectivity products for local area networks. Microtest's mission is to make information technology easy to apply. The company has pioneered several networking products, such as PentaScanner, COMPAS, and DiscPort. Microtest is headquartered at 4747 North 22nd Street, Phoenix, AZ. Microtest's European headquarters are located at 2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 2XN, United Kingdom. Microtest's stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol MTST.

More information is available on our World Wide Web site at http://www.microtest.com, or e-mail us at info@microtest.com in U.S.; in Europe, e-mail the company at infoMTE@microtest.com.


Microtest Workgroup CD-ROM Sharing Towers
MICROTEST INTRODUCES WORKGROUP CD-ROM SHARING SOLUTIONS FOR NT NETWORKS

DiscPorT PRO and DiscPort Tower Now Support Windows NT

(Phoenix, March 18, 1996)--Microtest Inc., (NASDAQ: MTST), today announced new additions to its line of products that connect CD-ROM drives to networks, making CD-ROM titles available to all network users. DiscPort PRO and DiscPort Towers (7 and 14 drive) now support the Microsoft Windows NT operating system. Both the DiscPort Tower and the DiscPort PRO employ native Windows NT security, caching and usage statistics and use a native Windows graphical interface for CD-ROM resource management.

DiscPort PRO is a high-performance CD-ROM workgroup solution, which can support up to 14, 6x CD-ROM drives on 10 Mbps networks. It can be used on any Thin Ethernet or 10BASE-T network connection, and it works with popular CD-ROM drives, towers and disc changers. A single DiscPort PRO supports both Novell NetWare and now, Windows NT network operating systems. Multiple DiscPort PROs can be supported on a network.

DiscPort Towers are complete, network-ready, easy-to-use and install, turnkey CD-ROM sharing solutions available with either 7 or 14 quad-speed drives. Like DiscPort PRO, DiscPort Towers plug into any Thin Ethernet or 10BASE-T network. Each Tower supports both NetWare and Windows NT networks.

According to Dataquest, the combined growth of Windows NT servers and workstations from 1994-1999 is expected to be 183%. "We recognize the dramatic growth expected for NT operating systems and we're committed to bringing our unique CD-ROM networking solutions to NT users," said Ann Damiano, manager of product marketing. "DiscPort PRO and the Towers mark our first DiscPort products created for the NT operating environment. Customers who are using NT networks or who are considering adding NT systems to their current network, will be pleased that we offer CD-ROM services beyond NT's native capabilities, such as automatic sharing of CD-ROM titles and volume-centric security."

These latest product offerings feature Microtest's Automatic Management Technology that permits users to share CD-ROM titles automatically from the moment the CD-ROM is inserted in the drive. In addition, Microtest has created volume-centric security which permits a more appropriate application of security onto the CD-ROM titles themselves, rather than associated to the drive. Automatic Management Technology was developed to make managing and accessing CD-ROM titles on NT and NetWare simple.

Microtest invented 'plug and play' CD-ROM networking when it introduced DiscPort in 1993. DiscPort was the first product to physically place networked CD-ROMs within the workgroup, allowing managers to administer CD resources based on the group's needs. Today, Microtest's complete suite of CD-ROM networking products incorporates DiscPort Technologies for any networking environment--workgroups, departments, or throughout the enterprise.

DiscPort PRO lists for $1,595. DiscPort Tower 7 (7 drive) lists for $4,695 and DiscPort Tower 14 (14 drive) lists for $8,995. The products will be available worldwide through authorized Microtest distributors at the end of March. For sales information, call Microtest at 1-800-526- 9675.

Founded in 1984, Microtest is a leading worldwide manufacturer of diagnostic, certification and connectivity products for Local Area Networks (LANs). Microtest's mission is to make information technology easy to apply. The Company has pioneered several networking products, such as PentaScanner, COMPAS, and DiscPort. Microtest is headquartered at 4747 North 22nd Street, Phoenix, AZ. Microtest's European headquarters are located at 2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 2XN, United Kingdom. Microtest's stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol MTST.

More information is available on our World Wide Web site at http://www.microtest.com, or e-mail us at info@microtest.com in the U.S.; in Europe, e-mail us at infoMTE@microtest.com.


ONTOS Object Integration Server for Oracle
ONTOS DELIVERS OBJECT INTEGRATION SERVER (OIS) FOR ORACLE

NEWEST VIA COMPONENT PROVIDES OBJECT ACCESS TO ORACLE DATABASES

BURLINGTON, Mass. (March 27, 1995) -- ONTOS, Inc. announced today ONTOS OIS for Oracle, another building block of the ONTOS Virtual Information Architecture (ONTOS VIA), the company's object-oriented framework for information access and distribution.

The ONTOS Object Integration Server (ONTOS OIS) product family allows object-oriented applications to integrate transparently with disparate data stores. ONTOS OIS uses agent technology to find information wherever it resides on a network and return it to an application in object form.

Coming on the heels of OIS for Sybase, released last November, the delivery of OIS for Oracle extends VIA's back-end integration capability to access the world's leading relational databases. According to ONTOS officials, an OIS for integrating mainframe databases is also under way. ONTOS also currently provides services for building a custom OIS for accessing mainframe or proprietary databases.

"Companies want the competitive advantage of developing high-value applications with object-oriented tools. They also want to preserve their existing databases and the valuable information they contain," said Gerard Keating, ONTOS OIS Product Manager. "ONTOS OIS allows them to do both."

Aberdeen analyst Hugh Bishop commented, "Today's announcement proves that ONTOS is on target with its VIA strategy. With products like OIS for Oracle, ONTOS is delivering open, heterogeneous solutions that add tremendous value by uniting resources across an enterprise framework."

MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR APPLICATION DEVELOPERS

OIS lets developers build applications that can access a variety of disparate information sources without detailed knowledge of where or how the data is stored. This makes it faster and easier to create applications, and means that developers do not need to have expertise in data storage and retrieval but can focus on meeting the information needs of their customers.

To provide object access to a new data store for the first time, the developer translates the existing database schema into an object model. This process is supported by the graphical Schema Mapper, an easy-to-use tool that is part of OIS. The schema mappings are then stored with an object model that resides in the ONTOS OIS Object Repository.

BENEFITS OF THE ONTOS OIS OBJECT MODEL

ONTOS OIS object modeling capability provides a number of benefits:

* Map once, use many times. Once created, integration mappings are reusable by multiple applications. New applications can take advantage of the stored mappings to access disparate databases.

* Accommodates change. OIS insulates applications from changes to data stores. A company can create, remove, or modify a database without having to change its applications. Users can add new applications more quickly and easily, since they write applications directly to the object model.

* A common language. The object model provides common semantics for business concepts used throughout the enterprise. Information that was visible only to those who spoke the language of a specific application or database can now be made available in a more useful form, as objects.

MANAGING COMPLEXITY

ONTOS OIS uses agent technology to relieve the user of some of the complexity of information access. Agents insulate the use of information from the details of where and how it is stored. No longer must application developers be concerned by technical details such as the number of joins that a particular data access operation might require. The underlying agent technology that supports the object model manages the complexity and enables applications to be designed to address the true information needs of the user.

"Software agents have the potential to dramatically simplify the use of complex, distributed information networks," said Thomas W. Malone, Professor of Information Systems at the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management and member of the ONTOS Technical Advisory Board. "Though such agents have been part of research visions for years, it is exciting to see them now being introduced into a commercial software product."

BRINGING NEW VALUE TO OLD INFORMATION

Daimler-Benz AG, one of ONTOS's strategic partners, has adopted ONTOS VIA and plans to use ONTOS OIS to create a next-generation product development environment. The first project with ONTOS technology within Daimler-Benz was the creation of a product object model that Mercedes-Benz will use to integrate CAD data with Bills of Material.

Dr. Gerhard Barth, Director of Information Technology, Research and Technology at Daimler-Benz commented, "To remain competitive, organizations need a unified perspective on their information resources, the flexibility to create new and innovative uses for that information, and an information architecture that preserves the massive investments in disparate systems. ONTOS VIA is our choice because it provides all of these capabilities."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

OIS for Oracle is available in Q2'95. Prices for development licenses start at $7,500. Value-added reseller programs are also available.

ABOUT ONTOS

ONTOS, Inc. develops and markets the Virtual Information Architecture (ONTOS VIA), an object oriented framework for developing and deploying distributed, network-based applications. ONTOS DB, the flagship product of VIA, has been applied commercially in production applications ranging from telecommunications and manufacturing to insurance and finance. ONTOS has sales offices in the United States and the United Kingdom and distributors in Europe and the Pacific Rim.

The company's directors are Frank T. Cary, former chairman and CEO of IBM; F. Warren McFarlan, associate dean and director of the Division of Research at the Harvard Business School; Paul J. Crowley, former president of Computer Sciences Corporation's commercial business unit, CSC Consulting Group; and C. Seth Cunningham, managing director, J.P. Morgan Capital Corporation. The chairman of the board is Richard C. E. Morgan, general partner at Wolfensohn Partners, L.P.

ONTOS is a Sybase Open Solutions Partner, an Oracle Business Alliance member, and a voting member of the Object Management Group (OMG) and the Object Database Management Group (ODMG). The company has strategic relationships with Daimler-Benz AG and with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the nation's largest investor-owned utility.


Delphi Nuts & Bolts for Experienced Pgmrs
DELPHI ESSENTIALS DISTILLED IN NEW BOOK FOR SERIOUS PROGRAMMERS

SECOND EDITION COVERS BOTH 32-BIT AND 16-BIT VERSIONS OF DELPHI

Berkeley, CA, March 25, 1996-Programmers of all backgrounds are moving to Delphi, Borland's powerful tool for developing lightning-fast Windows applications. With the recent introduction of Delphi's exciting 32-bit version, the need for straightforward, to-the-point information has never been greater. Delphi Nuts and Bolts for Experienced Programmers, Second Edition by Gary Cornell, just published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill, fills this information gap quickly and efficiently.

Written for experienced programmers who are migrating to Delphi from other languages, DELPHI NUTS AND BOLTS FOR EXPERIENCED PROGRAMMERS, SECOND EDITION'S focused, comprehensive coverage of Delphi allows programmers to take full advantage of the program in record time. Unlike other programming texts, this book does not have remedial information or lengthy tutorials and does not teach skills that most experienced developers already know, but rather features the essentials to quickly get on the fast track to programming with both versions of Delphi.

After reading DELPHI NUTS AND BOLTS FOR EXPERIENCED PROGRAMMERS, SECOND EDITION, users will be able to:

* Program like an expert in both versions of Delphi-no matter what

  language their background is in.

* Develop applications using the new user interface features in

  Windows 95.

* Exploit Delphi 32's new OLE-compliant controls and new language

  features.

* Discover how to make user-friendly applications using both

  components and event procedures.

* Learn Delphi's object Pascal language in both 16-bit and 32-bit.

DELPHI NUTS AND BOLTS FOR EXPERIENCED PROGRAMMERS, SECOND EDITION teaches how to make Delphi an active and important part of a programming tool chest. Ideal for every experienced programmer, this guide's no-nonsense format makes it easy to find what is needed, read it quickly, and then move on to the next step without rehashing familiar programming concepts.

DELPHI NUTS AND BOLTS FOR EXPERIENCED PROGRAMMERS, SECOND EDITION is soft cover, 336 pages, and has illustrations throughout. Suggested retail price: $24.95. ISBN: 0-07-882203-3. For orders only, phone (800) 227-0900, ext. 654, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

Gary Cornell is a computer programmer and professor at the University of Connecticut and holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Brown University. He has written and co-authored several acclaimed books on computers, including THE VISUAL BASIC 4 FOR WINDOWS 95 HANDBOOK, FOURTH EDITION, which was recently awarded the prestigious VISUAL BASIC PROGRAMMING JOURNAL's Reader's Choice award, and the first edition of DELPHI NUTS AND BOLTS FOR EXPERIENCED PROGRAMMERS. He can be reached via CompuServe at 75720,1524 or through the Internet at 75720,1524@compuserve.com.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of books about computers, software, and technology for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Selected books also include disks or CD-ROMs containing valuable software directly related to the text. Known for its best-selling The Internet Yellow Pages as well as its Made Easy and Complete Reference books, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with Oracle Corporation, Corel Corporation, Stream International Inc. (formerly Corporate Software, Inc.), Rocket Science Games, Inc., and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times, Open Computing, and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for future computer books.

Requests for:

Comp/review copies or book orders from corporations, corporate training centers, or trade show book stores, and information about bundling agreements or other special sales should be directed to Polly Fusco at (510) 549-6615, pfusco@mcgraw-hill.com.

Requests for comp/review copies, author speaking opportunities, interviews, book excerpts from the press, analysts, or user groups should be directed to Anne Ellingsen (510) 549-6602, aellingse@mcgraw-hill.com or Susan Bergesen (510) 549-6614, sbergese@mcgraw-hill.com.

Requests for book orders from user groups should be directed to Mark Ruch (510) 549-6654, mruch@mcgraw-hill.com.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

510-549-6600,  Fax: 510-549-6603,   orders: 800-227-0900


Osborne - Busy People Busiest Day Contest
OSBORNE ANNOUNCES THE BUSY PEOPLE BUSIEST DAY CONTEST

BERKELEY, CA, APRIL 1, 1996-Osborne McGraw-Hill, in a salute to busy people everywhere, today announces the launch of a fun and humorous new competition: THE BUSY PEOPLE BUSIEST DAY CONTEST. By encouraging stressed-out contestants to share stories of their most action-packed days with Osborne's Web audience, the publisher hopes to underscore the theme behind its best-selling BUSY PEOPLE book series, namely that it's a fast-paced world, and with each new technological innovation designed to save time, people are more rushed than ever before. While the BUSY PEOPLE books help users learn new computer skills as quickly and efficiently as possible, the contest will provide some comic relief (and prizes) and reassure stressed-out professionals that they are not alone-others share their fate.

Offering valuable prizes such as a limited edition Busy People T- shirt or any two books listed on Osborne's Website, the contest's rules are simple: contestants will write a brief account of their busiest day (preferably humorous) and submit it to Osborne via email: abenamer@mcgraw-hill.com or fax: 510-549-6603.

Winning Busy People Busiest Day stories will be posted on the Osborne/McGraw- Hill Website at http://www.osborne.com. Osborne is accepting entries beginning today, and will announce the first winner April 15, 1996. Subsequently, one winner will be chosen every Monday through May 20, 1996-for a total of six winners.

According to Scott Rogers, executive editor of Osborne/McGraw-Hill, "Hectic, stressed-out lifestyles have become the norm rather than the exception, and this contest is Osborne's invitation to slow down a little and have some fun. Plus, we liked the idea of conducting a contest on our Website, as a way of supporting a medium that can help us get things done faster-or can help us relax and goof off."

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of books about computers, software, and technology for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Selected books also include disks or CD-ROMs containing valuable software directly related to the text. Known for its best-selling The Internet Yellow Pages as well as its Made Easy and Complete Reference books, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with Oracle Corporation, Corel Corporation, Stream International Inc. (formerly Corporate Software, Inc.), Rocket Science Games, Inc., and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times, Open Computing, and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for future computer books.

Requests for:

Comp/review copies or book orders from corporations, corporate training centers, or trade show book stores, and information about bundling agreements or other special sales should be directed to Polly Fusco at (510) 549-6615, pfusco@mcgraw-hill.com.

Requests for comp/review copies, author speaking opportunities, interviews, book excerpts from the press, analysts, or user groups should be directed to Anne Ellingsen (510) 549-6602, aellingse@mcgraw-hill.com or Susan Bergesen (510) 549-6614, sbergese@mcgraw-hill.com.

Requests for book orders from user groups should be directed to Mark Ruch (510) 549-6654, mruch@mcgraw-hill.com.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

510-549-6600,  Fax: 510-549-6603,   orders: 800-227-0900


PCMCIA Adopts FTL Swr as Flash Card Standard
PCMCIA ASSOCIATION ADOPTS SCM MICROSYSTEMS/M-SYSTEMS' FTL SOFTWARE AS FLASH CARD STANDARD

Los Gatos, CA, April 8, 1996 -- SCM Microsystems, the number one supplier of PCMCIA card adapters, announced today that the PCMCIA Association Standards Committee has adopted the FTL (Flash Translation Layer) software standard for Flash PCMCIA cards. The FTL software was jointly developed by SCM Microsystems and M-Systems, and since then has become the de facto industry standard, supported by Flash chip industry leaders Intel, AMD, and Fujitsu.

SCM Microsystems' SwapFTL software enables PCMCIA users to take advantage of Flash Cards' rugged portability and low power consumption for the rapidly growing laptop and desktop PCMCIA market. Because of its modular architecture, SwapFTL provides an easy integration of Flash solid state storage on any platform under a host of operating systems. The software also incorporates booting capabilities giving Flash Cards the ability to "boot-up" diskless computer applications.

SCM Microsystems will also be offering SwapFTL software for the emerging digital consumer device Miniature Card market. As an active member of the newly founded Miniature Card Consortium, SCM will deliver solutions that facilitate seamless interoperability of Flash Cards between consumer devices (such as digital cameras and phones) and computers.

SwapFTL has been endorsed by leading flash PC Card and component manufacturers, such as Intel, AMD, and Fujitsu; PC Card software suppliers, such as SystemSoft and Phoenix Technologies.

"The emergence of SwapFTL as a standard will aid in the proliferation of Flash Cards across heterogeneous platforms and extend the boundaries of usage across a broad range of industries and applications," said Nicholas Efthymiou, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, SCM Microsystems. "We are proud to have received the final seal of approval from the PCMCIA Association."

"SCM's contribution in making FTL a standard, combined with Intel's low cost flash and miniature cards, affirms our common goal of bringing the convenience and flexibility of removable memory cards to the world of mobile computing and digital consumer devices," stated Gary Forni, Software Marketing Manager, Intel Corporation.

Waild Maghribi, the Vice President, Non-Volatile Memory Division, AMD said, "The acceptance of FTL by the PCMCIA Association is an important milestone in making FTL an industry standard. AMD has worked closely with SCM to optimize the performance of its FTL solution for our Flash Cards,"

For more information, contact SCM Microsystems, 131 Albright Way, Los Gatos, CA 95030 408-370-4888 fax: 408-370-4880. In Germany, contact: SCM Microsystems, Luitpoldstrasse 6, D-85276 Pfaffenhofen, Germany 011-49-8441-896221 fax: 011-49-8441-82884

SCM Microsystems is the leading International supplier of PC Card productivity solutions and the primary supplier of PC Card drives to the U.S. government. Founded in 1990, SCM's products include the SwapBox line of PC Card Drives for the desktop, Flash Systems solutions, and security PC Cards. SCM is committed to the development of PCMCIA productivity solutions and applications by ensuring PC Card compatibility for OEMs and end-users. SCM has influenced the development of the PCMCIA standard. And as a member of the PCMCIA committee, SCM works closely to promote and incorporate new developments in PCMCIA.


SilverWare Windows Comm. Tool Kit V5.10
April 1996 -- SilverWare Inc. announces the release of The SilverWare Windows Communications Tool Kit version 5.10. This is a multi-language communication library for Microsoft Windows. The library is a Microsoft Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) and is accessible from any Windows language or program that can make FAR PASCAL function calls and can pass 16 and 32 bit parameters by reference and value.

SilverWare Windows Communications Tool Kit v5.10 Upgrade

The SilverWare Windows Communications Tool Kit v5.10 adds a host of new features, new language support, enhanced help files, new and enhanced demo programs, modem setup database, full terminal support custom file transfer status functions and more.

Version 5.10 Language Support:

C / C++, CA-Visual Objects, Clarion for Windows, Visual dBASE, FiveWin / Clip4Win, Delphi / Turbo Pascal for Windows, Paradox for Windows, PowerBuilder, Visual Basic and MS-Access.

New Features

With version 5.10 you can add full TTY, ANSI and VT-100 terminal emulation's to your applications. You can call a terminal function that will handle all keyboard and screen I/O automatically. (ANSI includes full color support) You also have the option to read the data from the serial port and write it to the terminal window from your application. This enables your application to look at the data before it goes to the terminal window. Very nice for filtering data or finding keywords for automatic scripting in terminal modes.

Custom File Transfer Status

Version 5.10 supports custom file transfer status boxes. With the SWCGetFileTransStatus() function you can get file status for file size, bytes transferred, protocol, direction and file name. You can easily calculate percentage complete, display gauge controls, display motion bitmaps, add cancel buttons, track file number and more.

Auto Detect Modems and COM Ports

Use the SWCIsModem() function to automatically locate modems and com ports on your PC.

New Functions

 * Terminal Emulation

        SWCANSITerminal()

        SWCVT100Terminal()

        SWCTTYTerminal()

        SWCCloseTerminalWindow()

        SWCSendCharacterToTerminal()

        SWCSendStringToTerminal()

        SWCSetTermBackColor()

        SWCSetTermCharColor()

        SWCSetTermWinFocus()

 * File Transfer

        SWCGetFileTransStatus()

        SWCXYZMAbort()

 * Dialogs

        SWCDLGSelectTermEmulation()

 * Modem

        SWCIsModem()

New MS-Access Support

Version 5.10 fully supports MS-Access.  When creating a new program in MS-Access all you need to do is paste the Access prototype files into MODULE1.BAS in your program.  See our help file for full details.

New Demos

There are new or updated demos for C / C++, Clarion for Windows, Visual dBASE, FiveWin / Clip4Win, Delphi, PowerBuilder and Visual Basic.

COM Watch

COM-Watch is a comprehensive device and COM port test program written in Delphi.  COM-Watch will allow you to watch the status of your incoming RS-232 signals, control the out-going signals, watch UART and buffer status information and display data in ASCII, Hex and Decimal.  COM-Watch is ideal for testing new hardware devices and is a helpful debugging tool.

Expanded On-Line Help

Our Windows Help and Frequently Asked Questions file have added more helpful information to make using the tool kit even easier.  New common key words for fast searching, answers to many common communications questions and more.

New Modem Database

Version 5.10 comes with a modem database in both dBASE (.dbf) and

TXT file formats.  This file contains over 150 popular modem setup strings for use in your applications.

Standard Features

Features include: Low/High Level functions, Beyond COM1/COM2, Multi COM I/O Boards, Hardware / Software Flow Control, File Transfers, Smartmodem Support, Auto dialer, High Level Remote Input, Immediate, Transmit, Asynchronous Timer Functions, Comprehensive Return Code System, Professional Documentation, Comprehensive Microsoft Help File with FAQ and Examples For Every Language.

Full featured ZMODEM, XMODEM, 1K-XMODEM, YMODEM, YMODEM Batch, YMODEM-G, YMODEM-G Batch and ASCII file transfer protocols. ZMODEM  File Transfer handles crash recovery, 32 bit CRC error checking for optimum data integrity and wild card transfers. ASCII transfers support optional time-out or end of transmission detection. X-YMODEM transfers now support program definable CHECKSUM or CRC error checking.  XON/XOFF, RTS/CTS and DTR/DSR flow control. Hayes Smartmodem support.  Asynchronous timers.

The SilverWare Windows Communications Tool Kit can control any multi- port hardware that is supported by Microsoft Windows including the Digiboard intelligent and non intelligent 4, 8 and 16 port adapters.

No royalties, Free technical support.

Upgrade

The upgrade is available until May 31, 1996 for registered SWCT users only

SilverWare Inc. is a Dallas, Tx based corporation, providing asynchronous communications solutions since 1986.

For more information contact:

SilverWare Inc.

3010 LBJ Freeway, #740

Dallas, Tx, 75234

Tele: (214) 247-0131

Fax: (214) 406-9999

WWW Internet Home Page URL: http://rampages.onramp.net/~silver


SolidWorks Named Product of the Show
SolidWorks Named "Product of the Show" at the 44th Annual National Design Engineering Show

Expert Panel Embraces Production Solid Modeling as New and Innovative

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 19, 1996 - - SolidWorks 95, the first production modeling mechanical design software for Windows, was named Product of the Show by a panel of industry experts at the National Design Engineering Show being held in Chicago this week. The show attracts 30,000 design engineers and managers cutting across 23 major industries. Companies eligible for the award participated in the New Product Showcase, sponsored by the show.

According to Jon Hirschtick, founder and CEO of SolidWorks, "The momentum continues. The team at SolidWorks is thrilled to be presented this award over so many diverse and strong products on the floor; but also because it reinforces our view that Windows-based production level solid modeling is the future for design engineers." Since being introduced to the market in November, SolidWorks has received four major industry awards.

THE NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The New Product Showcase is a distinguished, juried event that brings together the newest and most innovative industrial products in North America. These products were reviewed by three noted technology editors who evaluated each product for innovation as relating to the design process, ease of use and pricing structure. The panel of judges included David Bak, senior regional technical editor from Design News; Matthew McManus, staff editor, Machine Design; and Bill Leventon, technical editor for Product Design & Development.

"Manufacturers need to make continuous improvements and innovations in their manufacturing process to stay ahead of their competition. This year's show illustrates this tremendous determination and commitment by North America's leading manufacturers. SolidWorks was recognized for bringing their new, innovative process to the design floor," said Diane Ferber, industry vice president for Reed Exhibition Companies, organizers of the event.

ABOUT SOLIDWORKS

SolidWorks Corporation, based in Concord, MA, is a privately held corporation that develops and markets mechanical design software products for Windows. SolidWorks was founded in 1993 with the vision to bring production level solid modeling to the desktop of every engineer. SolidWorks has offices in five major cities in the United States and distributes its products world-wide through offices in Europe, Japan, Israel, Australia, Korea and Taiwan. For additional information, please visit SolidWorks' Web site at: http://www.solidworks.com.

THE 44TH ANNUAL DESIGN ENGINEERING SHOW

The 44th Annual Design Engineering Show, part of National Manufacturing Week, is the largest, most comprehensive OEM exhibition in North America and is the premier source for improving product development and process design. Over 1,000 companies, including SolidWorks, Dow Chemical, IBM and Parker-Hannifin are showing total design engineering solutions and innovations with their products and services.


Asia/Pacific App Swr Sales Top $1.1 Billion
Asia/Pacific Application Software Sales Top $1.1 Billion in 1995

Emerging Markets Show Impressive Increase in Software Sales

April 8, 1996 (Washington, DC) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today that sales of personal computer application software reached $1.14 billion in the Asia/Pacific region during 1995, a 57 percent increase over 1994. In the fourth quarter of 1995 alone (Q4 95), sales were more than $326 million, a 58 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 1994 (Q4 94). Unit sales increases were 142 percent for Q4 95 and 179 percent for the full year.

Japan Continues to Dominate Software Sales Among Asian Markets

The software market in Japan continued to experience strong growth throughout 1995, with sales topping $757 million for the year - a 67 percent increase over 1994 sales. For Q4 95, sales were $232 million, an 83 percent increase.

Software sales in Japan performed extremely well throughout 1995, with unit sales up 228 percent for the year. During Q4 95 in particular, Japan had the highest revenue growth rate of any individual region tracked in SPA's International Data Program.

Emerging Asian Markets Post Revenue Growth Rates As High As 75%

For mid-tier Asia/Pacific markets such as Taiwan, 1995 was a banner year for software sales. Revenues from software sales in Taiwan showed a 75 percent increase from 1994 totals, while unit sales soared an amazing 500 percent. The extreme increase in unit sales is likely due to the large number of OEM agreements that have occurred between software publishers and hardware manufacturers throughout the region. Other Asian markets also showed significant revenue increases between 1994 and 1995 #031#- Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore saw revenues from software sales increase 60 percent, 45 percent and 44 percent, respectively. The emerging markets for U.S. software in China, India/Pakistan and Thailand all continued explosive growth of 125 percent and more.

"Although many of the Asian markets have shown tremendous software revenue growth over the past year, it is important to remember that software piracy continues to be an ongoing issue, despite the efforts taken to counteract the practice," said Jim Sanders, SPA research director. "Fortunately, legal software transactions have still helped the industry improve dramatically in markets such as China and Thailand."

Sales data reported are from SPA's International Data Program and represent total revenues in these regions of the 33 primarily U.S.-based software firms participating in the program. The companies submit their confidential sales data to the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, which prepares the report for SPA. Among the participants are Claris, Lotus, Microsoft Corp., Software Publishing Corp., Symantec and the WordPerfect division of Novell. Although U.S. companies have the dominant market share in most of these regions, the figures reported should not be taken as an estimate of the total market size.

Rather, they represent total sales of the reporting companies.

SPA's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 on SPA's Web site at http://www.spa.org or through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823 for U.S. calls, or 908-885-6255 for international calls.

Software Publishers Association

1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036

202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756


SPG Code Warrior Contest Announced
SPG Announces the "SPG Code Warrior Contest" for Plug-in Developers

MIAMI, Fl., April, 5 1996 -- SPG announced today the official start of the "SPG Code Warrior Contest" for programmers to develop plug-in modules for the SPG ColorWorks product line.

The SPG Code Warrior Contest runs until August 31, 1996 with cash prizes up to $1000. Full details of the contest rules, prizes, etc. can be found on the SPG web-site at http://www.spg-net.com/devcont.html

"The plug-in interfaces built into our ColorWorks products allow a programmer to develop image acquire, image export, and/or special effects plug-in modules to expand the functionality of our programs.", said Joel Krautheim, President of SPG. "For an individual programmer or a smaller firm, developing plug-in modules for ColorWorks is an excellent opportunity to 'get on the playing field' with a limited scope project and get recognized for their talents. For commercial developers the ColorWorks plug-in interfaces offer an opportunity to build-upon their market presence, again with quick to market -- limited scope projects."

A copy of the SPG Plug-in Developers Kit comes on every ColorWorks CD-ROM and is available for download on the SPG Internet Web-Site.

SPG Inc. is a developer of computer graphics software, committed to excellence, and to the continued development of the most unique, exciting, and the highest performance computer software in the world. The SPG Internet Web-Site is http://www.spg-net.com.


SurfWatch Nominated for Smithsonian Award
SURFWATCH SOFTWARE NOMINATED FOR 1996 COMPUTERWORLD SMITHSONIAN AWARD

Premier Awards Program in the Information Technology Industry Recognizes Technology That Creates Positive Social Impact

LOS ALTOS, Calif., April 9, 1996 - SurfWatch Software, Inc., today announced that it has been nominated for a 1996 Computerworld Smithsonian Award (CWSA), in the education category. SurfWatch, which was nominated for the award by CompuServe, develops industry-leading parental control and Internet filtering software.

"Obviously, we're ecstatic about being nominated for such an eminent award," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch Software. "Of all the qualities to be recognized for, positive contribution to society is the one that we value most as a company, because it's a crucial component of our corporate mission."

The highly prestigious CWSA, considered the premier awards program in the information technology (IT) industry, honors corporations, organizations and individuals who use technology to create positive change in society. In addition to selecting five finalists and a winner in each of 10 categories, CWSA ensures each nominated innovator's place in history as part of the Smithsonian Institution's permanent research collection. Finalists for the 1996 CWSA will be announced at the end of April and will be honored at the eighth annual awards dinner, scheduled for June 3, 1996, in Washington, D.C.

SurfWatch Software creates award-winning Internet products for personal computers and licenses Internet access control technology. As a founding member of the PICS consortium, SurfWatch supports the development of standards-based Internet rating systems. SurfWatch has rapidly become the industry-standard tool for blocking access to unwanted materials on the Internet.

SurfWatch lets parents, teachers and employers block unwanted sexually explicit and other material from their computers' Internet access-without restricting the access rights of other Internet users. The software removes no material from the Internet, simply blocking it at any computer or local network where it is installed. SurfWatch screens Internet newsgroups, World Wide Web, FTP, Gopher, Chat and other services.

Established in 1989, the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards (CWSA) were created by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History and Computerworld, the leading newspaper of the information technology industry. The purpose of the CWSA is to search out and publicly honor those men and women who are using information technology across a spectrum of industries to make our planet a more humane, healthy and cooperative place to live. In celebrating their achievements, CWSA helps to demystify technology and empowers people to use technology as a tool for positive change.

SurfWatch Software, Inc., based in Los Altos, Calif., is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. Founded in January 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products that have a positive impact on peoples' lives, SurfWatch's first products enable parents, teachers and employers to block sexually explicit material on the Internet. SurfWatch Software can be reached at 415-948-9500, info@surfwatch.com or via the World Wide Web at http://www.surfwatch.com.

Contact:

Jay Friedland                           E-mail: jay@surfwatch.com

SurfWatch Software                      Phone:  415-948-9500

175 S. San Antonio Rd, Ste 102          Fax:    415-948-9577

Los Altos, CA 94022                     http://www.surfwatch.com


VerTec CyberTax Tax Submission Software
VerTec Solutions Provides Tax Assistance with Adobe PDF and Amzi! Logic Server Over Internet

April 8, 1996--VerTec Solutions, Inc. announced today the release of their tax submission software -- CyberTax. CyberTax is a combined effort on the parts of VerTec Solutions, Inc. of Greensboro, NC; Adobe Systems, Inc. of Mountain View, California, and Nelco, Inc. of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The vision was to merge the technologies of the Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) and VerTec's TranZform plug-in software together with Nelco's expertise in electronic tax filing to allow the general public to file federal taxes electronically by modem or via the Internet. CyberTax is not a "stand-alone" software product, but a software enhancement to Adobe Reader v2.1, which must be installed before CyberTax will execute. By utilizing the technology and know-how of the three companies, CyberTax brings a wide-range of assistance to the personal filer.

To further assist the personal filer, VerTec employed a specialized Artificial Intelligence Knowledge Base, written in Prolog with Amzi! Prolog Logic Server, in their application. Prolog is a programming language designed for solving problems that involve different objects and relations between objects. It uses logic to express knowledge, and it uses inference to manipulate knowledge. The Knowledge Base, in order to eliminate human errors, performs calculations, carries information forward to appropriate fields, and sums total amounts automatically.

Prolog, a declarative programming language, was chosen to represent the tax rules because of the nature of the tax rules--they change every year and are made up of rules for relating data. Also, since tax forms contain so many duplicate values, Prolog provided the best means to handle the redundant values on all the forms. Due to Prolog, the user has no need to enter the same information more than once. Currently, CyberTax contains approximately 800 rules and supports 22 of the most commonly used federal tax forms, including multiple W-2s, W-2Gs, and 1099Rs.

The workflow for CyberTax is simple due to Prolog handling most of the logic for each form. Users simply enter their tax information by tabbing to and entering data into simple edit boxes. After the data is entered, it is passed to the built-in Knowledge Base which analyzes the information. This approach provides a quick and effective means to perform all of the related computations in all of the supported tax forms. The method also works well for getting estimated tax results. For example, a user could enter guess values into the edit boxes. The program would then handle the computations, thus allowing a user to get a feel for what the tax situation would be under certain circumstances.

Once the tax return has been completed, the system sends the data to a verification module to ensure that there are no obvious mistakes. After passing the verification process, the tax information may be sent electronically, or by mail.

For more information about CyberTax, please contact:

VerTec Solutions, Inc. 5601 Roanne Way, #606, Greensboro, NC 27409

Tel: 910-855-9555, Fax: 910-855-1766

info@vertec.com, http://www.vertec.com

For more information about Amzi! Prolog + Logic Server, please contact:

Mary Kroening, mary@amzi.com

Amzi! inc. 40 Samuel Prescott Drive, Stow, MA 01775

Tel: 508-897-7332, Fax: 508-897-2784, info@amzi.com, http://www.amzi.com


OpenChannel Database Connectivity Arch.
Visigenic Unveils New Database Application Connectivity Architecture and Suite of Products

OpenChannel Server-Centric Architecture Moves ODBC Data Access From Client To Server To Simplify Client/Server Computing

SAN MATEO, CALIF., - APRIL 1, 1996 - Visigenic Software, Inc., the industry experts in cross-platform database connectivity, today unveiled OpenChannel - a next generation database connectivity architecture, that simplifies client/server data access and secures data within all enterprise and Internet computing environments. OpenChannel, based on the ODBC standard, provides data access through a common infrastructure that supports multiple systems, applications and databases. With the release of OpenChannel, Visigenic introduces the first complete server-centric architecture that shifts ODBC application administration and processing from the client to the server.

"Last year Visigenic achieved its first goal: providing open, standards-based multi- platform database connectivity. As a result, Visigenic became the leading provider of cross- platform ODBC solutions for open computing," said Roger Sippl, founder and CEO of Visigenic Software. "Although open systems provides choice, it also involves many components which can result in a complex client/server infrastructure that is costly to deploy and difficult to manage and maintain. Without sacrificing our commitment to open, standards-based database independence, we are delivering a new connectivity architecture that dramatically simplifies the client/server infrastructure, reduces costs to develop and deploy applications, and provides advanced control and management functionality."

Kyle Geiger, ODBC Architect at Microsoft Corporation added, "The ODBC standard was intended to provide an efficient means of accessing databases while reducing the coding efforts of application developers. To date, nearly all ODBC implementations have been focused on the client. For large organizations, that can mean complexity in distribution, configuration and support of ODBC across hundreds or thousands of client machines. By moving the administrative burden and processing load for ODBC applications from the client to the server, OpenChannel reduces complexity which will further the universal acceptance of ODBC as the standard for database connectivity across all major platforms."

Visigenic's OpenChannel Architecture

PLATINUM technology, Inc., a leading provider of open enterprise management tools, is one of the organizations that beta tested the OpenChannel product. "PLATINUM's intention is that OpenChannel will become the basis for database connectivity across our product line, " said Paul Humenansky, chief operating officer at PLATINUM. "The server- centric OpenChannel architecture has proven to be easy to install, configure and deploy - we have confidence in delivering this to our customers. Furthermore, Visigenic offers the industry's most reliable, high-performance ODBC drivers for the major databases and server platforms. The company is focused on and committed to truly open and standards-based data access solutions."

OpenChannel is the first database connectivity architecture that is open, flexible and significantly reduces the costs of building and maintaining client/server environments. Key components of the OpenChannel architecture are the OpenChannel Client, the OpenChannel Server, the OpenChannel Manager and the Visigenic ODBC Drivers. Additional modules are available including the OpenChannel Client for Java that provides support for Java applications and applets as well as the OpenChannel Secure module that provides encrypted client/server communication, especially important for Internet communications. Combined, these components provide the only complete solution for client-to-server database connectivity across multiple platforms.

The OpenChannel Client, which interoperates with both the ODBC API and the JDBCT API, replaces multiple software components with a single client driver on client machines. This provides a single, standard data access component that replaces a multitude of database-specific drivers and connectivity libraries.

* The OpenChannel Server, the foundation of the new Visigenic architecture, centralizes data access control on the server and provides client machines with DBMS location transparency and minimal impact of server-side database or driver-specific version changes.

* The OpenChannel Manager, included with the OpenChannel Server component, provides a complete picture of all OpenChannel activity resulting in streamlined resource management and greatly improved system administration.

* The Visigenic ODBC Drivers provide reliable, high-performance data access to leading SQL databases including CA-Ingres, IBM DB2, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase SQL Server, and Sybase DBLib.

The OpenChannel Server Software

The cornerstone of Visigenic's new architecture, the OpenChannel Server connects to a data source through the ODBC Driver Manager and database-specific drivers that now exist on the server. Organizations designing and deploying ODBC-based solutions can use the Visigenic ODBC Driver bundled with OpenChannel, substitute other Visigenic ODBC drivers or third-party ODBC drivers, or write their own drivers while still using OpenChannel as the client-to-server connectivity infrastructure.

The traditional client-centric ODBC architecture requires that users have an ODBC driver and database connectivity library on every client for every data source accessed. When an upgrade to the database is performed, each driver, each database connectivity library, and the ODBC .INI file require individual updates, that can mean 100s or 1000s of clients in enterprise environments. Visigenic's server- centric OpenChannel architecture eliminates the cumbersome task of client-side ODBC adminstration.

Benefits of the Visigenic OpenChannel Product

OpenChannel promises a set of customer benefits that are fundamental to the wide- spread deployment of client/server computing including Simplicity, Choice, Control and Cost. The product offers a simpler computing model by reducing the number of client software components needed to keep the enterprise running. OpenChannel offers greater choice by allowing the use of Visigenic-provided, third-party, or privately-developed ODBC drivers. It improves control by centralizing data access on the server requiring that data source definition occur only once for the entire network and provides a graphical manager that allows monitoring of connections and system parameters. The architecture reduces installation, system maintenance, support and training costs. Finally, OpenChannel can be deployed to existing ODBC applications without requiring any changes, instantly simplifying and reducing your administrative burden.

Support For Internet Computing Infrastructure

As the Internet and corporate intranets become standard computing platforms, IT developers and VARs are being required to provide an Internet data access solution. To that end, Visigenic is providing support for both Java applications and the JDBC application programming interface (API) via the OpenChannel Client for Java. The Java API support will provide Java developers cross-platform database access to the leading SQL databases. In addition to Internet-enabling OpenChannel, Visigenic has also developed the OpenChannel Secure option that enables private, encrypted Internet communications. The company made a separate announcement today about its database connectivity solution for Java applications and the Internet.

Pricing, Availability and Platform Support

Visigenic has developed a user-based pricing model, which is based on the number of concurrent server-side users. Pricing for OpenChannel, which includes an ODBC Driver, starts at $3,925 for five concurrent users. Free downloadable OpenChannel evaluation software is available via the company's Website. Visigenic OpenChannel is available immediately. The OpenChannel Server will initially support Windows NT with OpenChannel Clients supporting Windows 3.1, Windows NT and Windows 95. OpenChannel Clients and Servers for Solaris, HP-UX and IBM AIX platforms are currently in beta and will be available soon.

About Visigenic Software, Inc.

Visigenic Software, Inc. is the industry expert in cross-platform database connectivity solutions. A unique combination of products, tools and services makes Visigenic the only complete database connectivity solution provider. The company develops and markets a suite of software products for enterprise-wide database connectivity across Windows, UNIX, Macintosh and OS/2 platforms, including the Visigenic OpenChannel products, Visigenic ODBC DriverSets, Visigenic ODBC Software Development Kits, and Visigenic ODBC Test Suites. Founded by Roger Sippl in 1993, the company is headquartered in San Mateo, California. Additional information about Visigenic may be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://www.visigenic.com.


Java Access to Enterprise-wide SQL Databases
Visigenic Software Provides Enabling Products for Java to Access Enterprise-wide SQL Databases

SAN MATEO, CALIF., -- APRIL 1 , 1996 -- Visigenic Software, Inc., the industry experts in cross-platform database connectivity, today announced two solutions to support distributed client/server data access for Java Development Environments, applications and applets. Visigenic OpenChannel Client for Java and the Visigenic JDBC to ODBC Interface will extend the use of existing enterprise databases for the new class of JDBC enabled applications. These products, announced in conjuction with Visigenic's release of its new OpenChannel architecture, provide access to remote databases via the Internet and private TCP/IP-based networks by using a true client/server architecture which supports full, industry standard ODBC functionality.

"The massive growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web requires a database protocol that will allow client/server database applications to function across the Internet with the same functionality and ease of use as traditional client/server applications in the enterprise today, " said Bob Perreault, vice-president of product development at Visigenic. "The current solutions for the Internet and the Web enable applications that support static text and graphics. Java has introduced the development of interactive applications across the Internet but until recently has had no integrated support for database connectivity. With Visigenic's new products you can now access enterprise information stored in databases via the Internet. The access is directly under the control of the Java application logic, and does not rely on static HTML representations of the data, as assembled by slow CGI servers."

"Sun fully endorses Visigenic's OpenChannel Client for Java which is built on the JDBC standard for accessing databases. OpenChannel Client will help provide Internet and intranet developers the database connectivity they require, " said Jeff Siegel, group manager, business development at JavaSoft. "JavaSoft is very pleased to work with Visigenic to develop the World Wide Web as a corporate information and application platform."

Visigenic OpenChannel Client for Java

Visigenic is extending the capabilities of its new database application connectivity architecture, OpenChannel, and now supports the Java Programming Language Environment. OpenChannel for Java enables interactive applications across the Internet, allowing users to interactively work with remote data. This allows for all the dynamic functionality that users are accustomed to with existing client/server applications, such as Visual Basic and PowerBuilder. The integration of OpenChannel and Java provide the first truly distributed and interactive database application environment on the Internet.

The existing HTML, text-oriented environment is not designed for distributed computing. The OpenChannel architecture eliminates the need to communicate through a Web server that passes the request to a CGI gateway, which then accesses the database, synthesizes the HTML document and then passes it back through the Web server. The OpenChannel Client for Java passes the request directly to an OpenChannel Server that resides on the platform where the database is located, eliminating unnecessary layers and format conversion.

OpenChannel Client for Java is written completely in Java this allows it to integrate with Java environments that are portable and architecturally neutral as well as maintain the security features of Java that prevent unauthorized access and virus invasion. OpenChannel Client for Java provides a standard for database access for any Java applet, application or development environment, such as recently announced tools from Symantec and Borland. Combined, the OpenChannel Client for Java and the OpenChannel Client for ODBC, provide a single, standard database connectivity solution for all data sources in the enterprise whether accessed from Java applets, through Web pages, or typical client/server tools such as Visual Basic.

Visigenic JDBC to ODBC Interface

Visigenic also announced today a JDBC To ODBC Interface. The JDBC API is JavaSoft's specification for database access by Java applications and applets. The Visigenic product provides a bridge between Java applications written to the JDBC API and existing ODBC drivers that are available today. This leverages the existing installed base of ODBC drivers and applications and provides a consistent way for all applications to access enterprise data via a single, standard method.

With the announcement of these two products, Visigenic is providing the flexibility and choice for organizations that are designing and deploying database applications across the Internet and corporate intranets.

Pricing and Availability

The OpenChannel Client for Java and JDBC to ODBC Interface will be released in parallel to the final release of JavaSoft's JDBC API specification and platform support. Pricing will be available at that time.

About Visigenic Software, Inc.

Visigenic Software, Inc. is the industry expert in cross-platform database connectivity solutions. A unique combination of products, tools and services makes Visigenic the only complete database connectivity solution provider. The company develops and markets a suite of software products for enterprise-wide database connectivity across Windows, UNIX, Macintosh and OS/2 platforms, including the Visigenic OpenChannel products, Visigenic ODBC DriverSets, Visigenic ODBC Software Development Kits, and Visigenic ODBC Test Suites. Founded by Roger Sippl in 1993, the company is headquartered in San Mateo, California. Additional information about Visigenic may be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://www.visigenic.com.


AOL Launches ParasScope - Paranormal Info
PARASCOPE LAUNCHES ON AMERICA ONLINE

Forum Dedicated to Uncovering Information on the Unexplained and Paranormal

Vienna, VA, April 10, 1996 -- Something strange is happening. The government has sealed off millions of acres of secret desert sites in Nevada. A small group of people in New Mexico are plagued by a phantom noise that only they can hear. Black helicopters are buzzing small towns across America and the military isn't offering any explanations. Government conspiracies? Alien encounters? Paranormal phenomena? What exactly is going on?

America Online today announced the launch of ParaScope, a forum dedicated investigating, researching and answering those mysteries, rumors, incidents and ideas ignored or shunned by the mainstream media. Created by a talented group of journalists, researchers and investigators, ParaScope is the most comprehensive, up-to-date spot in cyberspace for information on those topics that lie on the fringe of human understanding.

ParaScope is a service of The AOL Greenhouse (tm), a business unit of America Online designed to assist "infopreneurs" in the creation of unique online content and interactive services developed exclusively for the online medium. ParaScope is available in Clubs & Interests on America Online and at Keyword: ParaScope.

"There is nothing so frustrating in life as knowing something for sure but not being able to prove it," said Ted Leonsis, President of America Online Services Company. "ParaScope will change that. From the ParaScope Online Intelligence Network to the Freedom of Information Act Self-Help Center, ParaScope takes a serious and critical look at today's unexplained phenomena."

ParaScope was founded by Ruffin Prevost and Charles Overbeck, who both share a lifelong interest in the unexplained and unexplainable. The founders met in college at the University of North Carolina, where they edited the alternative campus magazine and received bachelor's degrees in journalism.

"At ParaScope, we felt that there was a large and growing trend among the public at large, in general, and a strong community of researchers and theorists, in particular, to try and pool resources and find answers to a number of pressing questions," said ParaScope founder Ruffin Prevost. "The mainstream media has either ignored these issues or treated them with derision, ridicule and undue skepticism. We feel that the online medium offers the most open, interactive and dynamic forum for a resource like ParaScope. At ParaScope we are convinced of one thing: something strange is happening. And it's up to us and our members on America Online and the Internet to get to the bottom of it."

Online Departments: ParaScope will have four major content categories that are defined by popular fields of interest:

* NEBULA -- Covering the realm of UFOs and alien encounters, Nebula will be the most comprehensive resource for ET enthusiasts. ParaScope will cover every aspect of the UFO scene, from preposterous reports of little green men to the possible involvement of the US Air Force in the development of strange and secret propulsion systems.

* MATRIX -- Examining the hidden "story behind the story" in every aspect of politics, current events and history, Matrix will search for the undercurrents that define the visible surface. From the Kennedy assassination to the mysterious Gulf War Sickness, from cigarette advertising to fluoridated water, Matrix will work to uncover the hidden agendas and shadow forces at work throughout history and up to the present day.

* ENIGMA -- Delving into the strange and mysterious world of unexplained phenomena, Enigma will paranormal events, ghosts, psychic incidents and other mysteries. With a little luck and a lot of hard work, ParaScope will finally find out what Bigfoot likes to eat, learn how the pyramids were really made, uncover the mysterious forces of the Bermuda Triangle, dive into the physics behind spontaneous human combustion and find out exactly what happened to the lost city of Atlantis. If it's strange and unexplained, expect to find it well covered in Enigma.

* DOSSIER -- Charting the true course of the unexplained is always difficult, and nothing casts light on the dark shadows of mystery like original, primary-source documents. Dossier will be an exhaustive collection of documents, declassified reports and other materials available for searching and downloading. Satellite photos, government reports, company memos and other documents will make Dossier an invaluable research tool.

On a daily basis, members can also find out what's hot and new in ParaScope by clicking on "In the Viewscope." And the ParaScope "Index" provides an alphabetical listing of stories that ParaScope is currently covering.

The online medium also allows ParaScope to engage in an unprecedented degree of interactivity with its audience, which will include: POINT: The ParaScope Online Intelligence Network , an extensive collection of news and late-breaking information will serve as the first stop on the information superhighway for people seeking the last word on what's happening in the world of the strange and unexpected; FOIA Center: Freedom of Information Act Self-Help Center, which will file Freedom of Information Act requests on behalf of America Online members and in response to popular demand; Mediopoly, which will challenge members to cite instances of mainstream media bias, mis-representation, factual error and general screw-ups; and The Grassy Knoll, ParaScope's chat area which will offer members the opportunity to chat with each other and special guests.

And coming soon:

* Hearsay -- A forum for members to post their own reviews of books, movies, television shows and other items of interest to members.

* Eyewitness -- An interactive collection area where members can report their own accounts of the strange and disturbing.

* The ParaPoll -- This regular feature will poll visitors to ParaScope about key issues, often with a controversial slant. Are crop circles a hoax? Did Vince Foster really commit suicide? Does pyramid power work?

The AOL Greenhouse provides ParaScope with online production support including full utilization of AOL's publishing tools, Internet publishing support, seed equity funding, marketing resources, online promotion, and an audience of more than 5 million America Online subscribers. Partners in The AOL Greenhouse are given the opportunity to team with interactive marketing partners to assist in the development of new revenue streams.

America Online, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than 5 million subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-653-4488.


Time Inc Pathfinder Personal Edition & CIS
TIME WARNER'S PATHFINDER, COMPUSERVE AND OPEN MARKET ANNOUNCE A BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE INTERNET

Time Inc. To Launch Pathfinder Personal Edition With Open Market's Express Software

CompuServe Will "Pay the Tolls" for Personal Edition and Express for Users of All of its Services

NEW YORK, NY, April 11, 1996 -- A unique combination of material produced exclusively for the Web and technology designed to make it easily accessible will create a revolutionary new model for linking an online service and the Internet was announced today by Time Warner's Pathfinder, CompuServe Incorporated and Open Market Inc.

Time Inc. New Media is announcing a key feature of its first paid offering on the Internet. Pathfinder Personal Edition, scheduled for release this summer, will include a personalized news and information service that will draw upon the wide variety of material produced by Time Inc. publications. Pathfinder Personal Edition will let subscribers create custom online magazines tailored to meet individual interests.

CompuServe is expanding its relationship with Time Warner by eliminating the complexity and cost of accessing Internet content for all of its users. While Pathfinder Personal Edition will carry a standard subscription charge, customers of CompuServe's online offerings, including the CompuServe Information Service, WOW! and SPRYNET will have the fee paid in advance by CompuServe Incorporated. This will allow CompuServe users to access Pathfinder Personal Edition at no additional charge.

Pathfinder is taking this innovative consumer product one step further by combining it with OMExpress from Open Market. Express is software that manages fast and convenient web access from the desktop of a computer. Users simply program Express to fetch material from a Web site whenever they want it and Express delivers it automatically. Once the material arrives it is available instantly on a user's computer, shattering the Web's speed barrier.

CompuServe will license this package that includes Pathfinder Personal Edition and Express and make it available this year. The combination of creating a premium service within Pathfinder, offering cutting-edge technology to speed up and personalize access to Internet content, and partnering with CompuServe to offer exclusive toll-free access creates an entirely new business model for the Internet. It also redefines the relationship between the Internet and the commercial online service. And it greatly enhances the ability of the growing consumer segment of the online market to make sense of it all.

"When we launched Pathfinder a little more than 18 months ago," explained Paul Sagan, President and Editor of New Media at Time Inc., "we set out to find innovative ways of bringing news and information to an audience on the Internet. This alliance with CompuServe and Open Market completes that journey. The Web is about bringing people the material they want when they want it. Pathfinder Personal Edition pulls the content together, Express gets it to them quickly, and CompuServe will make it available to millions of online subscribers almost immediately."

"This relationship makes the full suite of CompuServe online services -- CompuServe, WOW! and SPRYNET -- the best value in the online and Internet marketplace," said Bob Massey, CompuServe President and Chief Executive Officer. "As quality Internet content begins carrying a subscription fee, CompuServe can add value and simplicity by paying the tolls and offering the deepest, broadest content to those who use any of our three services."

"We believe that bundling Express with Time Warner's Pathfinder site is a perfect match," said Gary Eichhorn, CEO of Open Market. "Combining Express's powerful features to search and retrieve with the valuable content on the Pathfinder site truly leverages the power of the Web by giving frequent Web users exactly what they are looking for. We are also very pleased that CompuServe subscribers will be able to benefit from this arrangement."

About Time Warner's Pathfinder

PATHFINDER, one of the most popular sites on the Internet, can be reached at http://pathfinder.com. Produced by Time Warner, Pathfinder features digital content and online services from such powerful brands as TIME, PEOPLE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, MONEY, FORTUNE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY and LIFE. Special features on Pathfinder include "News Now," with updated news, weather and stocks every ten minutes, and "Netly News," a daily look at the latest trends on the Web.

About CompuServe

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 900 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.

About Open Market

Founded in 1994, Open Market, Inc. offers a full spectrum of high-performance business software products for the Internet. These products are revolutionary in their architecture, breadth, and functionality -- and enable companies to re-invent the way they do business in the information economy. Open Market's software products bring the full range of business capability to the Internet and make enterprise-wide applications, secure electronic commerce, and industry-specific solutions possible. The company, with headquarters in Cambridge, MA, can be reached at 617/621-9500 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.openmarket.com.


Money Magazine Finance Tools to WOW!
MONEY BRINGS POWERFUL PERSONAL FINANCE TOOLS TO WOW!

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 11, 1996 -- Money magazine, the nation's largest financial publication, has created a suite of special interactive tools and features exclusively for WOW! from CompuServe, the new consumer online service for home use.

The tools are designed to help give WOW! members a better understanding of all aspects of their finances, including saving for retirement, borrowing, investing and more. In addition to the interactive content, Money offers users easy-to-follow ideas on a broad range of financial topics.

"Money's contributions to WOW! promote active involvement on the part of our members, allowing them to get customized suggestions for their unique financial challenges," said Scott Kauffman, CompuServe vice president of consumer markets and WOW! general manager.

"These tools exemplify the kind of leading-edge, real-life applications home users want, and we anticipate an expansion of Money's role on WOW! as we move forward."

The interactive features created for WOW! include several "calculators" and quizzes designed to help members get a fix on, for example, their tolerance for risk, their monthly goal for retirement savings or how much home they can afford.

"By asking members very detailed questions, these services can provide personalized guidance to some of the complex financial situations we all encounter," said Kevin McKean, Money's editor for new media. "While they can save you hours of calculation, these features should not be regarded as oracles, but rather as tools for solid financial planning." McKean added that while members who use the calculators are asked for highly sensitive information about their personal finances, none of the data is collected, stored or communicated in any way.

The interactive tools include:

* The Instant Budget Maker. This allows members to compare their spending to that of other Americans with similar household incomes and family demographic profiles. An additional feature will soon offer special advice to people whose expenditures are significantly out of line (e.g., how to bring down your food bills if your grocery spending is too high).

* How Much Should I Save for Retirement? This feature lets members calculate how much they need to save, on a monthly basis, to build a retirement fund that will provide them with enough income to maintain their living standard. It takes into account existing sources of income as well as likely future investment performance and inflation -- and may provide a distressing reality check for many people, as surveys show that most Americans do not save enough for retirement.

* What's Your Risk Tolerance? This tool poses a series of often-quirky questions designed to judge how comfortable members are with financial risk (including whether they would go bungee-jumping). Based on the answers, Money offers a colorful diagram suggesting how to allocate investments among various types of assets in order to maximize return without incurring an uncomfortable level of risk.

Other calculators and quizzes include What's Your Mutual Fund IQ?, The Debt-Buster, How Much House Can I Afford? and much more. A Money reference section on WOW! contains a personal finance guidebook as well as numerous how-to articles from the magazine on a variety of topics. Money also plans to host weekly live conferences on WOW! featuring experts in various areas of personal finance.

WOW! from CompuServe is a powerful new consumer online service created specifically for home use. The service offers each household member easy access to information, entertainment and communication -- including the Internet -- combined with the flexibility to customize and control the online experience. Its many features include distinct views for grown-ups and children, easy electronic mail, seamless Internet access and multimedia that enliven the service with sound and motion.

Other information providers on WOW! include AutoSite, Dr. Joy Browne, Entertainment Weekly, E-Town, Hearst New Media & Technology, National Geographic, On Location Education, Charles Schwab, Sports Illustrated For Kids and Travelocity. To become a charter member of WOW!, call 1-800-9GETWOW. WOW! members pay $17.95 per month for unlimited access to WOW! and the Internet. Each account provides unique email addresses for up to six members of a household. Those signing on before June 30 will become charter members and are guaranteed this pricing for life.

Since October 1995, Money magazine has provided The Money Personal Finance Center on the CompuServe Information Service. It offers a unique combination of content and technology to help CompuServe members make the most of their finances. CompuServe members can tap into Money's vast resources, communicate directly with the magazine's editors, receive timely performance updates on stocks, mutual funds and personal portfolios and make trades through brokerage accounts. In addition, members have immediate access to CompuServe's extensive financial services, including online areas such as the Investors' Forum, the popular FundWatch mutual fund performance database and a new stock-screening tool created for the service that lets users choose stocks that meet fundamental criteria they specify.

Money is the nation's largest financial publication, with a rate base circulation of 1.9 million and total readership above 9.8 million, according to the latest MRI audience survey.

CompuServe is an H&R Block company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


7th Level/Morgan Creek - Ace Ventura CD-ROM
7TH LEVEL AND MORGAN CREEK PREMIER ACE VENTURA CD-ROM

ALLLLLLRIGHTY THEN!

Dallas, Texas (April 10, 1996) - 7th Level, Inc. (NASDAQ:SEVL) and Morgan Creek Interactive will bring America's favorite pet detective to CD-ROM this summer with the release of ACE VENTURA Pet Detective. This action-packed graphic adventure game utilizes 7th Level's proprietary production techniques to bring to life Morgan Creek's hilarious character, made famous by Jim Carrey in the blockbuster movies ACE VENTURA Pet Detective and ACE VENTURA When Nature Calls.

Ace is back, complete with loud shirt, wicked "doo" and that unmistakable swagger, but this time he'll strut his stuff on CD-ROM. Ace Ventura's popularity has been explosive since his introduction at the box office where the two films have grossed $300 million worldwide, and in the CBS Saturday morning series, which consistently ranks in the top three.

"We're making every effort to parallel the demented demeanor of the charmingly obnoxious Ace Ventura as brought to life on the big screen," said 7th Level President, Bob Ezrin. "Ace's physical humor and crime-solving reputation are naturals for a graphic adventure game and lend themselves perfectly to 7th Level's style."

ACE VENTURA Pet Detective uses feature-film quality animation rendered over beautifully hand-painted backgrounds in full-screen high resolution, creating stunning surroundings for the player. It also features an intuitive interface that creates a realistic feel for managing inventory and navigating through the game's environment.

The hilarious CD-ROM game takes Ace on his toughest case yet, traveling to 30 exotic locations around the world in search of clues that unravel a crime-ring that threatens everything he cares about you guessed it animals. To help Ace decode the mystery, the player must think quickly and carefully to solve mind-twisting, problems and also maneuver with skill through fast-paced scrolling action sequences.

"We're excited to bring Ace to CD-ROM," said Morgan Creek CEO, James G. Robinson. "Using 7th Level's award-winning animation and audio techniques, combined with great gameplay and an entertaining storyline, true to the Ace Ventura style, this game gives new meaning to the term 'graphic adventure'."

ACE VENTURA Pet Detective features a rockin' score in the 7th Level tradition and hours of comic dialog as Ace meets more than 25 characters on the four cases that define this madcap adventure. Along for the ride are many favorite Ace supporting characters: Ace's high-tech hippie friend Woodstock; Mr. Shikadance, the landlord you love to hate; and of course, Ace's ever loyal simian-sidekick, Spike.

From a spy camp to an Alaskan Factory complex, buried miles below the Icy Tundra, players will attempt to guide the manic detective as he unravels the mysteries of the criminal mind behind a series of heinous crimes. Solving each case uncovers clues that direct players to the ultimate showdown at the Bavarian Castle of Fatteus Lardus, the most diabolical animal criminal of all time.

Developed using TopGun, 7th Level's proprietary technology, ACE VENTURA Pet Detective will be available for both Macintosh and Windows" 95/ Windows 3.1 platforms in August for $39.99.

7th Level, Inc. blends Hollywood creative artistry, proprietary production techniques and world-class animators and producers to deliver state- of-the-art multimedia products. 7th Level's award-winning titles include The Great Word Adventure and TuneLand starring Howie Mandel, Arcade America, Battle Beast, Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time and Take Your Best Shot. Coming this summer is Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail.

Morgan Creek is a diversified entertainment company which encompasses Morgan Creek Productions, Inc. one of Hollywood's most successful and respected production companies; Morgan Creek International, its foreign distribution entity, distributes all Morgan Creek product internationally; Morgan Creek Music Group, a music publishing and soundtrack company with three platinum soundtracks to its credit and a strong publishing catalogue; and an exhibition company which holds a significant interest in First International Theaters operating more than 80 screens in the Midwest. All of Morgan Creek films are distributed through Warner Brothers in the U.S. and Canada.

Visit 7th Level on the internet at www.7thlevel.com or on AOL and CompuServe at "SEVENTH." Visit Morgan Creek at www.AceVentura.com. Watch for an Ace Ventura demo coming soon.

For more information regarding 7th Level, Inc. and its products, please contact Mary Crisp at 7th Level, Inc., (214) 498-8184, Fax (214) 437-2717; or Jenny Rosas at Bender, Goldman & Helper, (310) 473-4147, Fax (310) 478-7914, jenny_rosas@bgh.com.


Dynamics C/S+ for Microsfot SQL Server Avail
Great Plains Software Announces the General Availability Release of Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server

Redmond, WA, April 4, 1996 -- Great Plains Software announced today via a live satellite telecast the general availability release of Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server, its 32- bit suite of three-tier client/server financial applications. The 90 minute telecast, co-sponsored by Microsoft Corporation and Digital Equipment Corporation, highlighted how Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server provides midrange corporate customers the ideal solution for migrating their mission-critical financial applications to a tightly integrated Microsoft BackOffice solution.

"Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server offers unprecedented value to midrange corporate customers seeking cost-effective, high-performing, next-generation client/server financial management solutions," said Doug Burgum, president and CEO at Great Plains Software. "Great Plains offers the total solution combining an award-winning product line, undisputed leadership in customer service, the industry's largest and most sophisticated VAR channel, and the stability of 14 consecutive years of record revenue growth."

Specifically designed and optimized for the latest Microsoft relational database offering, nine Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server modules and tools are available today to both new and existing Great Plains customers. A leader at providing next-generation client/server financial applications at a lower true cost-of-ownership, Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server offers competitive application pricing and shorter installation and implementation cycles than traditional midrange vendors.

"The synergy of vision between Great Plains Software, Digital and Microsoft extends further than the technology realm, it also represents the cooperative efforts of three suppliers well- positioned to provide the next-generation in ready-to-run business solutions for a midrange market desperate to find the way to the future." said Ed Black, director of client-server solutions at the Aberdeen Group, Inc. "The combination of Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft BackOffice and Digital's Intel and Alpha servers for Microsoft Windows NT could well offer a return on value unheralded in the midrange market's experience."

NEXT-GENERATION ARCHITECTURE

Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server is designed to uniquely deliver next-generation accounting and financial management functionality based on a scaleable three-tier client/server architecture. Through this next-generation architecture, customers can exploit the performance of Dynamics C/S+, increasing the productivity of every user on the network and maximizing the use of all network resources. Digital's Windows NT hardware for the Intel or Alpha platforms are the optimal solution for superior performance in this distributed computing model and can be deployed as database servers, applications servers and even at the desktop for power users.

"The three-tier architecture of Great Plains Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server fully capitalizes on the superior performance and scalability offered by Digital's powerful Windows NT desktop and server machines," said Thomas R. Mullan, software partner business manager at Digital. "Using Dynamics C/S+ on Digital Intel or Alpha hardware, customers can truly configure the performance of each desktop and processing-intensive application in their next-generation client/server financial system."

TIGHT INTEGRATION WITH MICROSOFT BACKOFFICE

Dynamics C/S+ delivers tight integration between a corporation's financial applications and Microsoft BackOffice components including Microsoft SQL Server, Windows NT Server, Microsoft Mail Server and Microsoft Systems Management Server. Supporting both Microsoft Windows NT Workstation and Server 3.51, Dynamics C/S+ uses the advanced database functionality of SQL Server including written stored procedures., Additionally, it is setting a new standard by auto-generating stored procedures during installation. Auto-generation of these stored procedures optimizes performance for each customer and ensures a seamless upgrade path to future releases of Microsoft SQL Server.

"Microsoft BackOffice provides the lowest cost of purchase and operation of any major client/server application platform," said Pieter Knook, general manager, industry sales and marketing, at Microsoft Corporation. "Designed upon and optimized for Microsoft BackOffice, Great Plains Dynamics Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server is well positioned to bring this same compelling value-for-price proposition to the midrange corporate client/server financial applications market."

Further support of Microsoft BackOffice includes the implementation of the transaction logging and rollback feature which heightens the security and data integrity of Dynamics C/S+ mission- critical financial data, by resuming interrupted tasks, such as posting from the interruption point. Integration of Dynamics C/S+ with the Mail Server allows users to send reports through electronic mail systems, including the Internet, using MAPI. Finally, support for System Management Server eases the installation and upgrade process which is made even smoother through a fully automated installation wizard.

DYNAMICS C/S+ MODULES AND AVAILABILITY

Shipping since July 1994, Dynamics C/S+ has earned the trust of more than 200 customers on Microsoft Windows NT Server. The January issue of Personal Computer Magazine awarded Dynamics C/S+ with top honors as the premier client/server financial application. The following Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server modules are shipping: System Manager, Report Writer, General Ledger, Receivables Management, Payables Management, Multicurrency Management, Advanced Financial Analysis, FRx and Modifier. Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server system software pricing averages $75,000.

Great Plains Software develops, markets, and supports accounting and financial-management software worldwide. The multinational company -- with VARs serving 27 countries-offers solutions ranging from midrange client/server systems to small business integrated accounting software. International Data Corporation (IDC) recently ranked Great Plains among the top five vendors of client/server financial applications worldwide. Great Plains also received national recognition for service excellence being named as the Inc./MCI Grand National Positive Performer Award winner. Great Plains was founded in 1981 and is privately owned.


3M to Spin Off Data Storage & Imaging Sys
3M Announces Filing of Preliminary Information Statement for Businesses To Be Spun Off

ST. PAUL, MINN. -- April 3, 1996 -- 3M announced today that it has filed a preliminary information statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed spin-off of its data storage and imaging systems businesses.

Once the spin-off is completed, the new company will be a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products and services worldwide for data storage and imaging applications within the information processing industry.

Under the current plan for the spin-off, each 3M shareholder would receive shares of the new company's common stock through a special pro-rata dividend. At the time of the spin-off, the new entity would become a separately traded, public company with its own stock and board of directors. 3M has applied for a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service that the distribution of stock will be tax-free to the shareholders of 3M. Application also will be made to list the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

3M plans to be in a position to complete the spin-off by July 1. The company is currently in the final stages of identifying a name for the new enterprise and expects to make an announcement by the middle of April.

As previously announced, the management team of the new company will be led by William T. Monahan, previously group vice president, 3M Electro and Communications Group. Monahan will serve as chief executive officer of the new company.

Monahan said of the transaction: "The spin-off makes perfect sense. It will enable us to compete as a more efficient organization and achieve greater profitability. We will continue to deliver innovative solutions driven by our ability to anticipate customer needs worldwide."

L.D. DeSimone, chairman of the board and chief executive officer, 3M, stated, "This transaction is clearly in the best interests of both 3M and the new company, which will be led by a strong management team at a time when the new company's businesses are positioned for growth."

3M first announced its plans to spin-off its data storage and imaging systems businesses in November 1995. In 1995, sales of those businesses totaled more than $2 billion.

During the coming months, the management of the new company will continue to work with 3M to finalize this filing and complete the spin-off. Upon completion of the process, the new company will discuss its plans with the public and its representatives will be available to answer questions.


Autodesk Unveils Kinetix Business Unit
AUTODESK UNVEILS KINETIX TO DRIVE 3D MULTIMEDIA FOR PCS AND THE WORLD WIDE WEB

New Business Unit Announces Delivery of 3D Content Creation Tools for Fast-Growing Internet and Windows NT Workstation Markets

NEW YORK, NY (April 10, 1996) -- Autodesk, Inc. (NSDQ:ADSK) today introduced Kinetix, an independent new business unit devoted to bringing the most powerful 3D content creation tools to the computer industry's fastest-growing markets. Already the leader in PC-based 3D modeling and animation tools, Kinetix revealed a long-term strategy to focus on film, video, interactive game and design visualization markets, and to deliver new technology that leverages the organization's established software products into the burgeoning World Wide Web and Microsoft" Windows NT" Workstation marketplaces.

As part of its introduction, Kinetix announced it will be shipping 3D Studio MAX, a new version of its award-winning 3D Studio" modeling and animation application specially rearchitected for Windows NT. Kinetix also introduced and demonstrated Hyperwire, a powerful visual and icon-based World Wide Web authoring tool that creates 2D and 3D titles in Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java environment.

"With today's unveiling of Kinetix, Autodesk has unleashed an aggressive and entrepreneurial business unit to define new 3D content creation tools for PCs and for the World Wide Web," said Carol Bartz, chairman, president and CEO of Autodesk. "Kinetix will introduce leading Autodesk technology to new customers around the world, while following its own independent vision to elevate the standard of 3D computing on the PC platform."

"As more companies in all industries awaken to the power of 3D graphics and multimedia, the need for visual, easy-to-use tools becomes critical," said Larry Crume, Autodesk vice president and general manager of Kinetix.

"The Kinetix mission is to leverage our expertise in the animation, special effects, video and interactive content arenas into immediately usable applications and tools that result in tangible benefits for users everywhere. By shipping 3D Studio MAX and making sneak preview copies of Hyperwire available over the Web today, we're executing to that vision."

INDEPENDENT VISION

Kinetix, whose software products (as Autodesk's Multimedia Market Group) generated revenues of nearly $28 million in fiscal 1996, will use Autodesk's distribution channels worldwide for the design visualization market, meanwhile defining a two-tiered dealer program to focus on the professional video and animation, interactive multimedia and 3D Web authoring markets. The new enterprise also plans in summer 1996 to move its worldwide headquarters to San Francisco's SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood, a Mecca for digital artists, production houses and multimedia developers.

Already the installed base leader in professional animation software with more than 200,000 animation customers and 70,000 3D Studio users, Kinetix will continue to focus on the fastest-growing areas of the computer industry. According to the 1995 Roncarelli Report, Kinetix leads the industry with 30 percent of the professional 3D animation market (and 45 percent of the PC segment). Meanwhile, Roncarelli reports Kinetix's core markets are growing rapidly: special effects, animation and professional video is growing at 34 percent year-to- year, while interactive multimedia authoring is expanding at 30 percent a year. Targeting the $6 billion CAD business (according to Dataquest), another major Kinetix growth opportunity is design visualization which integrates 3D multimedia tools with CAD software to enhance and animate the work of architects, engineers and designers.

"With desktop computer systems evolving from traditional PCs into high-performance personal workstations, millions of users are calling for a new generation of 3D multimedia software applications for Windows NT," said Philippe Ribeyre, Vice President of Digital Equipment Corp.'s Workstation Business Unit. "By delivering leading-edge, extensible content creation solutions that make the most of these new platforms, Kinetix has defined a product strategy that powerfully and affordably answers those needs."

DELIVERING POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY

The new business unit already is delivering powerful tools for creating 3D animation and multimedia content. Kinetix announced that it will be shipping this month 3D Studio MAX, a completely rearchitected version of 3D Studio featuring an all-new, real-time interface, support for graphics hardware acceleration and multiprocessor systems, and the first seamlessly extensible architecture in its market.

In beta testing since September 1995, 3D Studio MAX delivers several capabilities found only on expensive applications available for costly UNIX" platforms. 3D Studio MAX also delivers several exclusive features, including a unified Windows NT interface: an extensible "platform" architecture that automatically installs third-party "plug- in" applications seamlessly as part of the main application interface; the TrackView timeline-based animation management environment; and Space Warps, a class of components that facilitates the animation of scene-based special effects, such as explosions or black holes. 3D Studio MAX is U.S. list priced at $3,495.

"The shipping of 3D Studio MAX from Kinetix is exciting both for animators and for Intel," said Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general manager of Intel Corp.'s Content Group. "3D Studio MAX typifies the new breed of multimedia applications that take full advantage of the power and flexibility of Pentium" Pro by delivering workstation-class features and performance at PC prices."

"Windows NT Workstation was designed to be the platform for a new class of high-performance applications that redefine the notion of personal computing," said Peter Knook, general manager, business customer marketing at Microsoft. "3D Studio MAX from Kinetix is one of the impressive, powerful applications using the advanced features offered by Windows NT Workstation."

"The ability to access and customize every aspect of 3D Studio MAX coupled with the program's rich procedures and features  gives artists and animators the tools they need to create incredible imagery," said Dave Thompson, lead animator at DreamWorks Interactive, a joint venture of DreamWorks SKG and Microsoft Corp. "3D Studio MAX is an important addition to the 3D suite in the DreamWorks digital studio."

Kinetix also unveiled its new Hyperwire 3D authoring tool for the World Wide Web. Using simple visual objects rather than difficult programming commands, Hyperwire users can easily create 3D titles in Java for the World Wide Web. With Hyperwire, Web site developers and multimedia content authors can build exciting interactive web titles accessible from any Java-enabled web browser. Hyperwire is compliant with the VRML 1.0 (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) specification for 3D on the Internet.

A "sneak preview" version of Hyperwire is available immediately and free of charge on Kinetix's new Web site, at http://www.ktx.com, and shipping versions will be announced later.

ABOUT KINETIX

Kinetix develops and delivers affordable content creation tools for professionals such as film and video producers, video/computer game developers, Web content developers, architects, engineers, and designers. The leader in PC-based 3D modeling and animation tools, Kinetix provides a full range of products for the application development process, from 2D and 3D creation to assembly and delivery.  With headquarters in San Rafael, Calif., Kinetix is a division of Autodesk, the fourth largest PC software company in the world with three million customers in 130 countries.

Kinetix products are sold through dealers and distributors worldwide. Visit Kinetix on the World Wide Web at http://www.ktx.com, or contact the company at 800-879-4233.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in Autodesk's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.


Hayes ACCURA/Quarterdeck Bundle
HAYES SHIPS TOTAL INTERNET SOLUTION FOR HOME AND SOHO

ACCURA/Quarterdeck Bundle Provides One-Stop Shopping for Internet Enthusiasts

Atlanta, GA, 9 April 1996 -- Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of Hayes Total Internet Solution, a Hayes ACCURA 288 Fax Modem bundled with full retail versions of Quarterdeck's InternetSuite 2 and WebTalk at a value suggested street price of US$199 for the desktop solution and US$179 for the internal solution.

"With this fast and powerful Total Solution not only can you surf the net, you can make phone calls over the Internet using Hayes ACCURA 288 modem and Quarterdeck's Internet software," said Dennis C. Hayes, CEO, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

The modem/software bundle will provide users with a complete, one-stop solution for getting online, with InternetSuite 2 Connect and Play feature to create an account with a variety of major Internet service providers in minutes.

"Hayes Total Internet Solution combines one of the best Internet programs on the market with the performance and reliability of a Hayes modem," said Hayes. "It's a complete, ready-to-use solution that gets novice users on the Internet in 15 minutes. The advantage of Hayes Total Internet Solution is clear -- when you buy this one integrated package, you know your Internet software will work perfectly with your modem."

Hayes ACCURA 288 Fax Modem is Hayes fast, low-cost, data and fax modem for personal and home office use. The modem is Plug-n-Play ready for simple internal modem installation and configuration of Windows 95 operating system.

InternetSuite 2 is a complete suite of utilities for navigating the Internet through a simple point-and-click interface. It comes with Quarterdeck Mosaic for browsing the Web, Quarterdeck Message Center, a news and mail reader, QFTP for file transfers, QTERM for remote login, and Global Chat, an Internet Relay chat client multi-user text chat. It also delivers advanced multi-media access to the Internet with built- in Adobe Acrobat, Real Audio and QuickTime Movie utilities. WebTalk is a full duplex, real-time voice chat utility, allowing two Internet users to talk to each other over the Internet and save on long distance telephone charges.

Also included in the Total Internet Solution is CYBERsitter, a Microsoft Windows program that will give the user the capability to block access to common types of graphics files, as well as specific files and programs. CYBERsitter is great for parents who have children who have access to and regularly use the home computer.

In addition to full retail versions of Quarterdeck's InternetSuite 2 and WebTalk, the bundle includes Hayes Smartcom for Windows LE data and fax communications software and Hayes Bonus Bundle which includes online software, browsers, QuickTime movies and free temporary access from several major online services.

Best known as the inventor of the PC modem, Hayes is recognized around the globe as a leader in technical innovations, computer communications standards, functional and feature-rich products, and superior support and service.  Founded in 1977, Hayes develops, manufactures, and markets value-based computer communications solutions for software, business, network, and consumer market segments. The company maintains an extensive global network of authorized distributors, dealers, mass merchants, VARs, system integrators and original equipment manufacturers. Hayes customers include Fortune 1000 corporations, mid-size companies and corporate branch offices, small and home office businesses, online and telecommunications network providers, and millions of individual PC users around the globe.

FOR QUESTIONS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE CONTACT:

 Hayes Customer Support

 Phone: 770/441-1617

 Hayes World Wide Web Site: http://www.hayes.com

 Hayes Online BBS: 770/446-6336

 telnet://bbs.hayes.com

 Internet email: support@os.hayes.com

FOR MEDIA RELATED INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

 Angela Hooper

 Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

 Phone: 770/840-9200 ext. 6030

 Facsimile: 770/441-1213

 Internet Address: ahooper@hayes.com


Hayes Funding Commitments for Reorganization
HAYES OBTAINS FUNDING COMMITMENTS FOR ITS COURT-APPROVED REORGANIZATION PLAN

Atlanta, GA, 9 April 1996 -- Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. announced today that it has obtained the new capital funding sufficient to fully implement its Court-approved Plan of Reorganization. Seeking an expeditious implementation of its Plan, which provides for payment of creditors' claims in full plus interest, Hayes filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking approval of the new capital funding transactions.

"Our positive financial performance over the past quarter proved enormously attractive to several prospective investors, allowing Hayes to quickly secure the funding commitments to implement the company's Plan of Reorganization in accordance with our confirmation schedule," said Dennis Hayes, Chairman, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

ACMA Limited, working in close cooperation with Hayes after Northern Telecom Inc. ("Nortel") withdrew its plans to invest in Hayes, recruited several Singapore-based companies to replace half the funding needed. These investors include Rinzai Limited and other Singapore investors led by ACMA. Hayes independently secured the balance of the funding from two Hong Kong investors, including Kaifa Technology Holdings Limited and Rolling Profits Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Wongs Limited. Some of the new investors had previously sought to invest in the company before Hayes negotiated definitive agreements with Nortel and ACMA in October 1995.

"The response from potential investors after Nortel withdrew was quick, strong and positive," said Dennis Hayes. "We're very grateful to ACMA for working so intensely with us over the last 10 days to secure the required funding and make the modifications to the definitive agreements to implement the new capital funding transactions. We are especially pleased by the manufacturing and cost reduction expertise our new investors bring to Hayes."

Each of Hayes new investors has agreed to execute documents to finalize the funding transactions for the Hayes Plan on or before April 15, 1996. In addition, each investor has or will deposit their respective investment into U.S.-based escrow accounts in preparation for a final closing on or around April 15. It is expected creditors will be paid within a few days after the closing of the funding of Hayes Plan. As previously announced, the CIT Group/Credit Finance, Inc. will provide credit facilities totaling $70 million, on which the company expects to initially draw only $20 million.

Recognizing the specific objectives of the new investors, several modifications were made to the previous investment plan negotiated with Nortel and ACMA. Under these new capital funding transactions, Hayes may proceed with a target initial public offering when it reaches a $150 million market capitalization rather than $250 million as previously planned. The Board of Directors will consist of seven rather than six directors which will include the new President/CEO of Hayes. Hayes plans to announce the appointment of the new President/CEO within the next few weeks.

"With the quarterly results Hayes will release this week and the new $150 million target IPO, our turnaround is nearly complete and we are now on the fast track to becoming a public company," said Dennis Hayes. "As Chairman, I look forward to working with the Board and our strong management team, including the new President/CEO, Jim Jones, our new Chief Financial Officer, and Dr. Alan Clark, our Chief Technical Officer, all of whom have extensive experience as executives in high tech companies."

Best known as the inventor of the PC modem, Hayes is recognized around the globe as a leader in technical innovations, computer communications standards, functional and feature-rich products, and superior support and service. Founded in 1977, Hayes develops, manufactures, and markets value-based computer communications solutions for software, business, network and consumer market segments. The company maintains an extensive global network of authorized distributors, dealers, mass merchants, VARs, system integrators and original equipment manufacturers. Hayes customers include Fortune 1000 corporations, mid-size companies and corporate branch offices, small and home office businesses, on- line and telecommunications network providers, and millions of individual PC users around the globe.

FOR QUESTIONS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE CONTACT:

 Hayes Customer Support

 Phone: 770/441-1617

 Hayes World Wide Web Site: http://www.hayes.com

 Hayes Online BBS: 770/446-6336

 telnet://bbs.hayes.com

 Internet email: support@os.hayes.com

FOR MEDIA RELATED INFORMATION:

 Andrew W. Dod, Director of Corporate Communications

 Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

 5835 Peachtree Corners East

 Norcross, GA 30092

 Phone: 770/840-9200 x6365

 Facsimile: 770/441-1238

 E-Mail: adod@hayes.com


HP Intros Inkjet Printer for Windows Users
HP Introduces Inkjet Printer Designed Exclusively For Windows Users

First Printer in HP's New Professional Series for Business Printing Uses Breakthrough Printing Technology for Best Speed and Quality at Great Price

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 8, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced the HP DeskJet 820C Professional Series printers -- a new family of color inkjet printers designed for small-office and home-office consumers. The printers are HP's first color inkjet printers custom-engineered exclusively for Windows users, and they represent the first implementation of HP's breakthrough DeskJet Printing Performance Architecture.

The new printers, which are expected to sell for less than $400, offer superlative print quality and speed for customers who run Windows on their PCs. They are Microsoft Plug-and-Play-ready for Windows 95 and support Windows 3.1 and 3.11.

The DeskJet 820Cse printer includes HP's quick-start tool, a CD that provides small-business and home-office customers with tools to help make their business communications more effective. It includes a guide to printer setup.

Excellent Performance in an Affordable Package

DeskJet 820C Series printers use HP's new DeskJet Printing Performance Architecture to deliver fast, high-quality printing at a price of about $399 ($486 U.S. list). Printing Performance Architecture is a comprehensive new printing technology that creates efficiencies between the host PC and printer resources to improve printer performance.

The DeskJet 820C Series printers use a Windows-optimized version of the new architecture that works by offloading printer formatting tasks to the host PC. A single integrated circuit handles the printer mechanics and input/output. Data flows directly to the printhead from the host PC, improving print speed performance. DeskJet 820C printers can print up to 6.5 pages per minute (ppm) in black text and 4 ppm in color -- up to twice as fast as most low-cost inkjet printers.

Versatility

DeskJet 820C printers are affordable to own and operate, with an average cost per page of only 3 cents for black and 8 cents for color. The printers can handle a wide range of paper sizes and stocks, making them ideal for small-business and home-office printing needs. In addition to letter, legal and custom paper sizes, the printers support labels, envelopes and transparencies.

Additional features include an envelope feeder that allows users to print envelopes one at a time and support for manual duplex printing. (When users pick the duplex option, the driver automatically alternates page numbers to support two-sided printing. The user manually turns over the pages.) The printers also offer 50 professional TrueType fonts, allowing users to create a wide variety of document styles, from everyday reports and correspondence to direct-mail pieces and custom invitations or cards.

DeskJet 820C printers support DOS printing through Windows.

Professional Series

The DeskJet 820C printer is the first product in HP's new "Professional Series" product line tailored for business printing, offering small-business and home-office users superior performance and exceptional print quality.

Professional-quality Printing Optimized for Windows Users

DeskJet 820C printers use HP's RealLife Imaging System to automatically deliver vivid colors and sharp black text on plain paper. The RealLife Imaging System is a set of technologies that includes HP's ColorSmart, which automatically adjusts and optimizes color settings; HP's Color Resolution Enhancement technology (C-REt), which blends and layers color hues for clear, vivid output; and HP-developed pigment-based black inks.

The new printers also feature HP's Tool Box for Windows, a suite of technologies that simplify and speed printer setup, installation and operation.

A companion version of the new printer, the DeskJet 820Cxi printer, will be available through computer resellers. It is expected to sell for about $379 ($480 U.S. list).

The DeskJet 820C printers come with a one-year, limited warranty. HP's SupportPack, a three-year Express Exchange service plan, is $85 (U.S. list).

The printers have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star designation for low power consumption, using up to 80 percent less energy than dot-matrix printers.

DeskJet 855Cse and 855Cxi Kodak Photo CD Promotion

In conjunction with the introduction of the DeskJet 820C Series printers, HP announced a special promotional offer for its popular DeskJet 855Cse and DeskJet 855Cxi printers, introduced in August 1995. These printers, which sell for about $499, are bundled with an exclusive Kodak Photo CD offer that makes it easy for customers to add photographs to sales brochures, flyers and collateral materials. The promotion, which is scheduled to begin in April 1996 and will continue while supplies last, includes an HP/Kodak photo contest that is scheduled to run from April 1 through July 31. The Photo CD offer is available for redemption through Aug. 31, 1996.

HP is the world's leading supplier of hardcopy products that set the standard for technology, performance and reliability. HP's market- leading products include LaserJet and DeskJet printers, DesignJet large-format printers and plotters, ScanJet scanners, OfficeJet printer- fax-copier devices, CopyJet color printer-copiers and HP FAX facsimile machines.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 102,300 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Information in this release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets.


Apple PlainTalk Available Thru Retail
Apple Announces PlainTalk Software Now Available Through Retail Channels

Product Created as a Result of Customer Demand

CUPERTINO, California--April 9, 1996--In response to customer demand, Apple Computer, Inc. today announced that virtually any Apple Macintosh computer can now have the power of speech. The company has begun selling its renowned PlainTalk text-to-speech and speech recognition software through retail channels. Previously, the PlainTalk software and microphone were only available as part of select Power Macintosh systems and Mac OS upgrades. The new software product will be distributed by Claris Corporation.

PlainTalk is a collection of software from Apple that enables Macintosh computers to speak written text and respond to spoken commands. There are three components to PlainTalk 1.4.1: English Speech Recognition, English Text-to-Speech, and Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech.

"Customers have been asking us to sell PlainTalk software as a standalone product for some time now," said Carlos Montalvo, director, interactive products and technology for Apple Computer. "We are responding to those requests by extending the benefits of PlainTalk software to all Macintosh customers."

The Mac Speaks Back

Apple is a leader in text-to-speech technology and offers a wide variety of computer-generated voices which are scalable for naturalness and intelligibility, memory size and processor speed. The 22 different voices range from the best quality in the industry, to the most efficient in size and speed, to the most fun and entertaining. Since the voices are synthesized, there is no need to store prerecorded sound files on the hard drive. Using Apple's speech synthesis, game developers, educational software developers, and CD-ROM developers can have any amount of text read aloud from their applications without sacrificing valuable disk space and RAM.

PlainTalk software includes three separate components, each with its own installer, allowing users to customize their PlainTalk experience: English Speech Recognition, English Text-to-Speech, and Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech.

ENGLISH SPEECH RECOGNITION

The first component of the PlainTalk software package is English Speech Recognition, which includes speakable items. When installed on a Power Macintosh running system software version 7.5 or later, the user's computer has the ability to respond to spoken commands. With the speakable items utility, spoken commands can be used to execute common desktop tasks such as opening files and folders, starting applications, switching applications, and closing windows.

ENGLISH TEXT-TO-SPEECH

Installing the English Text-to-Speech software expands the capabilities of a Macintosh computer and provides the user with the ability to hear the computer read text out loud. With the latest version of PlainTalk, the user will be able to utilize the text-to-speech technology on any Macintosh or Power Macintosh model running system software version 6.0.7 or later of the Mac OS. Also, PlainTalk text-to-speech includes its own speech control panel that allows the user to select a system-wide default voice and speech rate.

MEXICAN SPANISH TEXT-TO-SPEECH

PlainTalk also allows the bilingual user to key in Spanish text, and with many Macintosh programs, hear the text read aloud with a Mexican accent. The Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech component also comes with its own installer and runs on system software version 7.0 or later of the Mac OS.

Minimum System Requirements

For speech recognition: any Apple Power Macintosh computer with 16-bit sound, system software version 7.5 or later; 1.5MB RAM beyond what the rest of the system software needs; a microphone (included with PlainTalk 1.4.1).

For text-to-speech: any Apple Macintosh computer, system software version 6.0.7 or later; 300K of random access memory (RAM) beyond what the rest of the system software needs; and 5 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space.

Availability and Pricing

The estimated retail price for Apple PlainTalk 1.4.1 (M2844LL/B) is US$49.00. It may be purchased through any Apple authorized reseller, or by calling 1-800-950-5382.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products and technologies for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800- 462-4396 in the U.S. or (415) 598- 4329 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


HP Intros Next-Generation Printer Language
HP Introduces Next-Generation Printer Language

New HP PCL 6 Object-oriented Printer Language Tuned for Graphics-rich Documents, Includes Font-synthesis Technology

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 8, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company today announced the next generation of HP Printer Control Language (HP PCL), the defacto industry-standard printer language. HP PCL 6 offers new, modular, object-oriented commands designed to take full advantage of today's graphics-intensive applications. HP PCL includes font-synthesis technology for true what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) printing and better document fidelity.

PCL 6, which is slated to be incorporated into future HP LaserJet printers, offers the following benefits:

 - new modular architecture that can be easily modified for

   future HP printers;

 - faster return to application;

 - faster printing of complex graphics;

 - more efficient data streams for reduced network traffic;

 - better WYSIWYG printing;

 - improved print quality;

 - truer document fidelity; and

 - complete backward compatibility.

"As goes PCL, so goes the printer industry, because PCL is the industry-standard link between PCs and printers," said Carolyn Ticknor, HP vice president and general manager of the LaserJet Solutions Group. "PCL 6 will give business users improved ease of use and better performance and print quality for today's increasingly complex documents."

New Modular Architecture

PCL 6's modular architecture allows new features to be added easily so that new HP printers can meet customers' needs as workplace conditions change. For example, future HP printers are expected to incorporate technology that improves print quality from the Internet and World Wide Web. HP is working with Microsoft, Netscape and others to develop these enabling technologies.

Improved Performance

PCL 6 commands were designed by HP to closely match Microsoft Windows graphical direct interface (GDI) commands. As a result, users get improved performance and better print quality. For example, users will regain control of their PC and application sooner because PCL 6 allows the printer driver to translate GDI to PCL 6 faster than before. Network throughput will improve because PCL 6 uses smaller, more compact commands than previous versions used. Complex graphics will print faster because PCL 6 is an object-oriented printer language specifically designed for graphics.

Gray-scale images, which are processed as objects, appear smooth and even, offering superior print quality for graphics and scanned images. Design consistencies between PCL 6 and GDI also yield better WYSIWYG printing.

Refined Document Integrity through Font Synthesis

PCL 6 incorporates a new font-synthesis technology that provides more accurate printing. Today, a printer typically will substitute a font it does not recognize with another, producing output different from what was intended. Font synthesis will generate an image of a font on the fly to create a document that prints as it appears on the screen, improving document fidelity and offering truer WYSIWYG printing.

Compatibility

PCL 6 is completely backward-compatible with today's software applications because PCL 5e is integrated with HP PCL 6.

PCL 6 will support all Microsoft Windows 3.X, Windows NT, Windows 95 and IBM OS/2 applications. Complex graphical applications whose printing components closely match the Windows GDI model will provide the most notable performance gains.

HP is the world's leading supplier of hardcopy products that set the standard for technology, performance and reliability. HP's market-leading products include LaserJet and DeskJet printers, DesignJet large-format printers and plotters, ScanJet scanners, OfficeJet printer-fax-copier devices, CopyJet color printer-copiers and HP FAX facsimile machines.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 102,300 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


Fax-from-Web Adds Fax Button to Web Pages
Ibex Adds a "Fax Button" to a Web Page with Fax-from-Web

Documents Automatically Retrieved, Converted and Faxed

PLACERVILLE, CA - APRIL 9 -- Ibex Technologies, Inc. today announced Fax-from-Web, a feature for Web sites that allows Web users to fax documents directly from the Web. Serving corporate Intranets as well as Internet use, Fax-from-Web retrieves Web, Adobe Acrobat and non-Web scanned documents, then converts and faxes them to a specified fax number.

Internally, employees can use Fax-from-Web to send Web documents via fax to a third party, ideal for information requests in call centers or support/sales environments.

Externally, Web users with relatively slow modem connections can have multiple format documents delivered to their fax machine, or to a third party, while they continue to search and surf. Fax-from-Web can be designed for companies with large databases of images and document types that are incompatible with the Web. With Fax-from-Web, companies can make multiple format documents available on their Web page via fax, without the time and expense of converting them to HTML format.

"Ibex's Fax-from-Web is the ideal solution for companies with a large number of documents that do not translate well to the Web, such as image formats," said Ney Grant, President of Ibex. "Instead of converting these documents to HTML, they can use Fax-from- Web to link their Ibex fax-on-demand system to the Web. Fax-from-Web allows for all of a company's documents, no matter what format type, to be available via fax to anyone who browses their Web site."

Fax-from-Web consists of a PERL program that runs on the Web server and sample HTML documents to illustrate the fax option to Web users. The PERL program receives the fax request from the Web user and submits it to Ibex's FactsLine fax-on-demand system. Users choose the documents they want, enter a fax number and those documents are immediately sent via fax.

The Ibex Fax-from-Web software upgrade kit will be available in May, 1996 for $495. For a demonstration of Fax-from-Web, visit the Ibex Web site at http://www.ibex.com.

Ibex is the world leader in corporate fax delivery systems, with installations at many Fortune 1000 companies including Microsoft, Lotus, Adobe, Symantec, IBM, 3M, Exxon, and Coca-Cola.

For additional press information or to arrange interviews, please call Valdis Hellevik or Michele Becker at 415.703.0400. For information on Fax-from-Web, or for sales inquires, please call Ibex Technologies at 800.975.IBEX or 916.939.8888.


dbIntellect/Informix Strategic Relationship
EDS' dbIntellect Technologies and Informix Form Strategic Relationship

MENLO PARK, CALIF. (APRIL 8, 1996) -- Informix Software, Inc., (NASDAQ: IFMX) the leading provider of parallel processing database technology, today announced that EDS' dbINTELLECT (dbI) Technologies division is integrating Informix's parallel database servers with dbI's Database Marketing tool kit, to allow dbINTELLECT to work with companies possessing some of the world's largest customer databases.

EDS' dbINTELLECT is porting its Database Marketing tool kit to Informix's Dynamic Scalable Architecture (DSA) family of parallel processing database servers, including INFORMIX-OnLine Dynamic Server and INFORMIX-Extended Parallel Server (OnLine XPS). Customers will be able to take advantage of DSA's core internal parallel technology which is needed for managing large amounts of data in a data warehouse.

"A key factor in our decision to select Informix was the proven performance and scalability inherent in its DSA products," said Pete Esteler, president of dbINTELLECT. "Our customers require high performance for decision support applications and the ability to support large scale databases. Informix's DSA architecture enables us to deliver this capability to our customers."

Further, dbINTELLECT will resell Informix's database servers as part of its database marketing and data warehouse solutions. Informix will utilize dbINTELLECT consultants to assist Informix customers in the implementation of large-scale database applications.

"Customers are looking for high-performance data warehousing solutions that can scale to meet their future needs," said Kathy Gogan, vice president of industry and partner marketing at Informix. "Informix and dbINTELLECT have partnered to provide best-in-class solutions that are designed to take full advantage of very large databases (VLDB) and multi-terabyte data warehouse applications."

DSA AND DATA WAREHOUSING

Relational database management is a key component in a data warehouse implementation. Data warehouses require manageability of large volumes of data, scalability, performance and online analytical processing (OLAP).

Informix's high-performance DSA, is the foundation upon which OnLine Dynamic Server and OnLine XPS are built. OnLine Dynamic Server addresses uniprocessor and SMP hardware environments; OnLine XPS is architected for cluster and MPP hardware architectures. Both products provide core internal parallel technology which includes features such as data partitioning, parallel query, parallel loading and indexing, and dynamic system management --critical to data warehousing environments.

DBINTELLECT'S DATABASE MARKETING ARCHITECTURE AND TOOLKIT

The toolkit, a set of client/server database software tools, cumulatively creates an integrated data mobilization and information discovery environment, leveraging high performance computing platforms to deliver database marketing solutions to support customer-focused companies. The Transaction Engine architecture provides the flexibility, scalability, extensibility and portability that improves both responsiveness to market needs and customization for competitive advantage. The strength of the architecture provides the opportunity to incorporate data mobilization tools such as transformation, name and address hygiene, matching, and merge/purge. On the information discovery side, the decision support tools include modules focused on statistical analysis, modeling, data visualization and the integration of third party tools.

ABOUT DBINTELLECT TECHNOLOGIES

The continuing growth of corporate information requirements has out-paced the capabilities of traditional technology solutions. dbINTELLECT was created to specifically address these critical information needs. dbI leverages a variety of sophisticated technologies, tools, techniques, and expertise to build large marketing database solutions that meet a corporation's need for accurate and timely access to information.

Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, dbINTELLECT is focused on providing industry leadership in the areas of large-scale marketing database design and implementation as well as data warehousing through their toolkit product, Database Technology Services, and Database Marketing groups.

EDS is a leader in the global information services industry. The company's more than 95,000 employees specialize in applying a range of ideas and technologies to help business and government customers improve their economics, products, services, and customer relationships. Stock reflecting EDS' performance is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GME. EDS, which serves customers in 40 countries, reported revenues of $12.4 billon in 1995.

ABOUT INFORMIX

Informix Software is the leading supplier of high performance, parallel processing database technology for open systems. Informix products also include application development tools for creating client/server production applications, decision support systems, and ad-hoc query interfaces, and connectivity software that allows information to be shared transparently from PCs to mainframes within the corporate computing environment. Informix's corporate headquarters is based in Menlo Park, California.


Adaptec PCI-UltraSCSI Multichannel Adapters
Adaptec's New Multichannel PCI Boards Double I/O Performance of Server and Multimedia Applications

ULTRASCSI AND MULTICHANNEL I/O OFFER SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND PCI EXPANSION OPTIONS

MILPITAS, CALIF, - April 2, 1996 - Adaptec, Inc., announced two new PCI-UltraSCSI multichannel host adapters today, the AHA-3940U and AHA-3940UW, designed to meet the needs of today's bigger and faster PC/LAN server and multimedia production applications. With the two new Adaptec AIC-7880 PhaseEngine RISC processors on board powering two independent UltraSCSI channels, the AHA-3940U achieves a maximum per channel data transfer rate of 20 MB/sec. and supports up to 14 SCSI devices. The AHA-3940UW transfers data at up to 40 MB/sec. per channel and supports up to 30 SCSI devices.

New features for the AHA-3940U family include Flash BIOS for easier software driver upgrades, new enabling software including the Adaptec 7800 Manager Set (v.1.3) and Adaptec EZ-SCSI 4.0 software, for operating systems support and simple management of SCSI peripherals. The AHA-3940U/UW kits also include Adaptec CI/O software v 1.03, for remote monitoring of SCSI device performance.

"For PC/LAN servers that require the fastest throughput and the highest degree of expandability, multichannel I/O is the only choice," said ECX vice president and general manager Drew Hoffman. "For systems designers, VARs and motherboard manufacturers, this technology effectively builds a wealth of device connection options into today's high-end servers without sacrificing performance."

ACCELERATING THROUGHPUT WITH MULTICHANNEL I/O

Server and network data traffic demands are driving the need for faster I/O options to reduce bottlenecks. Multichannel I/O has a distinct advantage by adding a second "lane" for transferring data between peripherals and the CPU. High-end PC/LAN servers typically operate with a large number of peripheral devices attached. The additional lane improves overall peripheral performance by isolating slower peripherals on the second I/O channel.

Applications well-suited to multichannel I/O include online transaction processing and database management, web server traffic processing, multimedia and video production.

ULTRASCSI: PERFORMANCE AND COMPATIBILITY

UltraSCSI gives the AHA-3940U family the highest levels of SCSI performance possible. UltraSCSI technology will improve PC/LAN server I/O when used in a number of key application areas, including multiple drive arrays and multitasking operating systems. It will also improve performance of applications that require a high number of sequential disk accesses and commands, as well as large data transfers.

UltraSCSI is completely backward compatible. Users can mix and match any variety of SCSI-1, SCSI-2 and SCSI-3 devices.

The adapters implement the Adaptec UltraSCSI specification, which meets or exceeds the SCSI-3 Fast-20 draft specification, as proposed by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI). This implementation doubles the I/O transfer rate of SCSI-2 from 10 to 20 MB/sec. per channel for an eight-bit (narrow) SCSI bus, and from 20 to 40 MB/sec. per channel for a 16-bit (wide) bus.

The AHA-3940U/UW kits contain the following:

 AHA-3940U or 3940UW PCI-Ultra SCSI multichannel host adapter

 Adaptec EZ-SCSI 4.0 software

 Adaptec 7800 Manager Set software (Version 1.3)

 Adaptec CI/O Single Server Management software (Version 1.03)

 User documentation and two internal SCSI cables

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The AHA-3940U kits will carry a suggested retail price of $499; the AHA-3940UW, $599. Both kits are scheduled for volume distribution in May 1996.

Adaptec Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures and markets IOware solutions to eliminate performance bottlenecks between microcomputers, networks, and peripherals. Solutions range from simple connectivity products for single-user and small-office desktops, to intelligent subsystem, high-performance SCSI, RAID and ATM products for enterprise- wide computing and networked environments. Adaptec I/O solutions are incorporated into the products of virtually all the major computer and peripheral manufacturers around the world.

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Adaptec is a recognized market leader in high-performance I/O technology. Adaptec currently employs approximately 2,000 people, and with its global distribution network, serves customers worldwide. Adaptec's World Wide Web home page address is http://www.adaptec.com.


Interphase Fibre Channel Adapter for PCI Bus
Interphase Announces Fibre Channel Adapter for PCI Bus

Provides Next Generation Mass Storage Connectivity for Servers and Workstations

LAS VEGAS, NV, APRIL 2, 1996 -- Interphase Corporation (NASDAQ/NMS: INPH), a leader in performance I/O for high speed networks and mass storage, today announced the 5526 PCI Fibre Channel Adapter.

Designed to deliver gigabit performance to servers and power workstations, the 5526 is a full-featured Fibre Channel adapter which provides single port connectivity from a PCI slot. The 5526 supports 1062, 531 and 266 Mbaud link speeds; supports Fibre Channel Class 1, 2, and 3 services; supports Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL), Point-to-Point, and Fabric (Cross-switched) topologies; and supports up to 16,384 concurrent SCSI I/O operations.

"It's exciting to see a key player in the high-end mass storage market offer products for Fibre Channel," said Ken Osterberg, product marketing manager at Seagate Technology. "As one of the first vendors in the industry to offer functional Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop connectivity, Interphase will definitely help accelerate the deployment of Fibre Channel technology."

(I)CHIP AND HP TACHYON TECHNOLOGY

The 5526 utilizes the Hewlett-Packard Tachyon Fibre Channel protocol engine and the Interphase (i)chipTPI ASIC which provides a single chip PCI bus interface for the Tachyon. With the (i)chipTPI, the 5526 provides superior throughput by bursting data of up to 2K across the bus with intelligent prefetching for read operations, thereby minimizing the performance impact of PCI bus latencies.

PRODUCT AVAILABILITY

The Interphase 5526 PCI Fibre Channel adapter is list priced at $1, 995 and will begin shipping in limited quantities in July '96. The 5526 comes complete with drivers for Microsoft Windows NT & Novell NetWare 4.x.

ON DISPLAY AT NETWORLD + INTEROP LAS VEGAS '96

The 5526 is on display in the Interphase booth (#3527) at the Networld + Interop tradeshow in Las Vegas, April 2 to April 5. The Interphase exhibit demonstrates mixed SCSI and IP traffic between two PCI-based host systems via a Fibre Channel disk cluster and Arbitrated Loop Hub. This shows how to use concurrent host-to-host communications and disk block device transfers to form clusters of machines built around a common storage subsystem. In the real world, these storage cluster configurations can be used to increase reliability, availability and performance for a variety of applications ranging from digital video and electronic pre-press systems to network and web server clusters.

Interphase Corporation is a leading supplier of desktop and server I/O products for high speed networks and mass storage topologies. The company is a principal member of both the Fibre Channel Association (FCA) and the Fibre Channel Loop Community (FC-LC), and is active on the ANSI X3T11 Technical Committee which is responsible for Fibre Channel standards. Interphase is a leading proponent of fostering interoperability in the industry and sponsors multi-vendor interoperability test sessions for numerous technologies, including ATM and Fibre Channel, at its corporate facilities in Dallas, Texas. Additional information about Interphase and its products is available at World Wide Web site http://www.iphase.com.


Interplay & LucasArts Renew OEM Dist. Deal
INTERPLAY AND LUCASARTS RENEW EXCLUSIVE OEM DISTRIBUTION DEAL

April 11, 1996 -- Irvine, Calif.-- Interplay Productions today announced the renewal of an exclusive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) distribution agreement with LucasArts Entertainment Company, developer and publisher of such hit titles as Rebel Assault II, The Dig, Dark Forces and Full Throttle. The agreement calls for Interplay to be the exclusive U.S. and Canadian OEM distributor of Lucas Arts software for IBM and 100% compatible as well as Macintosh computers in both CD-ROM and floppy disk formats.

"We are very excited to renew a relationship that we started in 1993," said Jill Goldworn, vice president of OEM and Merchandising. "LucasArts is one of the leading developers and publishers of entertainment software worldwide, and we are proud to offer their titles to our OEM customers."

"I'm delighted by the re-establishment of LucasArts' relationship with Interplay," said Mary Bihr, head of sales and marketing for LucasArts. "Interplay's strength in OEM sales is the perfect complement to our strong presence in the retail marketplace, and we look forward to the same type of success we achieved with them in previous years."

Interplay's OEM Division is the leading provider of entertainment, educational sports, arcade, reference and edutainment software to the hardware community. Interplay Productions offers OEMs hit titles from other publishers as well, including Davidson, Gremlin Interactive, GT Interactive, Interactive Magic, Humongous Entertainment, MacPlay, Mission Studios, Viacom New Media and VR Sports with over 250 titles available.

LucasArts Entertainment Company develops and publishes interactive entertainment software for a variety of computer and console platforms. Based in San Rafael, California, as well as on the internet at http://www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts is one of four Lucas companies. Lucas Learning Ltd. develops and publishes educational multimedia for home and school. Lucas Digital Ltd., comprised of Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serves the needs of the entertainment industry for visual effects and audio post-production. Lucasfilm Ltd. includes George Lucas' feature film and television activities, as well as THX and Lucasfilm Licensing.

Founded in 1983, Interplay Productions is a company dedicated to manufacturing and distributing a wide range of award-winning entertainment and educational software designed by gamers, for gamers. Interplay releases products through its Interplay, MacPlay, VR Sports and Shiny Entertainment divisions and its affiliated labels for personal computers as well as leading console game platforms. In addition, the company's OEM division represents a wide variety of publishers software to the OEM community for hardware bundling.


Microsoft Makes Web Publishing Easier
MICROSOFT MAKES WEB PUBLISHING EASIER FOR MILLIONS OF OFFICE USERS

New No-Charge Add-Ons for Microsoft Access, PowerPoint and Schedule+ Enhance Microsoft Office's Status as Leading Internet Suite

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 8, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today released three no-charge add-ons to Microsoft Office that make it even easier for millions of Office users to create and publish information to the Internet or an intranet. New tools for Microsoft Access, Schedule+ and the PowerPointR presentation graphics program complete the Microsoft Office family of Internet Assistants and Viewers that enable users to publish a wide variety of information on the World Wide Web using all of their familiar Office applications. The new Internet Assistants for Microsoft Access and Schedule+ let users of those applications publish their information in hypertext markup language (HTML) format, allowing Web browsers to view the information across an intranet or via the Internet.

In addition, Microsoft released Microsoft ActiveX&#153; Animation Player for PowerPoint for the WindowsR 95 operating system, a no-charge browser extension for publishing and viewing live PowerPoint for Windows 95 presentations on the World Wide Web. These add-ons are available today to download at no charge from the Microsoft Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/MSOFFICE/ under Internet Tools.

"When it comes to creating documents for an intranet or the Internet, users want to make full use of their knowledge and investment in the tools they understand and use every day," said Robbie Bach, director of marketing for desktop applications at Microsoft.

BRINGING THE POWER OF A DESKTOP DATABASE TO THE WEB

With more than 10 million users, Microsoft Access for Windows 95 is the leading desktop database for managing and reporting on structured data from a wide variety of sources. With the release of Internet Assistant for Microsoft Access, users can easily publish information stored in corporate databases, making data such as product catalogs, price lists and customer information readily accessible to Web browsers. Now, with a simple wizard, users can automatically publish a rich array of Microsoft Access reports, form datasheets, queries and tables in HTML and share them on the Web, thus eliminating the time-consuming and complex task of manually rekeying information and coding complex HTML reports. Microsoft Access Internet Assistant also uses templates created in Microsoft Word Internet Assistant to provide rich formatting that is easy to customize.

Internet Assistant for Schedule+ for Windows 95 allows a user to publish calendar information to a Web site of choice. Anyone with a Web browser is then able to view the posted schedule, with no special viewer required. With Internet Assistant for Schedule+, it is easy to post professional-looking personal calendars, team calendars and event schedules to the Internet and corporate intranets.

"Microsoft Internet Assistants have allowed us to have an immediate Internet presence without the cost and hassles of relying on outside consultants," said Lee Solt, director of technology for Veronis, Suhler and Associates (HTTP://WWW.VSACOMM.COM/). "The combination of low operating costs, a high-quality Internet presence and new business leads has allowed our site to pay for itself many times over."

DYNAMIC, ANIMATED WEB PAGES WITHOUT PROGRAMMING

ActiveX Animation Player for PowerPoint for Windows 95 is a no-charge Internet browser extension that enables Office users to publish and view live PowerPoint presentations in their Web pages. Users can now take advantage of the enhanced animation, hyperlinks, special effects and built-in sound functionality in PowerPoint for Windows 95 to build dynamic, animated Web pages without having to learn and use a complex programming tool. In addition, ActiveX Animation Player makes downloading and viewing PowerPoint effects and presentations over the Internet faster than ever by compressing files before Web- site posting.

Internet Assistants for Microsoft Office 95 applications (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, PowerPoint and Schedule+) make intranets and the Internet an integral, natural part of each user's computer experience.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Logicraft & TiltRac CDMultiServer CD Jukebox
LOGICRAFT ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH TILTRAC CORPORATION

New jukebox provides networked access to up to 550 CD-ROMs

NASHUA, NH (April 1, 1996)--Logicraft Information Systems, Inc. of Nashua, NH and TiltRac Corporation of Carrollton, TX have agreed to a strategic partnership under which the two companies will jointly market TiltRac's new CDMultiServer CD-ROM jukebox with Logicraft's LanCD and The Jukebox Manager CD-ROM networking software. This combined hardware/software solution provides access to hundreds of CD-ROM databases from multiple platforms and multiple protocols. The Jukebox Manager is the first software driver available for the CDMultiServer.

The CDMultiServer, first introduced at the AIIM Conference, has a 70-550 CD-ROM capacity, and can be configured with up to 42 CD-ROM drives. The CDMultiServer is also available for either caddy drives or tray drives, making it one of the most versatile CD-ROM jukeboxes on the market.

Chris Cagguila, Logicraft's Vice President of Marketing/Product Development stated, "This partnership between LIS and TiltRac will provide the Imaging industry with a powerful set of versatile products for medium and large multi-platter, CD-ROM databases. We are excited about this opportunity and will continue to enhance our product line to meet the needs of the Imaging and CD-ROM marketplace."

TiltRac's Vice President of Sales, Chuck Jones added "We are very pleased to be associated with Logicraft in this strategic alliance and look forward to filling the needs of our customers with LanCD and the CDMultiServer."

For more information, contact Logicraft Information Systems at (800) 880-5644 or (603)880-0300, or visit our web site at http://www.logicraft.com.

Logicraft Information Systems, Inc., is a worldwide developer, integrator and manufacturer of complete CD-ROM networking and optical storage management solutions for the DOS, Windows NT and Macintosh markets. The company's products provide the fastest access to CD-ROM databases over the widest range of networks and technologies in the industry.


MICROPOLIS ANNOUNCES NEW ARIES 2 DISK DRIVE

High Performanace, Low Cost Storage Solution At The 2GB Capacity Point

CHATSWORTH, Calif., April 3, 1996 -- Leading high-capacity disk drive manufacturer Micropolis Pte. Ltd. today announced a new high-performance, low-cost disk drive for desktop workstations and cost-sensitive RAID solutions. The new Aries 2 disk drive has a capacity of 2GB in a one-inch high form factor, features a fast SCSI-2 interface and supports the industry standard Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.).

"Aries 2 is Micropolis' first product targeted at the mainstream user, as opposed to our traditional products which cater to very high-end applications," said Jon Toor, vice president of marketing at Micropolis. "The drive provides a cost-effective solution without sacrificing capacity or performance and supports the latest standards in drive technology including S.M.A.R.T. and Windows 95 plug and play."

Micropolis' Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) is a proprietary data collection and analysis routine that works hand in hand with the industry standard S.M.A.R.T. technology. S.M.A.R.T. is a direct response to accelerating market demand for high availability data storage. This emerging industry standard enables the disk drive to trigger an alert condition to the host when any of its vital statistics fall below an acceptable threshold. The drive can then be proactively replaced before a failure occurs, preventing costly down time or the loss of critical data.

SCSI Configured AutoMatically (SCAM) is a key feature that, in combination with Windows 95 and a SCAM compliant SCSI adapter, enables plug-and-play installation. The system automatically determines all of the configuration details such as SCSI ID addresses and eliminates the setting of configuration jumpers or DIP switches. The drive supports tagged command queuing, read ahead caching, write caching and write coalescing. In addition, the drive consumes minimum power through the use of Micropolis' patented power management system, thereby reducing the power supply and cooling requirements of the system.

The Micropolis Aries 2 disk drive will be available mid-April through authorized Micropolis distributors and resellers worldwide. The Aries 2 model 4421 has an estimated street price of $549 and is covered by a 3-year warranty. For the location of the nearest Micropolis reseller, call 1-800-395-3748 (1-800-395-DRIVE).

Founded in 1976, Micropolis Pte. Ltd., is a leading designer and manufacturer of high performance disk drives. Its products are sold to OEMs and system integrators and through distributors and VARs. Micropolis (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, its sales offices are located throughout the world and manufacturing facilities in Singapore and Thailand. The company was recently purchased by Singapore Technologies, a technology-based conglomerate headquartered in Singapore. Singapore Technologies' 1995 revenues totaled approximately US $2 billion and has a workforce of 16,000 persons including more than 4,000 technical and engineering staff.


Microsoft Sponsors Leonardo Medal for Mfg
Microsoft Sponsors Leonardo Medal for Technical Innovations in Manufacturing

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 11, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. presented the Leonardo Medal for Technical Innovations in Manufacturing (TIM) award to two top manufacturers and a Microsoft Solution Provider at Managing Automation magazine's Automation Hall of Fame ceremony. Opto 22, Chevron USA and Intellution won the award, based on technical innovations they achieved using Solution Provider application software and WindowsR operating system- and Microsoft BackOffice family-based servers.

Microsoft sponsored the first Technical Innovations in Manufacturing award, which was presented March 18 during National Manufacturing Week. The award went to these manufacturers based on their ability to use technology to improve a manufacturing or design process, enhance a product, or provide benefits to users. The judges considered the size and scope of the solution in the context of the company, Microsoft and Solution Provider content, documented business-process improvement, and tangible return on investment plus savings. "The nominees of the awards for technical innovations in manufacturing range from small manufacturers to multinational corporations, demonstrating the applicability and scalability of Microsoft products," said Brooke Banbury-Masland, worldwide manufacturing industry manager at Microsoft.

Opto 22, a developer and manufacturer of industrial automation hardware and software, was awarded the TIM award as both a manufacturer and a Solution Provider. The company implemented a fully integrated, enterprisewide information system based on the Windows NTR operating system to run its entire plant. "Microsoft's infrastructure, desktop applications and Microsoft BackOffice-based servers have enabled us to build a powerful integrated solution for our business and to deliver total control software solutions to our customers in the manufacturing sector," said Beverly Ann Smith, vice president of marketing at Opto 22. "Opto 22 has seen significant improvements in order fulfillment, shipping volume, procurement and customer support as a result."

Chevron USA won the award for monitoring and controlling its offshore oil and gas platform systems with Intellution's Windows NT-based MMI and SCADA system. "I can be on an oil platform that is 15 to 20 miles offshore and have full access to network data for decision making," said Lawrence Youngblood, electrical engineer at Chevron USA. "With the multitasking in Windows NT Workstation, I can use a remote node as a word processor and a process control machine simultaneously." Youngblood said that beyond the user benefits and ease of training and use, this solution resulted in mission-critical process improvement at Chevron.

Intellution was presented the TIM award as a Solution Provider for Chevron. Chevron implemented the Intellution FIX version 6 running on Windows NT, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft BackOffice.

The following companies were Leonardo Medal finalists:

* Lantech Inc., which increased its share of the stretch-wrap machinery market from 35 percent to 50 percent and realized as much as three times faster time-to-market with the Microsoft Windows NT-based WinMan integrated MRP system from TTW Inc.

* Saturn Corp., which implemented GE Fanuc's Cimplicity MMI, MES and SCADA solution for Windows 95-, Windows NT- and Microsoft BackOffice-based servers to improve quality and productivity while cutting production costs

* D&P Products Inc., which worked with manufacturing Solution Provider Fourth Shift Corp. to implement a Microsoft Windows NT- based ERP system that increased cash flow by improving material control and reducing costs associated with product changeover and inventory

The Leonardo Medal selection committee consisted of Tony Friscia, president, Advanced Manufacturing Research; Andy Chatha, president, Automation Research Corp.; Ted Rybeck, president, Benchmarking Partners; Gisela Wilson, program director, CAD/CAE/CAM, International Data Corp.; Matt Ragen, worldwide marketing manager, engineering, Microsoft Corp.; and Harry Tse, director, manufacturing technologies and practices, Yankee Group.

Additional information on Microsoft solutions for manufacturing can be found on Microsoft's World Wide Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/industry/man/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Bookshelp 1996-97 Edition
MICROSOFT INTRODUCES BOOKSHELF 1996-97 EDITION: PROVIDES EVEN QUICKER ACCESS TO EXPANDED WORLD OF INFORMATION

New Content Includes Internet Directory, Concise Encarta World Atlas

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 8, 1996 - Finding up-to-date information quickly with the Microsoft Bookshelf CD-ROM reference library has been made even easier with today's announcement of the 1996-97 Edition. With one click, users of all ages have access to nine of the latest reference works, including the new Microsoft Bookshelf Internet Directory 96 and the Concise EncartaR 96 World Atlas.

"Since Microsoft introduced Bookshelf nearly 10 years ago, each edition has incorporated valuable new innovations that have helped Bookshelf earn a loyal following as one of the most trusted and recognized products in its category," said Patty Stonesifer, senior vice president of the interactive media division at Microsoft Corp. "The new features in Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition have been developed to meet the needs of today's users who want quick access to timely and relevant information - including information on the Internet."

NEW FEATURES MAKE FINDING AND USING INFORMATION EASIER THAN EVER

Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition includes the following new features:

BOOKSHELF INTERNET DIRECTORY 96. The new Bookshelf Internet Directory 96 is a guide to nearly 5,000 useful and interesting sites on the Internet. The Internet Directory contains overviews and visuals of resources such as the World Wide Web, Gopher and FTP sites, mailing lists, and Usenet newsgroups, as well as a glossary of common Internet terms. Whether a user needs to find a specific fact or just wants a great starting point for browsing, the Internet Directory aims to make it as easy as possible, providing one-click access to the listed sites when used with an Internet browser. With the addition of the Internet Directory in Bookshelf, Internet resources can now be included in searches on any topic.

Monthly updates to the Internet Directory will be available online at no charge. Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition also includes Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0 and one month of no-charge access to MSN&#153;, The Microsoft Network (for new subscribers in the United States or Canada only; long-distance or toll charges may apply. The software to access MSN is a feature of the WindowsR 95 operating system. Access to and use of MSN requires payment of a separate fee).

CONCISE ENCARTA 96 WORLD ATLAS. Derived from the Encarta 96 World Atlas, this resource helps users keep up-to-date with the latest facts about the world by providing a quick way to locate the world's continents, most of the countries, states and provinces, and many cities. The atlas also features 54 easy-to-read maps with pop-up information, including pronunciation of location names, audio national anthems, and information about disputed borders. These maps can also be copied and pasted directly into documents created in applications such as Microsoft Word and the PowerPointR presentation graphics program.

UPDATED YEAR IN REVIEW. Bookshelf is more than a powerful reference tool for work or education - it's also fun to use. The popular Year in Review is one example of the creative side of Bookshelf - it makes for entertaining browsing while keeping users up to date. Year in Review offers a fun way to sample highlights of the past year's news. Users can see and read about news events such as the rescue of American pilot Scott O'Grady from Serb-held territory in the former Yugoslavia, or Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played in Major League Baseball.

A FRESH NEW LOOK. The new interface in Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition allows users to search all nine reference sources more easily than ever before, ensuring that the most thorough search is performed and the most relevant answers are delivered. Customized searching across any combination of books and media is also available. With its streamlined look and convenient hints about which areas are interactive, the interface encourages users to explore all the content available in Bookshelf.

MULTIMEDIA BRINGS THE WORLD OF INFORMATION TO LIFE

Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition brings information to life in a way no printed book can by containing more sights and sounds than ever before, including more than 200 new images of musical instruments, animals and well-known paintings, for a total of nearly 2,000 images; 54 maps; audio clips totaling five hours of sound, from famous quotations to musical scores; more than 100 video clips and animation sequences on topics from news events to dangerous animals; nearly 200 national anthems; and more than 80,000 pronunciations, 8,000 of which are new or have been re-recorded.

In addition to the new Internet Directory and Concise Encarta World Atlas, updated versions of the following works are also included in Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition:

 The American HeritageR Dictionary, Third Edition

 The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia

 The Original Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases

 The World AlmanacR and Book of Facts 1996

 The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations

 The People's Chronology

 National Five-Digit ZIP CodeR and Post Office Directory

SCHOOL EDITION EXTENDS LEARNING

The school edition, available to schools, libraries and museums, includes a free Teacher's Activity Guide to enhance and extend the learning experiences in Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition. The handy three- hole-punched guide features a hands-on introduction to Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition resources and more than 20 student activities for exploring the weather, creating multimedia presentations, learning about music and more - all designed to help teachers integrate Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition into the classroom curriculum.

PRODUCT AVAILABILITY AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Microsoft Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition is available now for the Windows 95 and Windows version 3.x operating systems. The version for the MacintoshR is scheduled to be available in late May and will include native support for the Power MacintoshR. Each version of Bookshelf will retail for approximately $54.95. Licensed users of previous versions of Bookshelf can receive a $10 rebate from Microsoft on the new version. The school edition includes the Teacher's Activity Guide at no additional cost.

To run Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition for Windows, users need a multimedia PC with a 486SX/33 MHz or higher microprocessor; Windows 3.1 or later or Windows 95; 4 MB of memory; at least 4.5 MB of available hard disk space; a Super VGA 256-color monitor; and a double-speed or faster CD-ROM drive. A sound card with speaker or headphones and a Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device are strongly recommended. Internet access is required for Bookshelf Internet Directory 96 updates and hot links. For more information about Bookshelf, visit the Bookshelf World Wide Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/BOOKSHELF/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

The ZIP Code database contained in Microsoft Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition is intended for reference purposes only and may not be used for the purposes of qualifying for postal rate discounts.


Microsoft SQL Server Scalability Records
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER SETS NEW SCALABILITY RECORDS IN DATABASE THROUGHPUT, PRICE/PERFORMANCE ON WINDOWS NT

Microsoft SQL Server Outperforms Oracle7 and Sybase on Windows NT

REDMOND, WASH. APRIL 5, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced a new world record for database throughput on the Microsoft Windows NTR operating system. In the latest TPC Benchmark test, Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5 beat Oracle7 and Sybase System 11 in throughput and price/performance using Windows NT and the same hardware platform.

Audited TPC-CR benchmark results released today show throughput of 3,641.17 (tpmCR) using Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and a Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133 Server. Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 also set a new world record in price/performance of $147.62 per tpmC, the best ever delivered by any system. These results surpass the throughput record on this hardware, previously held by Oracle7 on UnixWare, and beat the overall price/performance record, previously set by Sybase System 11 on Windows NT.

The table below summarizes current TPC-C database benchmark results published on the Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133 Server equipped with four IntelR PentiumR 133MHz processors:

 THROUGHPUT PRICE/PERF.

 DATABASE                       OPERATING SYSTEM    (TPMC)   ($/TPMC)

 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 6.5         WINDOWS NT         3,641     $148

 Oracle7 version 7.3              UnixWare           3,516     $186

 Oracle7 version 7.3              Solaris            3,225     $207

 Sybase System 11                 Windows NT         3,112     $151

 Oracle7 version 7.3              Windows NT         3,066     $198

"These results demonstrate that Microsoft's strategy of optimizing for Windows NT is paying big dividends," said Rich Tong, division marketing manager for the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "Not only are these results the best database performance numbers on Windows NT, they also surpass the database performance of any UNIXR database on the same hardware platform."

Today's TPC numbers represent a 48 percent performance improvement and a 39 percent reduction in cost per transaction over tests done on Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 on similar hardware last October. The performance gain is due to optimizations in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, including better use of native Windows NT threads, improved asynchronous I/O and a streamlined checkpoint process. It also reflects Microsoft's work with Compaq Computer Corp. to deliver hardware optimized for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows NT.

"This test was performed with 3,500 concurrent users on a system that cost less than $540,000 yet delivers better performance than proprietary systems costing two to three times as much," said Gary Stimac, senior vice president of the systems division at Compaq. "The relationship between Compaq and Microsoft allows us to deliver outstanding value to our joint customers with enterprise- level solutions on industry-standard hardware." The database used in the test totaled 45 gigabytes and included nearly 175 million records, with the largest table containing more than 100 million records.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is scheduled for final release in the second quarter of 1996. Additional information on Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is available on Microsoft's Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Helps Bring Internet to N Carolina
MICROSOFT HELPS TO BRING THE INTERNET TO NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARIES, COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Bill Gates Announces More Than $5.4 million in Software, Training & Technical Support

REDMOND, Wash, April 11-Addressing business, government and community leaders in Raleigh and Charlotte today, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates announced three North Carolina educational initiatives totaling more than $5.4 million. Microsoft announced it is providing a combination of financial and technical support, software and training to the following educational organizations:

* Independent College Fund of North Carolina. Microsoft will provide $3.1 million in software through the national Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE) to benefit its 28 Fund colleges and universities in North Carolina. The colleges will receive the Windows 95, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office Standard for Windows 95 and Windows NT Server operating system. The software and support will expand technological capabilities, including Internet access, for students at 28 of North Carolina's most prestigious liberal arts colleges and universities.

* United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Six historically black colleges and universities in North Carolina, all members of UNCF, will receive more than $2 million in software, including Windows 95 and Office for Windows 95. The North Carolina schools are part of a more than $16 million national partnership between Microsoft and UNCF in which Microsoft is providing software, support, training, internship opportunities, computer science department curriculum and support in developing a site for UNCF on the Internet's World Wide Web.

* Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. As part of its more than $3 million national Libraries Online! partnership with the American Library Association, Microsoft will provide more than $385,000 in financial support, software, training and technical support to the Charlotte & Mecklenburg Country Library. The goal of Libraries Online! is to research and evaluate innovative approaches for providing Internet and multimedia PC access for the public, particularly in economically disadvantage communities. Microsoft will provide Internet software, high-speed telecommunications, multimedia PCs and CD-ROM titles to the following libraries: West Boulevard Branch; Hickory Grove Branch; Scaleybark Branch; City View Branch; the Anita Stroud Center; Charlotte Emergency Housing; Wilmore Community Center and Highland Community Haven.

"North Carolina is home to many important businesses, colleges and universities," said Gates. "Our hope is that the software and technical support we provide can help to build a 'connected learning community' in North Carolina, one in which everyone participates and collaborates on lifelong learning for students of all ages and walks of life."

"Microsoft's gift will have an impact like that of the first telephones on these small college and university campuses," said John Allison, chairman of the Independent College Fund of North Carolina. "The students who attend Independent College Fund institutions will have the stimulating opportunity of using the most advanced and sophisticated software available in the world. Bill Gates' leadership and the vision of Microsoft indicate that they are committed to education in a big way."

"Microsoft's contribution to UNCF helps our member colleges take an essential step toward closing America's technology gap," said William H. Gray, president and CEO of The College Fund/UNCF. "By opening a new world of opportunity for our students, this gift will help prepare today's students for tomorrow's jobs, and help America compete successfully in the global marketplace."

"Because of this marvelous gift from Microsoft, we will continue to be the leading provider of new communications technologies for the community and region," said Peter Keber, Chairman of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Board of Trustees. "Libraries Online! is an exciting, innovative approach. We are extremely grateful to be a part of it."

Microsoft employs more than 600 workers in the Charlotte area, the largest Microsoft employee base outside of the Puget Sound area in Washington state. The majority of Microsoft employees in North Carolina work within Product Service and Support (PSS). Gates visited the North Carolina PSS site and spoke to both the Raleigh-Durham and the Charlotte Chambers of Commerce today to outline Microsoft's Internet strategy.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE DONATIONS

UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND SOFTWARE VALUE

 Barber-Scotia College, Concord $333,315

 Bennett College, Greensboro $276,675

 Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte $334,875

 Livingstone College, Salisbury $456,475

 Saint Augustine's College, Raleigh $334,875

 Shaw University, Raleigh $304,475

NORTH CAROLINA INDEPENDENT COLLEGES SOFTWARE VALUE

 Barton $ 64,494

 Belmont $ 91,031

 Brevard $132,294

 Campbell $132,294

 Catawba $132,294

 Chowan $ 41,310

 Elon $132,294

 Gardner-Webb $132,294

 Greensboro $132,294

 Guilford $111,841

 High Point $132,294

 Lees-McRae $109,894

 Lenoir-Rhyne $132,294

 Louisburg $132,294

 Mars Hill $132,294

 Meredith $132,294

 Methodist $132,294

 Montreat $ 64,494

 Mount Olive $ 64,494

 NC Wesleyan $132,294

 Peace $132,294

 Pfeiffer $131,096

 Queens $132,294

 St. Andrews $132,294

 St. Mary's $132,294

 Salem $ 72,642

 Warren Wilson $113,547

 Wingate $ 25,791


Kinetix Hyperwire 3D Internet Authoring Tool
KINETIX UNVEILS HYPERWIRE 3D INTERNET AUTHORING TOOL

Sun, Netscape and Intel Praise Visual Tool for Building Interactive, Java-Based Titles for the World Wide Web

NEW YORK, NY (April 10, 1996) -- Kinetix, Autodesk Inc.'s (NSDQ: ADSK) new multimedia business unit, today unveiled Hyperwire, a powerful and visual authoring tool for creating 2D and 3D World Wide Web titles in Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java environment.  A strategic addition to the Kinetix 3D product line, Hyperwire allows Web content authors to build multimedia titles that can include works created with Kinetix's new 3D Studio MAX and other VRML-compliant tools.

With praise from Internet leaders Sun Microsystems, Inc., Netscape Communications Corp., and Intel Corp.  as well as a host of leading-edge content developers -- the Hyperwire Web authoring tool was announced today as part of Autodesk's unveiling of Kinetix, an independent new business unit devoted to bringing the most powerful 3D content creation tools to the computer industry's fastest-growing markets.

"Until today, developers have lacked the breakthrough authoring tools they need to create 3D multimedia content for the Web," said Larry Crume, Autodesk vice president and general manager of Kinetix. "By integrating Hyperwire with 3D Studio MAX, Kinetix has delivered a tool with the richness of 3D, the simplicity of icons, and the power of Java to help multimedia and Web content developers create applications in an author-friendly environment."

Applications developed with Hyperwire will add a powerful new dimension to the World Wide Web by augmenting real-world titles with elegant 3D capabilities. Hyperwire creates applications in Java, the popular programming language for the Internet, and supports the VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) 3D Web standard.

PLATFORM-INDEPENDENT

Because Hyperwire creates titles that can be distributed over the Web  and built into Web pages  users can access these applications from almost any computer system. Since they are written in the platform- independent Java environment, titles created with Hyperwire can be played on platforms running Microsoft Windows '95, Windows NT, Apple Macintosh and UNIX" operating systems.

Also, the Hyperwire architecture is extensible, and will accept third-party plug-in applications that will expand Hyperwire's list of features and capabilities.

While other Web authoring tools focus on 2D, Hyperwire is the only Java authoring environment that allows developers to build fully interactive titles in 2D and 3D, and create titles which can respond intelligently to user actions and real-world events.

In addition to Hyperwire, Kinetix is also releasing Topper, a VRML player plug-in for Netscape browsers. Topper and Hyperwire can be immediately downloaded from the Kinetix website at http://www.ktx.com.

With the "sneak preview" release of Hyperwire available today, developers can create simple interactive titles and applications that can be distributed over the Web or embedded in Web sites. Using Hyperwire, designers and programmers can create far more compelling web sites with interactive games, financial analysis applications, sales demonstrations, advertising, and interactive learning. When the final product ships later this year, developers can extend the Hyperwire environment to create their own plug-in applets, applications and features. Hyperwire plug-ins will allow users to connect their applications to relational databases so Web titles will be more information-rich and can react in real time to new data.

"Hyperwire is one of the most exciting Web authoring tools we have seen," said Louis Castle, founder of CD ROM title developer Westwood Studios. "Not only will we use Hyperwire to improve our Internet services, but we plan on using it to prototype new Internet products and stand-alone PC games. With Hyperwire, our designers can author Web titles in Java without having to know a programming language."

INTERNET LEADERS PRAISE HYPERWIRE

Kinetix also announced that Sun Microsystems, Netscape Communications and Intel Corp. today praised Hyperwire for its ability to quickly populate the Web with media-rich titles.

"Hyperwire gives Java designers a powerful, visual tool for creating multimedia Web titles," said Lew Tucker, director of Sun's JavaSoft Developer Alliance Group. "This new tool is an important addition to Sun's long-term strategy for the Java environment and for developing media-rich titles and experiences for the World Wide Web."

"Netscape is delighted that Kinetix is releasing Hyperwire, allowing designers and programmers to create compelling, Java-based Web titles," said Mike Homer, Netscape's vice president of marketing. "With Topper, titles created in Hyperwire can include rich, interactive 3D scenes.  Both products will up the ante for what can be expected at leading Web sites."

"Hyperwire defines a bold new future for creating media-rich titles for the World Wide Web," said Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general manager of Intel Corp.'s Content Group. "Kinetix's powerful new Web authoring tool is ideally suited for Intel's Pentium" Pro platform, the authoring engine of choice for multimedia title creators."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

A "sneak preview" version of Hyperwire is available immediately and free of charge on Kinetix's new Web site, at http://www.ktx.com.

Shipping versions and pricing of Hyperwire will be announced at a later date. Recommended development configurations include a Pentium class PC or compatible system running Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Windows NT, 16MB of memory, 20MB of free disk space, and an 8-bit, 640-by-480 resolution color display.

ABOUT KINETIX

Kinetix develops and delivers affordable content creation tools for professionals such as film and video producers, video/computer game developers, Web content developers, architects, engineers, and designers. The leader in PC-based 3D modeling and animation tools with more than 45 percent of the professional market, Kinetix provides a full range of products for the application development process, from 2D and 3D creation to assembly and delivery.  With headquarters in San Rafael, Calif., Kinetix is a division of Autodesk, the fourth largest PC software company in the world with three million customers in 130 countries. Kinetix products are sold through dealers and distributors worldwide. Visit Kinetix on the World Wide Web at http://www.ktx.com, or contact the company at 800-879-4233.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in Autodesk's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.


Digital, MCI & Microsoft Business Solutions
DIGITAL, MCI AND MICROSOFT ALLY TO OFFER INTEGRATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Companies Expand Relationships to Deliver Intranet, Messaging And Groupware Solutions From MCI

BELLEVUE, WASH. - APRIL 9, 1996 - Digital Equipment Corp., MCI Communications Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today announced they are delivering integrated intranet, electronic mail and messaging, and groupware business communications services. Digital Chairman Bob Palmer, MCI Chairman Bert Roberts, and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates stated that this alliance builds on existing agreements and leverages MCI's communications expertise and integration capabilities, Digital's technology and support services, and Microsoft" software products and technology.

Incorporating the combined expertise of the three companies, MCI will package and deliver local and wide area end-to-end managed network services. Initially targeting the U.S. business market, the solutions will be marketed by MCI under its recently announced Enterprise Network Solutions initiative and supported by the company's networking, Internet and communications technologies and the consulting and implementation expertise of its systems integration subsidiary SHL Systemhouse. The underlying components of the service's first offerings will include Digital's client-server computing and support strengths and components of the Microsoft BackOffice family of integrated server software - Microsoft Exchange Server, Internet Information Server and the Windows NT" Server network operating system.

"Large corporate customers and small businesses alike will benefit from the leading-edge turnkey communications solutions that enable them to better serve their customers through gains in efficiency and enhanced communications capabilities," Roberts said. "MCI will leverage the world's leading hardware, software and network services to deliver the next generation of enhanced intranet and messaging applications for its business customers."

ELECTRONIC MAIL, MESSAGING AND GROUPWARE

Working together, the three companies intend to develop a fully integrated suite of managed electronic mail and messaging solutions, which will be marketed and licensed by MCI. These solutions combine MCI's robust messaging network; Digital's Alpha server systems; and the Microsoft Exchange server software, the first messaging platform with integrated groupware and Internet connectivity.  The suite will provide customers with a "single source" managed environment for enterprise electronic mail and groupware. The service also provides systems management, operations, administration and help-desk services to provide customers a turnkey managed electronic mail environment.

Because of the dramatic increase in Internet use, electronic mail and enhanced messaging services have become critical to business productivity. As a result, the business is expected to grow to $62 billion by the year 2000.

Following are benefits of this powerful combination of products and technology:

* INSTALLATION AND MANAGEMENT. Seamless delivery, installation and management of hardware and communications services - from a single point of contact and with one high standard of network performance and reliability. This will allow businesses to achieve enterprisewide messaging and interoperability.

* MESSAGING SERVICES. A comprehensive package of messaging services ranging from basic electronic mail services, such as Internet electronic mail, to premium electronic mail and messaging services that integrate directory functionality, message storage and gateway services with reliable, secure delivery.

* NETWORK AND APPLICATIONS MANAGEMENT. Around-the-clock network and applications management, which takes advantage of the global network management capabilities of MCI and the client-server telecommunications management information platform (TeMIP) management software from Digital to ensure reliable message delivery.

* SYSTEMS INTEGRATION. Systems integration and services expertise will be delivered by MCI's SHL Systemhouse with support from Digital.

* GROUPWARE SERVICES. A comprehensive package of groupware services ranging from simple bulletin boards and discussion databases to more sophisticated sales-tracking applications will be developed on Microsoft Exchange Server public folders. Public folders are replicated databases that can be used to distribute and share information both inside and outside an organization.

MCI has also announced it will use Microsoft Exchange Server for its internal messaging platform. MCI will integrate Microsoft Exchange Server with the MCI Mail infrastructure to provide enhanced messaging and groupware capabilities to its employees and customers.

"Microsoft Exchange was created to meet the messaging, groupware and Internet electronic mail requirements of companies today and in the future," Gates said. "Providing a reliable and high-performance solution to today's distributed workplace, Microsoft Exchange enables work teams spread across an enterprise to share information and collaborate as if they were across the hall. The combined services of Microsoft Exchange Server and the communications, network management and computing capabilities of MCI and Digital offer customers a complete infrastructure for deploying mission-critical business solutions."

INTRANET NETWORKING SERVICES

The three companies will work together to develop solutions that will enable MCI to help businesses increase workplace collaboration and productivity by offering a package of managed intranet solutions. Included in the initial offerings will be MCI WebSite Services and MCI Enterprise Connect. Intranets, private web-based Internet networks accessible only within an enterprise, are used to connect employees and business partners to critical corporate information. Intranets are also used for file sharing, document transfers and establishing interactive bulletin boards within an enterprise.

"This alliance combines all of the technologies and services required for businesses to gain the enormous productivity benefits of a corporate intranet," Palmer said. "Digital, MCI and Microsoft will bring to the intranet market the same innovations they have already delivered to the Internet."

Industry analysts estimate the current $400 million market for intranet services, software and hardware will reach $8 billion by 1998. It is also projected that by the end of the decade, 90 percent of all Web servers and software sold will be for intranet applications.

The end-to-end managed network solution combines the world's leading Internet technologies to provide the following products and services:

* MCI WEBSITE SERVICES. Provides Web site content creation, hosting, access and Internet security and management.

* MCI ENTERPRISE CONNECT. A component of MCI's new Enterprise Networking Solution initiative, MCI Enterprise Connect offers a range of intranet and Internet connectivity options over MCI's Internet backbone, including dedicated, frame relay, SMDS, ISDN and remote dial-up access.

* SEARCH ENGINE AND INTERACTIVE TOOLS. A suite of technologies from Digital that provide Internet search and indexing capabilities, workgroup collaboration software for online audio, and document conferencing with remote access and security.

* WEB SITE AND BROWSING SOFTWARE. MCI will package leading Internet software with its intranet solution, including the following:

* MICROSOFT INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER. These new services will be built upon Internet Information Server (IIS), the only Web server integrated into Windows NT Server. IIS is an easy-to- use yet powerful platform for Web applications.

* CUSTOMIZED VERSIONS OF MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER. MCI will offer privately branded versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer to businesses both for their own internal use and to provide to their customers. Microsoft Internet Explorer is the first cross-platform Internet client to integrate ActiveX&trade; technologies, which enables businesses to create, view and share highly interactive applications and content.

MCI will adopt Windows NT Server and Microsoft Internet Information Server for its Internet and Intranet Web Hosting Services.

Digital Equipment Corp. is the world's leader in open client-server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel" and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with the industry-focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

MCI (NASDAQ "MCIC") is one of the world's largest and fastest- growing diversified communications companies. With annual revenue of more than $15 billion, MCI offers consumers and businesses a broad portfolio of services including long distance, wireless, local access, paging, Internet software and access, information services, outsourcing, business software, advanced global telecommunications services, and music distribution and merchandising. An MCI company, SHL is a leader in client-server computing and offers a wide range of consulting and systems integration services as well as customized software solutions.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION, CUSTOMERS MAY CALL: (888) 200-7002


Microsoft Internet Newsgroups Announced
MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES INTERNET NEWSGROUPS FOR PEER-TO-PEER DISCUSSIONS ON MICROSOFT PRODUCTS

Boosting Internet Presence and Providing Another No-Charge, Easy-to-Access Support Choice for Customers

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 9, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the addition of no-charge Microsoft-sponsored NNTP newsgroups on the Internet to its family of Information Services offerings. This new service boosts Microsoft's Internet presence and further addresses customer demand for one-stop information and services over the Internet. Microsoft is investing in the newsgroups to create a community in which customers can share technical information about MicrosoftR products and technologies. Microsoft Newsgroups are scheduled to be live and accessible to customers on April 15, 1996, via the Support area of the Microsoft World Wide Web site (HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/SUPPORT/).

"Our goal is to provide accurate and timely information that is widely available and affordable for our customers, and the Internet newsgroups are one more way for us to meet this goal," said Linda Glenicki, general manager of AnswerPoint at Microsoft. "Customer discussion groups provide a rich source of technical information, and the increasing popularity of the Internet allows us to provide access to this information to a very broad set of customers."

Microsoft Newsgroups on the Internet will replace Microsoft-sponsored forums on CompuServeR as of April 20. CompuServe customers can easily link to the Microsoft support Web site and the newsgroups from the Microsoft Connection area on CompuServe. In addition, CompuServe will offer third-party forums on Microsoft products.

Customers currently access the Microsoft Frequently Asked Questions, Knowledge Base, and Software Library more than 850,000 times per week on the Internet. The addition of Microsoft Newsgroups rounds out Microsoft's Internet offerings by providing an interactive environment for customers to send each other messages and responses about Microsoft products. Customers need only an NNTP-compatible newsgroup reader and Internet access to connect to Microsoft Newsgroups at no charge (Internet connection charges apply).

Microsoft MVPs (most valuable professionals) will provide technical answers and foster the growth of the online community. Microsoft will stay involved in Microsoft Newsgroups, monitoring responses for accuracy and assisting MVPs as needed. The MVP program recognizes Microsoft customers who voluntarily assist others in customer-to- customer discussion areas. Microsoft MVPs come from a wide range of backgrounds and professions, yet they all share one key attribute: a willingness to give time, expertise and advice to enhance other customers' technical skills.

"Being an MVP is a natural extension of my desire to help others solve their computing roadblocks," said Ross Pfaff, who was recognized as an MVP in August 1995. "Whether it's a mission- critical situation or a home-entertainment problem, assisting fellow computer users as an MVP allows me to give back some of what I've been given: knowledge and satisfaction." For more information on the MVP program or how to become an MVP, please see the About Support area of the Microsoft World Wide Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/supportnet/).

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


IGC Selects Qualcomm Eudora Pro for Members
Institute for Global Communications (IGC) selects Eudora Pro software as Internet Communications Vehicle of Choice

IGC TO PROVIDE EUDORA PRO SOFTWARE TO MEMBERS SUCH AS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND SIERRA CLUB

SAN DIEGO - April 8, 1996 - QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), a leader in wireless communications and advanced electronic messaging solutions for the Internet, announced today that it has licensed Eudora Pro software to the Institute for Global Communications (IGC). IGC is a non-profit organization which provides Internet services to its worldwide membership. IGC's members are internationally recognized organizations such as Amnesty International and Sierra Club which are dedicated to fighting progressive causes including human rights and preservation of the environment. The announcement marks the first agreement for distribution of Eudora Pro software with a worldwide non-profit organization.

"We chose Eudora Pro software because we recognize it as the best product on the market for our users," said Steve Fram, technical director for IGC. "We service a large number of organizations, and it is important that the e-mail solution we offer is intuitive and feature rich. We felt Eudora Pro software was a logical choice because it is based on Internet standards and supports both Macintosh and Windows platforms."

IGC estimates that 60% - 70% of its members will use Eudora Pro software. All new members will receive Eudora Pro software as part of IGC's Interact Internet Toolkit which provides e-mail, a web browser, conferencing capabilities and complete Internet connectivity. IGC recognizes the importance of Internet access and is committed to providing economical service to those in need.

"QUALCOMM is proud to help non-profit organizations communicate more effectively on the Internet," said Ann Schrader, worldwide sales manager QUALCOMM Enterprise Software Technologies (QUEST). "Together with IGC, we are unlocking the resources of the Internet to help organizations and individuals protecting the rights of people and the environment to communicate effectively and economically."

QUALCOMM's award-winning Eudora Pro and Eudora Light software are Internet-based e-mail packages that deliver exceptional levels of functionality, ease-of-use and flexibility. Originally introduced in 1988, Eudora is the world's most popular Internet e-mail software with an estimated 10 million users worldwide. Available for the Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and Newton platforms, the Eudora family of software products delivers best-of-breed Internet e-mail capabilities. Eudora Pro software offers a wide range of features including, built-in spell checking, user-definable message filtering, native 32-bit support for the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems, support for long file names, MAPI support, color-coded message labeling and 'hot link' web page capabilities allowing users to navigate the World Wide Web. For more information regarding the Eudora family of products, visit QUALCOMM on the World Wide Web at http://www.qualcomm.com/quest/.

The Institute for Global Communications (IGC), founded in 1986, is an Internet access and online service provider dedicated to the needs of progressive individuals and organizations worldwide. IGC serves over 12,000 members working towards peace, human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability. IGC is home to PeaceNet, EcoNet, ConflictNet, LaborNet and WomensNet, providing members with e-mail, public and private discussion forums, World Wide Web and customer support. Organizations using IGC services include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Rainforest Action Network and UNICEF. IGC is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in San Francisco, California.

Headquartered in San Diego, QUALCOMM develops, manufactures, markets, licenses and operates advanced communications systems and products based on its proprietary digital wireless technologies. The Company's primary product areas are the OmniTRACS system (a geostationary satellite-based, mobile communications system providing two-way data and position reporting services), CDMA wireless communications systems and products and, in conjunction with others, the development of the Globalstar low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications system. Other company products include the Eudora Pro electronic mail software, VLSI components, and communications equipment and systems for government and commercial customers worldwide.


SOTA Relationship with BDO Seidman
STATE OF THE ART, INC. Forms Strategic Relationship with BDO Seidman, LLP to Market its New Line of Acuity Financials Software

BDO Seidman, LLP Offices in Major Metropolitan Cities Will Participate

IRVINE, Calif., April 8, 1996 -- Accounting software developer STATE OF THE ART, INC., and one of the nation's leading accounting and consulting firms, BDO Seidman, LLP, announced today their formation of a strategic venture to market, sell and support Acuity Financials, STATE OF THE ART's new line of client/server accounting solutions.

Acuity Financials software is a native, 32-bit Microsoft Windows 95 application designed for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows NT, targeted at the needs of medium size businesses.

Expanding the relationship that they have had with STATE OF THE ART for more than nine years as an M.A.S. 90 Authorized Reseller and Consultant, BDO Seidman, LLP will be one of the first Authorized Resellers and Consultants for Acuity Financials. They will be instrumental in launching this product into the market with STATE OF THE ART. The objectives of this strategic relationship include creating and executing joint marketing plans, selling and implementing Acuity Financials, and cooperating on strategies, geographic expansion and vertical industry initiatives.

This strategic relationship includes BDO Seidman, LLP offices located in major metropolitan areas across the United States, which will provide complete needs analysis, sales, implementation, customization and support services.

"We are raising our long-standing relationship with BDO Seidman, LLP to a new level," said David Hanna, President and CEO for STATE OF THE ART. "The firm's broad experience in the client/server arena provides middle market businesses with an affordable client/server alternative," continued Hanna.

"Acuity Financials is an essential component of our firm's overall information technology consulting strategy," said BDO Seidman, LLP Vice Chairman, Jack Suzar. "The timing couldn't be better to move our relationship forward to a new level. STATE OF THE ART is a solid, market-driven organization utilizing only high quality consultants and resources to deliver leading edge client/server solutions. We are proud of this expanded relationship."

Starting with BDO Seidman, LLP, STATE OF THE ART will forge a series of channel relationships aimed at serving the unique needs of medium- size businesses demanding client/server accounting software solutions. For nearly fifteen years, STATE OF THE ART has marketed its products through both CPA firms and value-added resellers.

Founded in 1981, and headquartered in Irvine, California, STATE OF THE ART, INC. develops, markets and supports accounting software for middle market companies. Its 32-bit client/server solution, Acuity Financials, is designed for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows NT environment. Its award- winning MAS 90 accounting software runs under a number of operating systems and offers a broad range of applications for virtually any type of business. It also sells DOS- and Windows- based BusinessWorks accounting software for small businesses. STATE OF THE ART stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol of SOTA. STATE OF THE ART can be reached at 800/854-3415 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.stateoftheart.com.

With executive offices in New York City, BDO Seidman, LLP is one of the nation's leading accounting and consulting firms with over 40 offices and 1,700 partners and staff located throughout the United States. It is the U.S. member firm of BDO, the world's seventh largest accounting and consulting organization, with over 450 member firm offices in more than 75 countries, with approximately 15,000 partners and staff.

BDO Seidman, LLP is well positioned to help both privately-owned businesses and management controlled public companies achieve their goals. Since its inception in 1910, BDO Seidman, LLP has maintained a tradition of service to and friendship with the entrepreneurial market. The firm has established practice areas specifically designed to meet the various challenges and explore the new business opportunities its clients encounter. BDO Seidman, LLP can be reached at 212/885-8000 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.bdo.com.


MICROSOFT TO ACQUIRE AHA! SOFTWARE

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 8, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire aha! software corp. of Mountain View, Calif., a leading developer of electronic-ink note- taking and editing software for mobile computers and communicators. Financial terms of the agreement were not released.

"aha! has come up with a very innovative way to deal with the handwriting recognition problem by manipulating handwriting in its ink form as though it were actual computer text," said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft. "We see the potential for broad applications of this technology as society becomes increasingly mobile."

"We are very pleased to be joining forces with Microsoft," said Greg Stikeleather, president and CEO of aha! software. "Combining the resources and vision of Microsoft and aha! software will promote the adoption and integration of our technologies into an expanded group of products."

aha! software corp., founded in 1991, develops and markets innovative, top-quality software products that enable users of mobile computers and communicators to capture, edit, and communicate information quickly and conveniently - without requiring handwriting recognition. aha!'s patent-pending SmartInk technology overcomes handwriting-recognition obstacles by enabling people to edit their original ink handwriting in the same manner that they edit text with a word processor.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Developer Network at Resellers
MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES CHANNEL AVAILABILITY OF MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK

Microsoft Developer Network Extends Program to Meet Developers' Needs

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 8, 1996 - Responding to requests from developers and industry resellers, Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft Developer Network will be available in reseller channels for the first time beginning May 1. Microsoft Developer Network is an essential companion for developers implementing Microsoft technologies. By making Microsoft Developer Network available through resellers, Microsoft gives developers what many have asked for: the breadth of Microsoft's knowledge, resources and technology, and the accessibility of local resellers.

According to Ron Gutman, product marketing manager at Programmer's Super Shop, "Microsoft Developer Network is a key tool for any developer wanting to effectively and efficiently develop programs that meet the demands of today's and tomorrow's users."

Over the past three years, Microsoft Developer Network has grown into a worldwide program with more than 120,000 subscribers. In recognition of the program's success in meeting the needs of developers, Microsoft Developer Network received the 1995 Jolt Cola Award for Product Excellence.

MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK ADDS NEW PRODUCT

Beginning in May, Microsoft Developer Network will provide four offerings through the reseller channel:

* MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK LIBRARY SUBSCRIPTION (formerly Level 1). The Library is the essential reference for developers creating Windows operating system-based solutions. Subscribers receive four quarterly updates of the Library CD, each containing more than 1.5 GB of technical programming information and samples.

* MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK PROFESSIONAL SUBSCRIPTION (formerly Level 2). To keep developers on the leading edge of technology, the Professional Subscription delivers the latest released and prerelease versions of the Windows and Windows NT Workstation operating systems, and all Microsoft software development kits (SDKs), and device driver kits (DDKs) throughout the year, in addition to the quarterly Library CD. International versions are also offered.

* MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK ENTERPRISE SUBSCRIPTION (formerly Level 3). An Enterprise Subscription is simply the most efficient, comprehensive and cost-effective way to develop and test client-server solutions for the Microsoft BackOffice family. An Enterprise Subscription delivers all the benefits of a Professional Subscription plus the latest released and prerelease versions of Microsoft BackOffice as they're available.

* NEW MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK LIBRARY SINGLE EDITION. As part of the channel launch, Microsoft will introduce a brand new Microsoft Developer Network product. The Library Single Edition offers developers alow-cost option for evaluating the Microsoft Developer Network program before selecting the subscription level that meets their needs. Library Single Edition packages contain the April 1996 edition of the Library.

To learn more about each subscription level, please visit the Microsoft For Developers Only Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/DEVONLY/.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

Developers interested in Microsoft Developer Network subscription information or the name of a Microsoft Developer Network reseller in the United States or Canada should call (800) 759-5474, between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Pacific time), Monday through Friday. Outside North America, developers should contact their local Microsoft subsidiary, or call (510) 275-0763 in the United States to obtain local contact information.

Prices are as follows:

 Library Single Edition is $99.95 ($139 Canadian).

 A one-year Library Subscription is $199 ($279 Canadian).

 A one-year Professional Subscription is $499 ($699 Canadian).

 A one-year Enterprise Subscription is $1,499 ($2,099 Canadian).

Prices quoted are directly from Microsoft for North American subscribers only; reseller prices may vary. When ordering directly from Microsoft or from a mail-order reseller, an additional charge for shipping and handling will apply.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft FrontPage 1.1 - Free Beta on WWW
MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES FRONTPAGE 1.1 WITH NEW PRICING AND AVAILABILITY OF FREE BETA ON WORLD WIDE WEB

New $149 Price Delivers Power of Web Publishing to Broader Base of PC Users

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 8, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft FrontPage 1.1, the new version of its critically acclaimed tool for easily creating and managing Web sites, is available in beta form for immediate download at no charge. Microsoft also announced that the estimated retail price for FrontPage has been lowered from $695 to a special introductory estimated retail price of $149, and that the Microsoft FrontPage server extensions, previously priced at $200 each, are now free from Microsoft. Microsoft Office for Windows 95 customers will be eligible for a $40 rebate. The FrontPage 1.1 beta and server extensions are available from the Microsoft Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/FRONTPAGE/. Widespread retail availability of FrontPage 1.1 is expected by the end of May 1996.

"With FrontPage, Web publishing is not just for webmasters any more," said Chris Peters, vice president of Microsoft's Web authoring product unit. "The combination of FrontPage's ease of use, rich features, aggressive pricing, and integration with Microsoft Office helps bring Web publishing to the broadest range of computer users."

WEB PUBLISHING MADE EASY

FrontPage 1.1 includes a number of technical breakthroughs that provide users with a fast and easy way to develop and maintain professional Web sites without programming. Designed for both individual users and collaborative work environments, the FrontPage client-server architecture supports authoring and Web-site management from a user's desktop, across a corporate LAN, or over the Internet. FrontPage 1.1 is designed to look and work like Microsoft Office applications, allowing a vast number of users to leverage their existing knowledge. FrontPage 1.1 includes the following features:

* NEW EASIER INSTALLATION. FrontPage 1.1 offers an improved setup allowing users to be up and running fast.

* NEW WYSIWYG TABLE SUPPORT. FrontPage 1.1 makes it easy to create WYSIWYG tables, giving users direct control over all table features.

* NEW HTML FRAMES SUPPORT. FrontPage 1.1 provides a Frames Wizard offering existing frame templates or the ability to create a custom frame grid.

* NEW AUTO RECALCULATE LINKS. FrontPage 1.1 lets users automatically update all occurrences of a hyperlink throughout the Web when a file is moved or renamed.

* NEW WYSIWYG IMAGE ALIGNMENT. FrontPage 1.1 image alignment is fully WYSIWYG, so users can see how the image will actually appear.

* NEW INTEGRATION WITH MICROSOFT OFFICE. Microsoft FrontPage 1.1 has a consistent interface and shares features with Microsoft Office such as multiple level undo and spell checking. Users also can open documents from and save documents to FrontPage webs from within Microsoft Word 95 and Microsoft Excel 95.

* FRONTPAGE EDITOR. A WYSIWYG editor that makes it easy to create and edit Web pages with no knowledge of HTML.

* FRONTPAGE EXPLORER. A visual Web site manager that allows users to graphically view and manage a complex Web site.

* PERSONAL WEB SERVER. Server software that allows users to stage Web sites and host webs on their computer.

* WEBBOT COMPONENTS. Drop-in Web server functionality such as full-text searching, threaded discussion groups, and surveys, without requiring complex CGI scripting or any setup.

* WIZARDS AND TEMPLATES. Automated content creation tools that allow users to interactively build Web pages, providing them with preformatted templates to which content can simply be added.

* MULTIUSER REMOTE AUTHORING. Ability to set permissions for multiple authors to enable collaborative Web creation and management.

* SERVER EXTENSIONS. Software (available for download from the Web at no charge) for popular Windows NTR operating system and UNIX Web server platforms that allows proper hosting of FrontPage-created Webs. Server extensions for Microsoft Internet Information Server are scheduled to be available on April 22, 1996.

"WEB DOCUMENTS" STRATEGY

Allowing users to create and edit Web documents easily is a key aspect of Microsoft's desktop applications strategy. Microsoft believes the same broad category of users for whom word processing and spreadsheet documents are the most common daily business communication formats today will author webs for corporate intranets or the Internet in the near future. FrontPage extends the notion of document creation to include a variety of document types such as HTML pages and Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPointR presentation graphics program files, all connected by hyperlinks.

Microsoft Office applications already offer a complete set of Internet Assistants that allow users to publish to the Web without complex HTML programming. The combination of Office applications and FrontPage provides a complete Web publishing solution for the broadest range of business users.

Microsoft FrontPage 1.1 has a consistent interface and shares features with Office such as multiple-level undo, spell checker, and the ability to change font sizes, styles and colors. FrontPage 1.1 also allows users to update Office documents in webs by automatically launching the appropriate Office application from inside FrontPage Explorer. In addition, from the Microsoft Web site, users can download a FrontPage Open and Save add-in, which enables them to open spreadsheets and documents from a FrontPage web, or save them from Microsoft Excel 95 and Microsoft Word 95 to a FrontPage web.

"Integration between FrontPage and Office is a smart strategy aimed squarely at intranets, where business users are expected to rapidly increase the sharing of information and collaboration online," said Stephen Auditore, president of Zona Research Inc. "This announcement clearly strengthens Microsoft's position as a key player in the Web and intranet content-creation market, and alters the competitive environment, emphasizing content creation as a horizontal activity on a par with word processing."

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE OF $149 THROUGH MARCH 31, 1997

FrontPage 1.1 will be available through March 31, 1997, for a special introductory price of $149 (estimated retail price). In addition, existing customers of Microsoft Office 95 or any of its standalone applications are eligible for a $40 rebate. Customers who have purchased FrontPage 1.0 are eligible for a free upgrade to FrontPage 1.1 once the final retail product is available, expected to be before the end of May 1996.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


MicroStrategy - RealWare Award Finalist
MicroStrategy Selected As RealWare Award Finalist In Multiple Categories for DB/EXPO '96 San Francisco

Web-Based ROLAP and Data Warehouse Applications Recognized As Outstanding By Judges

VIENNA, Va., April 4, 1996 -- MicroStrategy, the largest relational on-line analytical processing (ROLAP) vendor, today announced that applications it has developed for its clients were selected as finalists as part of the 1996 DB/EXPO RealWare Awards program.

The RealWare Awards recognize outstanding real-world applications, with a focus of the innovative use of technology to create effective solutions for users. The Awards are given in categories which represent leading-edge information systems technologies, and are judged by a panel of industry experts, analysts and editors.

For DB/EXPO '96 San Francisco, MicroStrategy was selected as a finalist in two categories: Internet Technology for Corporate Applications with Hannaford Bros. Co.; and Data Warehousing to Provide New Business Opportunities with S.C. Johnson Wax. At Hannaford Bros. Co., a $2.5 billion grocery chain with stores in New England and the Southeast, MicroStrategy is enabling remote decision support by using DSS Web, the first relational OLAP interface for the World Wide Web. S.C. Johnson Wax is using MicroStrategy's DSS Agent to provide a single, easy-to-use interface to integrate both the internal and external data sources into a comprehensive sales DSS. The DSS allows executives to compare store data to market data and provide retailers with detailed reports on how swiftly Johnson Wax's products are moving.

"We are excited about being a finalist in two different and important categories," said Manish G. Acharya, MicroStrategy's Director of Marketing. "This award recognizes those vendors who are providing real-world applications which have tangible business benefits. We believe this honor is indicative of the value we provide to our clients."

Winners for each of the categories will be announced at the RealWare Awards ceremony and reception, Wednesday, April 17, 1996 at the San Francisco Marriott at 6:00 pm.

ABOUT MICROSTRATEGY, INC.

MicroStrategy is the leading provider of relational OLAP products and services for developing and accessing enterprise data warehouses. MicroStrategy has been recognized by Database Programming & Design as one of the Database Dozen: twelve companies that define the direction of the database industry. MicroStrategy was the first vendor to define a decision support object framework introducing intelligent agents and exception-reporting alerts; to develop a logical transparent map between multidimensional data views and relational tables; and to deliver an off-the-shelf, three-tier, decision support environment. MicroStrategy has the most experience in developing decision support systems on data warehouses exceeding 500 gigabytes. MicroStrategy's DSS Agent product line is widely used by Fortune 1000 corporations worldwide, and in alliances and partnerships with a variety of industry-leading companies.

MicroStrategy has offices in Washington, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, London and Barcelona. Corporate headquarters is located at 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, Vienna, VA 22182; Phone: 703-848-8600; Fax: 703-848-8610; Internet: info@strategy.com; World Wide Web: http://www.strategy.com/.


National Instruments Acquires Georgetown Sys
National Instruments Completes Acquisition of Georgetown Systems, Inc.

AUSTIN, TEXAS -- APRIL 2, 1996 -- National Instruments (NASDAQ: NATI) of Austin, Texas, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Georgetown Systems, Inc. (Georgetown, Texas). The terms of the acquisition included an unspecified amount of cash and National Instruments stock. All Georgetown Systems employees are now National Instruments employees. Georgetown Systems developed and manufactured Lookout, an industrial automation software package for Windows PCs.

ABOUT NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

National Instruments, headquartered in Austin, Texas, manufactures software and hardware products for PCs and workstations that scientists and engineers worldwide use to build virtual instrumentation systems. These systems are used for research and industrial applications, such as automated testing, laboratory automation, advanced research, industrial control, factory automation, physiological monitoring, numerical analysis, and data visualization.

National Instruments stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol NATI. Further information on National Instruments may be obtained from the company's SEC filings or by directly contacting the company's Investor Relations Department at (512) 349-5090.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about National Instruments and the industrial automation market, contact:

 National Instruments

 6504 Bridge Point Parkway

 Austin, Texas 78730-5039

 (512) 794-0100

Or call toll free in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 433-3488, fax (512) 794-8411, e-mail info@natinst.com. Readers can also access information through the company's InstrumentationWeb at http://www.natinst.com/


Novell Open Beta of NetWare Client 32
Novell Announces Open Beta Availability of NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows

New Client Offers 32-bit Access to NetWare Services from DOS or Windows Desktops

OREM, Utah -- April 10, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced the open beta availability of its NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows. The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows is the only client software to offer DOS and Windows 3.1 desktop users full 32-bit access to NetWare services, including its industry-leading Novell Directory Services (NDS). In addition to providing increased speed through 32-bit access, the NetWare Client 32 software lets users benefit from full automatic reconnection to all network files and resources, as well as simultaneous access to multiple directory trees and fault tolerance to ensure reliable and comprehensive access to network services. The Client 32 software includes the NetWare Application Manager, which gives users transparent access to network applications and centralizes network application installation and administration through NDS. Built on Novell's proven Client 32 architecture, the NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows is a key component in Novell's strategy to enable a Smart Global Network by giving users reliable access to the information they need anytime, anyplace.

"One of the biggest benefits of NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows is that it loads into extended memory," said Ron Dike, network engineer for the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. "This allows us to run PC card services on our laptops. We also have more flexible configurations on desktops because there is significantly more conventional RAM without having to implement costly upgrades. Novell's Client 32 provides us with the best Windows integration available."

Novell is committed to providing complete network access to all desktop operating systems, including the legacy operating systems which exist in today's heterogeneous networks. The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows provides 16-bit desktop environments with full 32-bit access, offering users enhanced performance and superior network integration. The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows and the recently released NetWare Client 32 for Windows 95 share the same code-base, easing upgrades from DOS and Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 by allowing network administrators to leverage network drivers as they upgrade client software.

The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows extends the full availability of NetWare services to users of MS-DOS 5.0 or above, Windows 3.1 or above and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 or above. The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows allows users to:

* Authenticate to and simultaneously browse resources on multiple NDS trees (graphically within Windows), simplifying connections to all network information and resources;

* Operate with a smaller conventional memory or Upper Memory Block (UMB) footprint, freeing up additional memory to run applications (4kb in most environments using 32-bit LAN drivers);

* From within Windows, use a GUI login utility to access NetWare servers, including updating environment variables and searching drive mappings;

* Fully access NetWare 2.x, 3.x and 4.x resources throughout the network, providing connectivity and backwards compatibility with all services and information;

* Take advantage of extensive automatic reconnect capabilities, including open files, mappings and file locks, providing intelligent recovery and fault tolerance for the user;

* Benefit from dynamic client-side caching, enabling faster performance of repetitive desktop functions; and

* Enjoy improved LAN and WAN performance via support for Large Internet Packets (LIP) and Third Generation Packet Burst.

The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows also provides the following network management capabilities to network administrators:

* Dynamically setup and refresh client software across the network with capabilities, lowering the cost and complexity of client upgrades; and

* Centrally administer applications accessed by users through NDS with NetWare Application Manager.

Pricing and Availability

The NetWare Client 32 for DOS/Windows with NetWare Application Manager is available now to NetWare users electronically, free of charge, from NetWire on CompuServe (GO NWCLIENT) and the World Wide Web (http://netwire.novell.com). For additional information, customers can contact Novell at 1-800- NETWARE, or download information from NetWire on CompuServe or the World Wide Web (http://www.novell.com).

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Novell Lowers Price of LAN WorkPlace 5
Media Alert Monday, April 8, 1996

Novell Lowers Price of LAN WorkPlace 5 for MS Windows and DOS; Releases Product in Five Additional Languages

What:

To help make universal host and Internet TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) connectivity easier and more accessible, Novell has substantially reduced the price of the single- and 100-user versions of LAN WorkPlace 5 for MS Windows and DOS. The company also released the product, the world's leading desktop TCP/IP solution, in five additional languages.

Effective April 1, the price of the single-user pack has been lowered to $249 and the 100-user product to $6,995, from $399 and $12,995 respectively. This represents an average reduction of 42 percent, making the product the lowest-priced TCP/IP connectivity solution among industry leaders. Prices for major account programs have been similarly reduced.

Additionally, LAN WorkPlace 5 is now available in multiple languages, making the product more attractive for international and multi-national companies. The product is now available in Dutch, French, Italian, German and Spanish, in addition to the English version. Finally, installation of the product has been improved, in direct response to customer requests.

LAN WorkPlace 5 provides Windows and DOS users with concurrent access to TCP/IP Internet and NetWare resources. The product's full suite of WinSock applications gives the user terminal emulation with drag-and-drop keyboard remapping, graphical file transfer via FTP (File Transfer Protocol), transparent NFS (Network File System) file sharing and a graphical dialer for connecting easily from remote locations. The products come with a copy of Netscape Navigator.

When:

The new prices are effective April 1. The new language versions are available starting March 29.

Novell:

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and any place. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Novell Upgrades LANalyzer for Windows
Novell Upgrades LANalyzer For Windows to Offer High-End Performance in an Affordable, Easy-to-Use Software Solution

Leading Network Analysis Solution Shows Significant Performance Increase with Windows 95, Fully Supports NDS, and will be available in German and Japanese

OREM, Utah -- April 8, 1996 -- In a move to bring the performance and capabilities of high-end network analyzers to users who prefer an affordable, software-based solution, Novell Inc. today announced a new version of its market-leading LANalyzer for Windows. LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 combines affordability and ease-of-use with markedly improved performance.

The performance increase comes with Windows 95 using a 32-bit client environment and results in a 100 percent capture rate of traffic on 10Mbps Ethernet and 16Mbps Token Ring segments, plus Windows 95-enabled multi-tasking capabilities. Additionally, LANalyzer 2.2 offers full support for Novell Directory Services (NDS) and expanded international support. Running on Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 desktops, LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 is a key component of Novell's strategy to enable a Smart Global Network by providing access to network services from all major client platforms.

"Our initial goal with LANalyzer for Windows was to bring the capabilities of high-end analyzers to Novell's customers at an affordable price," said Shelley Dougery, Novell's Director of Marketing, Management Products Division. "With the new generation of operating systems and 32-bit clients, the performance of hardware-based systems is finally available to software-only analyzer users. This version of LANalyzer for Windows merges the power of high-end analyzers with an easy-to-use interface and advantageous pricing, making it an unbeatable value."

Key Features

Novell's LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 offers the following features and benefits:

* Enhanced performance -- LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 provides significantly enhanced performance when running on 32-bit clients, such as those available from Novell and Microsoft. LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 supports all current Novell clients (VLM 16 and Client32) and Microsoft's NDIS. This offers users the broadest possible choice of interface cards.

* Full Novell Directory Services support -- LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 decodes all NDS frames and is NDS-enabled to allow users to gather station names from anywhere in an NDS tree. The power of NDS enables LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 users to map station addresses to user names on an enterprise-wide basis.

* Multi-tasking capabilities -- LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 can run simultaneously with other applications on Windows 95 workstations. It eliminates the need for TSRs, freeing memory for other applications usage.

* International support -- Japanese and German versions of LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 will be available later this year, making it easier for multinational corporations to coordinate global problem solving.

Product Background

LANalyzer for Windows is a complete monitoring and analysis tool for troubleshooting Novell networks. Key features include an intuitive dashboard interface, intelligent problem solving capabilities and built-in interactive training in network diagnostic techniques. The product monitors the network for anomalous events; decodes NetWare, SNA, TCP/IP and AppleTalk traffic with additional decodes available from third parties; and supports Ethernet and Token Ring at all wire speeds.

Since its introduction in 1992, LANalyzer for Windows has been ranked by user surveys and competitive evaluations at or near the top of its class in price/performance and ease of use. Initially designed to provide simple and affordable basic NetWare LAN monitoring and analysis capabilities, the product has achieved consistently high marks from internal IS departments and independent service organizations, even when compared with network analyzers costing 10 times as much.

The product is widely used by software developers who need a tool that allows them to see how their applications behave on a production network. With a price-point well below competing products, LANalyzer for Windows has become the analyzer of choice among giant software companies and small startups alike.

Pricing and Availability

LANalyzer for Windows 2.2 is available now through the Novell reseller channel. List price is US$1,495. Current LANalyzer for Windows customers can purchase an upgrade for US$300.

For more information about LANalyzer for Windows, as well as other Novell management solutions, visit Novell's home page at http://www.novell.com.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for networked world, enabling customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Autodesk/Netscape Extend Internet for Design
AUTODESK AND NETSCAPE TO EXTEND INTERNET AS PLATFORM FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING COLLABORATION

COMPANIES WILL WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSFORM THE INTERNET INTO A VIRTUAL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT FOR DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS

NEW YORK (April 10, 1996) -- Autodesk, Inc. and Netscape Communications Corporation today announced they will work together to extend the Internet into a virtual engineering environment where designers and engineers can use Netscape and Autodesk software to collaborate. The companies are united behind the new DWF file format developed by Autodesk as a standard for viewing and publishing 2D vector graphics, such as design drawings, diagrams and technical illustrations. The DWF file format and the WHIP! Plug-In for Netscape Navigator client software let users view design data efficiently over the Internet. The combination of the WHIP! technology and Netscape Navigator Gold and Netscape Enterprise Server software provide many of the tools necessary for design and engineering professionals to collaborate, publish and manage design data over the Internet.

With Netscape Navigator Gold's easy-to-use Internet publishing capabilities and the WHIP! technology, design and engineering professionals can embed design data into their HTML pages. Netscape Enterprise Server is the first Internet server software to support Java and JavaScript, enabling the creation, delivery and management of live, online applications and content on enterprise networks and the Internet.

"By creating this technology for designers and engineers, Autodesk and Netscape will help eliminate the communication barriers between engineers, architects and other design professionals and increase the use of shared digital designs," said Carol Bartz, Autodesk chairman, president and CEO. "Our work with Netscape will enable Autodesk's design software users to collaborate more easily with other users, as well as share their work with their clients in an inexpensive, timely fashion."

"Autodesk's new Plug-ins are very complimentary to the work Netscape has done in Internet publishing," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "The virtual engineering file format will improve the use of the Internet as a platform in business-to-business engineering and design applications and increase the utility of the Intranet for corporate communications, collaboration and data access. Together we will bring to light the millions of existing designs and engineering documents created in detailed design format that previously were stored on inaccessible internal LAN servers."

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in SEC reports, including the report in Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and Unix-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, filmmaking, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in nearly 130 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk please call 415/507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or log in to http://www.autodesk.com.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 415/937-2555 while consumers can call 415/937-3777 for more information.


GEIS & Netscape Form Joint Venture
GE AND NETSCAPE FORM JOINT VENTURE

NEW COMPANY TO DEVELOP INTERNET SOFTWARE FOR BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

ROCKVILLE, MD and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 10, 1996) -- GE Information Services (GEIS) and Netscape Communications Corporation today announced they have established a joint venture that will develop and market software for Internet-based business-to-business electronic commerce. Benefiting from GE Information Services' market expertise as the world's leading provider of business-to-business electronic commerce services, and Netscape's leading position in developing and marketing software for the Internet, the joint venture is expected to play a pivotal role in making it possible for companies to easily use the Internet and intranets for core business transactions, thereby increasing their productivity. The company will also take an active role in promoting the development of open standards for business-to-business electronic commerce. The joint venture, named Actra Business Systems L.L.C., will be located in Mountain View, California.

"Businesses stand to benefit enormously from the products of this joint venture," said Hellene Runtagh, president and CEO of GE Information Services. "Through Internet technologies, the great productivity gains of business-to-business electronic commerce that are currently enjoyed by some corporations will be made available to both large and small corporations."

"Netscape is committed to helping the corporate market reap the benefits of the Internet and intranets," said Jim Barksdale, president and CEO of Netscape. "By working with GE on this joint venture we hope to extend the Internet's benefits to business-to-business commerce. Actra Business Systems opens tremendous new business opportunities and is ideally positioned to take the lead in spearheading the development and distribution of new applications that meet the very specific needs of business-to-business commerce transacted over the Internet."

Approximately 100,000 companies use EDI (electronic document interchange), a key component of business-to-business electronic commerce. According to Forrester Research, that number represents only 5 percent of businesses that could benefit from the technology. By providing tools and applications that facilitate the use of the Internet and intranets by corporations, both large and small, Netscape and GEIS hope to expand the rapid adoption of EDI and other applications for business-to-business commerce.

Actra Business Systems' mission is to develop these software applications, designed specifically to run over the Internet and intranets. These applications can help companies to reduce costs, decrease cycle times and improve quality in core business functions. Initial product development will focus on two key areas:

* a business document gateway to facilitate the exchange of EDI and messages between a business and its trading partners; and

* a suite of server software products focusing on purchasing and supplier management, EDI, electronic product catalogs and Internet client software technology to streamline sourcing, ordering, purchasing, and the payment process from the buyer, agent, and seller sides.

Plans call for the first new applications to be available early in 1997. The joint venture plans to distribute its products through electronic commerce service providers, consulting firms, GEIS and Netscape. The company's initial staff will be drawn from both GE Information Services and Netscape. Jim Sha, senior vice president, new ventures at Netscape, will serve as the acting CEO. GE Information Services and Netscape each hold a 50 percent interest in the company.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live on-line applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

GE Information Services is a leading supplier of business productivity solutions, combining electronic commerce services, inter-business process consulting, and trading community management. GE Information Services supports the world's largest trading community of over 40, 000 companies, helping them improve their productivity in purchasing/supplier management, logistics, and marketing and distribution channel management. GE Information Services is one of the 12 key businesses of the General Electric Company, U.S.A.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending e-mail to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate users) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).

This press release and information about GE Information Services is available on the Internet at http://www.geis.com or by sending email to info@geis.geis.com.


Bell Atlantic & Netscape Licensing Agreement
BELL ATLANTIC AND NETSCAPE ANNOUNCE LICENSING AGREEMENT

BELL ATLANTIC TO OFFER CUSTOMERS INTERNET SOLUTIONS INCORPORATING NETSCAPE SOFTWARE

RESTON, VA and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 10, 1996) -- Bell Atlantic and Netscape Communications Corporation today announced that Bell Atlantic will provide co-branded Netscape software to its business and residential customers. Working with Netscape, Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions, a newly formed unit of Bell Atlantic, will provide Netscape Navigator client software to residential customers and a full range of Netscape client and server software to business customers. As a result both can enjoy easy-to-use Internet access and business customers will have powerful tools to create, publish, communicate and manage information over the Internet and intranets.

Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions will also host its Internet services using Netscape Enterprise Server software and is one of the first companies to work with Netscape to develop a customized version of Netscape Navigator using the new Netscape Navigator Enterprise Configuration Kit. Both companies also announced their cooperation in having Netscape Navigator provide support for ISDN, the first time that Netscape has licensed this capability.

"Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions is excited to be working with Netscape Communications, a leader in the Internet industry," said Myles Mendelsohn, leader of the Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions business development team. According to Mendelsohn, "Netscape Navigator client software is an ideal tool for our customers to access information on the Internet. Support for Java and JavaScript, as well as future integration of audio, video and collaboration features will enhance our customers ability to communicate and conduct business over the Internet."

"People are clamoring for Internet access both for business and personal use," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "Through our agreement with Bell Atlantic, we can immediately satisfy that demand by bringing their customers Netscape Navigator, our easy-to-use, highly popular client software."

Netscape Navigator client software, an ideal tool for accessing information on the Internet, offers users not only Internet browsing capabilities but also built-in email and threaded discussion groups. Users can view live rather than static information when browsing Web sites and will benefit from experiencing the full richness of the graphics on these sites. The Bell Atlantic customized version of Netscape Navigator will provide links to valuable search services and a comprehensive directory of Web sites, designed to direct users to local, national and international content.

For business and government customers Bell Atlantic will utilize Netscape server software to enable companies and organizations to use the Internet and intranets to collaborate and communicate with peers and customers, and create, manage and deploy World Wide Web applications.

Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions, a new unit of Bell Atlantic, formed in March 1996, is based in Reston, Virginia, and was created to develop and deliver Internet-based services to consumers, business and government. For information on Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions or its product line call 888/638-2100 or visit its Web site at http://www.bell-atl.com/internet.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE:BEL) is at the forefront of the new communications, entertainment and information industry. In the mid-Atlantic region the company is the premier provider of local telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the largest investors in the high-growth wireless communications marketplace. Bell Atlantic owns a substantial interest in Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing high-growth national and international business opportunities in all phases of the industry.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).


Alternative Message Transports for LANs
ON Technology and Infinite Technologies Agreement To Broaden Availability of Alternative Message Transports

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., AND OWINGS MILLS, MD., APRIL 2, 1996 -- ON Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: ONTC) and Infinite Technologies today announced a strategic agreement that will broaden the availability of alternative message transports for LAN electronic mail users worldwide.

Under terms of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement, ON Technology gains the right to distribute Infinite Technologies' LAN-based and remote message transports and SMTP gateway. These message switch products are compatible with the Novell Messaging Handling Service (MHS) family of products and provide high-performance alternatives for MHS-based e-mail environments.

Beginning today, ON Technology will sell and support the Connect router, Connect Remote router and ConnectSMTP gateway under its own ON Technology brand.

"Offering the Connect products allows us to provide our customers significant flexibility for building and expanding e-mail systems," said John Rizzi, vice president of sales for ON Technology. "The Connect products offer the reliability, performance and ongoing development that customers require of their vital mission-critical communications applications."

The Connect router is a message handling transport for LAN-based e-mail and provides a bridge for ON Technology's DaVinci eMAIL and Notework e-mail packages to communicate with other LAN-based e-mail applications such as Lotus cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail. In combination with Connect Remote, users on the road and in remote offices can connect to the central mail system and seamlessly exchange e-mail with the LAN system. The Connect SMTP gateway product provides connectivity between the Internet and LAN based e-mail users.

According to a recent survey by the Electronic Mail & Messaging Systems (EMMS) newsletter, ON Technology's DaVinci eMAIL and Notework packages accounted for more than 75% of the NetWare-based e-mail market. Published by Business Research Publications and based in New York City, EMMS is a biweekly newsletter covering messaging technology, applications, products and market trends.

"This agreement will convert a large segment of our target customers to the Connect environment. These customers will utilize a powerful messaging engine known for its high performance, scalability and fault tolerance. In addition, through Connect they will be able to exchange messages with a variety of other messaging systems such as cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail," said John Madill, president of Infinite Technologies.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING AND INFORMATION

The new ON Technology Connect products are now available from ON Technology worldwide.

Pricing for customers in North America is based on U.S. dollars. The ON Technology Connect transport is available in 10, 50 and 100-user packs beginning at $149. The ON Technology Connect Remote transport is available for $89 per user. The ON Technology Connect SMTP gateway is $1899.

For availability and pricing outside North America, contact ON Technology.

To receive information about ON Technology or any of its offerings, call 617-374-1400 or 800-767-6683 toll-free in North America, visit the ON Technology home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.on.com, or send inquires over the Internet to info@on.com. A publicly held company trading under the symbol ONTC since August 1, 1995, ON Technology is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.

Infinite Technologies develops enterprise messaging solutions for messaging, Internet connectivity and utilities. For more information on Infinite products, contact: Patty Lummis, director of marketing for Infinite Technologies, 11433 Cronridge Drive, Owings Mills, MD 21117. E-mail: patty@infinite.ihub.com. Voice: 410-363-1097. Fax: 410-363-0846. Web: http://www.ihub.com


Exide Intros Olympic Team Edition UPS
Exide Electronics Introduces Official Licensed Product of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team

RALEIGH, NC, APRIL 10, 1996 -- Exide Electronics Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: XUPS), the exclusive provider of Strategic Power Managementtm solutions, today introduced its Powerware Prestige 1500 EXT 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Edition uninterruptible power system (UPS), an Official Licensed Product of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team.

"Exide Electronics is proud to support the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team," said James Risher, chief executive officer. "We take pride in knowing that each purchase of this product helps to support America's Olympic athletes."

The Powerware Prestige 1500 EXT 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Edition is a true on-line UPS ready to use straight out of the box. Continuous on-line power protection supplies conditioned power at all times, creating clean power for critical equipment regardless of whether or not the battery is in use.

The Powerware Prestige uses Cell Savertm technology, which increases the life of your UPS investment. Cell Saver creates conditioned power during brownouts and sags, therefore minimizing battery usage. Extended battery packs have external connections that allow for "hot- swapping" without interrupting power to the load.

As the power protection supplier and consultant to the Olympic Games, Exide Electronics is responsible for planning and executing high reliability power protection to one of the largest single computer and communications networks in the world. The Powerware Prestige 1500 EXT 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Edition is one of more than 12,000 integrated power protection and management solutions Exide Electronics is supplying to the Games.

The Powerware Prestige 1500 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Edition is available for a limited time at a list price starting at $1,369.

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Exide Electronics fulfills the Strategic Power Management needs of a broad range of businesses and institutions worldwide, including many Fortune 1000 companies. Exide Electronics' products are used for financial, medical, industrial, telecommunications, military, and aerospace applications -- wherever continuous power is essential to mission-critical operations. In fiscal 1995, Exide Electronics had revenues of $391 million.

For information, contact:

 Marty Kittrell

 Chief Financial Officer

 Exide Electronics Group, Inc.

 E-mail:kittrell@email.exide.com

 (919) 870-3076

 Karin Cram

 Corporate Communications

 Exide Electronics Group, Inc.

 (919) 870-3239

 E-mail: cram@email.exide.com


New DaVinci Pckg with SMTP & MIME Support
ON Technology Announces New DaVinci Package With Native Support for SMTP and MIME

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., APRIL 2, 1996 -- ON Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: ONTC) today announced an expansion of its DaVinci productline that leverages eight years of award-winning LAN e-mail experience with new, native support for industry-standard Internet messaging protocols like SMTP, POP3 and MIME.

The new ON Technology offering, DaVinci SMTP eMAIL, leverages field-proven DaVinci LAN e-mail technologies, including a graphical user interface, hierarchical folders, spell-checker, Windows-based administration console, central address book management, and time-saving user features like rules and electronic forms.

In combination with new support for three major industry-backed protocols -- the Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) -- DaVinci SMTP eMAIL delivers a complete, full-featured solution for e-mail communications across a corporate Intranet or globally over the Internet.

"We will continue to support our LAN e-mail business, but DaVinci SMTP eMAIL is a real breakthrough," said John Rizzi, vice president of sales, ON Technology. "SMTP is the clear winner in the battle for the worldwide messaging protocol for both Intranet and Internet communications. In addition to adopting the industry-standard messaging transport, our new DaVinci package provides a reasonable migration path for network administrators who may not be prepared to completely convert their environment to IP from IPX simply to get Internet mail to each desktop."

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL is ideally suited for the Novell NetWare environment that needs to extend its LAN e-mail system to the Internet without continuing reliance on proprietary messaging transports, an IP stack and IP address for every desktop, or an intermediate gateway. As a complete package, DaVinci SMTP eMAIL provides direct NetWare-to-Internet messaging without requiring MHS as the LAN transport, TCP/IP on each workstation, or a dedicated MHS-to-SMTP gateway

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL also is well suited for organizations just now considering electronic mail capabilities for global communications. Unlike some Internet e-mail offerings, DaVinci SMTP eMAIL is a complete, fully-featured solution that allows network administrators to avoid relying on shareware, integrating multiple components, or manually entering user names to create an address book for the system.

ROBUST, NATIVE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF POP3, SMTP AND MIME STANDARDS

The DaVinci SMTP eMAIL package includes a robust implementation of POP3 that runs over both IP and IPX, allowing established NetWare environments to avoid an immediate shift to TCP/IP on the LAN and the concomitant placement of TCP/IP stacks on each desktop that most Internet e-mail packages require. The POP3 protocol serves as a replacement for the MHS LAN transport required under DaVinci eMAIL and provides for local mail delivery up to three times faster than the proprietary MHS protocol, which is built on the slower "store and forward" cycling technology.

The DaVinci POP3 server is tightly integrated with the industry-standard messaging backbone SMTP, forming a client/server environment that provides immediate delivery of e-mail. With native SMTP support, DaVinci SMTP eMAIL will exchange messages seamlessly with other SMTP sites around the world, such as most businesses, educational sites and government facilities, without requiring Unix hardware or even a dedicated PC mail server.

Unlike several other proposed messaging standards, such as X.400 and X.500, which relatively few corporate sites have adopted due to the complexity of installing and managing the protocols themselves, SMTP has become widely accepted throughout the world.

Also included in the new DaVinci package is support for MIME, the Internet-standard encoding method for sending e-mail attachments, which allows users to exchange files without loss of data integrity. The DaVinci SMTP eMAIL support for MIME covers a wide variety of file types, including binary, graphics (JPEG and GIF), video (MPEG), audio, voice and text.

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL also is designed for remote users. A special Work Offline option is provided that allows users to store messages in an "outbox" while working offline. When the user is ready to make a dial-up connection, the "outbox" can be set to trigger a remote access product, such as Shiva LAN Rover, to make a dial-up PPP connection. With this unique offline feature users can avoid long, costly remote node connections to an enterprise LAN.

DAVINCI SMTP EMAIL INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL consists of four NetWare Loadable Modules (NLMs) that are loaded on a NetWare 3.x or 4.x server. The server must have TCP/IP installed and should have a minimum of 2 MB of RAM for the NLMs and 15 MB of free hard-drive space. A static TCP/IP address should be dedicated for the server. Supported clients are Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT.

For multi-site environments, only one installation needs to run the DaVinci SMTP eMAIL NLMs. Satellite installations must be able to "see" the primary server but only the administrative and client portions of the e-mail package are required.

To connect DaVinci SMTP eMAIL to the Internet, a Domain Name Server, Domain Name and SendMail capability are necessary; most Internet Service Providers can supply these requirements.

CARRYING FORWARD FEATURES FROM AWARD-WINNING DAVINCI EMAIL

The new ON Technology offering leverages many established LAN e-mail capabilities unavailable with many Internet e-mail offerings that provide only basic user features, require integration of mail services from multiple providers, and often lack expert technical support by phone or over the World Wide Web.

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL carries forward administration and user features refined over eight years with the MHS-based DaVinci eMAIL, which will continue to be available from ON Technology.

For example, in addition to the popular DaVinci eMAIL Windows-based administration console and graphical user interface, DaVinci SMTP eMAIL offers the administrator the choice of capitalizing on NetWare Directory Services for enterprisewide address book synchronization or capturing user names from the NetWare bindery.

For users, the popular DaVinci client-based Rules and server-based On the Road options are fully supported. With DaVinci Rules, e-mail can be automatically instructed to do specific tasks, such a file in a specific folder, forward the message to a list of users, auto- delete a message or play a certain sound for mail from a certain user. For organizations that require electronic forms, DaVinci Forms is available with DaVinci SMTP eMAIL.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING AND INFORMATION

DaVinci SMTP eMAIL is now available from ON Technology and leading software distributors, resellers and VARs around the world.

In North America, the DaVinci SMTP eMAIL system pack is $999. End-user licenses are available in the following increments: 10-user pack, $850; 50-user pack, $3250; 100-user pack, $5500. Pricing for the DaVinci Forms is $155 for a 10-user pack, $575 for a 50-user pack and $975 for a 100-user pack. Pricing for DaVinci Rules is $675 for 50 users or $975 for an unlimited numbers of users.

For availability and pricing outside North America, contact ON Technology for information on authorized distributors and resellers around the world. Localized editions of MHS-based DaVinci eMAIL are available in several foreign languages.

DaVinci eMAIL is available for free evaluation through the company's "30 Day Free Trial" program, which provides fully-functional software to users for 30 days without obligation.

To purchase DaVinci SMTP eMAIL, order trial software or receive information about any of ON Technology's offerings, call 617-374-1400 or toll-free North America 800-767-6683, visit the ON Technology home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.on.com, or send inquires over the Internet to info@on.com.

ON Technology Corporation is a leading provider of multi-platform communications and network management software that helps people work together on LANs and across the Internet. ON Technology products operate on customer's NetWare, NTAS, LAN Manager and Internet networks that include combinations on Windows, Win95. WinNT, Macintosh, DOS, OS/2 and Unix workstations using IP, IPX, NetBIOS and Appletalk protocols. A publicly held company trading under the symbol ONTC since Aug. 1, 1995, ON Technology Corporation is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.


Meeting Maker XP Group Scheduler Updated
ON Technology Increases Platforms and Protocols Again For Industry's Most Interoperable Group Scheduler

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., APRIL 1, 1996 -- ON Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: ONTC) today announced new platforms and network protocols for its Meeting Maker XP software, already the industry's most interoperable group scheduler. The announcement was made simultaneously in Cambridge, Mass., and in Las Vegas, Nevada, site of the Networld+Interop computer conference.

With the addition of a native 32-bit Unix server, Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) support for linking group scheduling and electronic mail, and new protocol support including TCP/IP and NetBIOS for OS/2 desktops, Meeting Maker XP 3.5 provides flexibility for network configurations that is unmatched by any other group scheduler on the market today.

Meeting Maker XP 3.5 also brings the full power of group scheduling to the Apple MessagePad and Newton 2.0 operating system.

Meeting Maker XP 3.5 establishes a new benchmark for integrating group scheduling across an enterprise or multi-enterprise environment based on three tiers of interoperability: server platform, network protocol and desktop platform. Meeting Maker XP 3.5 supports the following environments:

SERVER PLATFORMS: Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, Unix, OS/2, Macintosh, PowerMac, NetWare NLM

NETWORK PROTOCOLS: TCP/IP, IPX, NetBIOS, AppleTalk

DESKTOP, LAPTOP AND MOBILE CLIENTS: Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, Newton, OS/2, Unix, DOS

"Most environments today, whether an enterprise, division or department, have networks consisting of a variety of platforms and protocols," said John Rizzi, vice president of sales, ON Technology. "There are very few single platform, single protocol, single OS networks in the real world. Our continuing expansion of the Meeting Maker XP family along the three tiers of interoperability is designed to leverage networks and desktops that enterprises have today, as well as the ones they might have next year."

Various other enhancements are designed to simplify the administration and use of Meeting Maker XP 3.5, such as an automatic upgrade utility and address book creation and usage options.

RAISING THE STANDARD FOR CLIENT/SERVER SCHEDULING

Meeting Maker XP 3.5 offers the choice of using the Unix operating system as the server platform for maximum scalability and performance. The Meeting Maker XP Unix server is suited for organizations of all sizes, from small departmental workgroups that may be familiar with Unix to large or decentralized enterprises that can consolidate a number of existing servers onto a single Unix box.

In addition to Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems Unix clients, a Meeting Maker XP Unix server will support any combination of Meeting Maker XP clients from a single server. Hardware options for a Unix server configuration include the HP 700 or 800 series computers running HP UP 9.01 or greater, or any Sun Solaris-SPARC compliant computer running Solaris 2.3 or greater.

To increase the interoperability of Meeting Maker XP clients connected across an enterprise Intranet or the global Internet, Meeting Maker XP 3.5 now supports SMTP. Since version 3.0, Meeting Maker XP has supported the Windows messaging standard, MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface), which allowed users to send meeting proposals and notifications via electronic mail as long as the sender had a MAPI-compliant e-mail package.

By supporting SMTP, Meeting Maker XP 3.5 users can exchange meeting proposals and notifications with anyone connected to a SMTP mail host, such as a corporate Intranet or the global Internet, via a mail-enabled Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, Unix or OS/2 workstation.

The third major improvement in Meeting Maker XP 3.5 is designed specifically for OS/2 users, who had little or no choice for group scheduling until Meeting Maker XP 3.1 for OS/2 was introduced in September 1995. At that time, Meeting Maker XP for OS/2 was limited to IPX networks. With support for the TCP/IP and NetBIOS protocols, the power of native, 32-bit OS/2 servers can be utilized by organizations where mixtures of desktop clients and network protocols exist.

Meeting Maker XP 3.5 also brings the full capability of group scheduling to the Apple MessagePad by providing a native Newton 2.0 package to synchronize a user's desktop and their MessagePad 120 or 130 personal digital assistant (PDA). Previously, users were able to export their schedule to a Newton PDA but not change it. Now Meeting Maker XP Newton Client users can change or create meetings on their Newton and later re-synchronize with their desktop client from anywhere on the LAN.

Users also can carry their Meeting Maker XP 3.5 schedule on the Casio Boss, Sharp Wizard or HP 100/LX or even wear it on a Timex Data Link Watch.

SIMPLIFYING UPGRADES AND ADDRESS BOOK USAGE

As Meeting Maker XP installations have grown in size since the product was first introduced in 1991, with installations now ranging from a couple dozen seats to thousands of seats, improving the efficiency of upgrading clients and making it easier to invite people to meetings has been an ongoing design goal. The Meeting Maker XP 3.5 administration program includes enhancements that provide the option of managing many aspects of the application at the department level.

For sites upgrading from previous versions of Meeting Maker XP, a new "Auto Upgrade Utility" electronically distributes the new version to all users, eliminating the need for the network administrator to perform conventional software upgrade procedures. The new feature also allows system administrators to partition their Meeting Maker XP installation so certain user administration functions can be off- loaded on a server-by-server basis while preserving overall system integrity and security.

Routine procedures such as adding or deleting users, adding or deleting proxies, and modifying user groups also can now be done at the departmental level with minimal training required.

Meeting Maker XP also has a number of enhancements for creating and using the address book. On a network basis, the administrator can establish Hierarchical Directories separated by department, building or geographical location.

For the user, a new Personal Address List allows users to create specialized lists of users with whom they frequently schedule meetings, such as all members of their department, as well as particular rooms and equipment they normally specify. With a new Quick Directory Search feature, users can type in the meeting invitee's name instead of scrolling through an alphabetical list, speeding up the selection process.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING AND INFORMATION

Meeting Maker XP 3.5 is now available from ON Technology and leading software distributors, resellers and VARs around the world. Pricing for customers in North America is based on U.S. dollars.

For each installation, one server pack is required. The Unix server pack, at $1949, will support any combination of Unix, OS/2, Macintosh, Windows or DOS clients. The OS/2 server, at $349, will support OS/2, Macintosh, Windows and DOS clients. A third server option, at $249, will support any combination of Macintosh, Windows and DOS clients. User licenses begin at the following prices: $89 per user for either Macintosh, Windows or DOS clients; $99 per user for OS/2 clients; $139 per user for Unix, and $99 per user for the Newton client.

For availability and pricing outside North America, contact ON Technology for information on authorized distributors and resellers around the world.


VirusTrack 6.0 Word Macro Virus Eliminator
ON Technology's Word Macro Virus Eliminator Completes NCSA Tests for Word Macro Viruses

ARLINGTON, VA., AND CAMBRIDGE, MASS., APRIL 1, 1996 -- ON Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: ONTC) announced today that the National Computer Security Association has tested Macro VirusTrack 6.0 and has verified that it proactively protects against the Word Macro class of viruses.

The announcement was made in conjunction with the NCSA's 5th Annual International Virus Prevention Conference at Arlington, Va. During the conference, the NCSA will issue the findings for a major 1996 Computer Virus Prevalence Survey

ON Technology's Macro VirusTrack 6.0 is an anti-virus software program that detects and removes the five known Word macro viruses and one significant trojan before the malicious programs corrupt a Word document or spread to other computer users. Macro VirusTrack 6.0 provides real-time background protection for today's most prevalent and fastest-growing threat to computer users and networks worldwide.

Since their appearance in July of 1995, Microsoft Word macro viruses have quickly become the most common type of viruses affecting computer users. Word macro viruses embed themselves in .DOC files and automatically do their damage whenever someone opens the document file. The Word macro viruses are at an epidemic stage because they are easily spread via documents attached to electronic mail sent over the Internet or a corporate intranet, or by sharing corrupt documents.

"The common practices of attaching documents to Internet mail or using the auto-launch feature in some e-mail products have provided new vehicles for spreading viruses," said Chris Risley, ON Technology's chief executive officer. "The way to prevent these new attacks from disrupting productivity or worse, destroying data, is constant, automatic scanning for all strains of the virus."

ON Technology's new Macro VirusTrack 6.0 is a sophisticated anti-virus program that provides full background protection by scanning every Microsoft Word document in one of two ways.

First, whenever the user attempts to open a Word document, Macro VirusTrack 6.0 checks for any of the five known Word macro viruses. If a virus is detected, the ON program notifies the user that the document is infected, prompts them to clean the virus from the document, and then restores the document to its unaffected state.

The ON Technology anti-virus program also can be configured to scan and clean documents on a user's workstation and network drives without the user having to open each one individually.

Macro VirusTrack 6.0 provides transparent protection without performance degradation at either the workstation or server. Macro VirusTrack 6.0 is compatible with other anti-virus products that users may have installed to detect the Michelangelo virus or other "boot sector" style viruses.

The Word macro viruses are new types of viruses that masquerade as legitimate Word macros -- miniature, time-saving programs intended to automate repetitive tasks, such as document formatting or global editing. Macro viruses, such as Concept, Nuclear, Hot, Rainbow and DMV (Demonstration Macro Virus), are designed to cause damage to the user's computer in a variety of ways, including deleting the Word document immediately, preventing normal "Save As" procedures or changing the user's screen colors.

Another type of malicious macro, similar to a virus but more correctly known as a "trojan" in industry parlance, erases every document and application on the user's computer within seconds. While viruses are able to replicate themselves from document to document, the "Format C:" and other trojans don't copy themselves but can be as damaging as any known Word macro virus.

The new Macro VirusTrack 6.0 covers all known viruses and the Format C: trojan, and customers will receive ongoing coverage as new attacks are launched.

Unlike the famed Michelangelo boot sector virus, which made its first appearance four years ago amid massive industry news coverage and a multitude of products to detect and remove it, the new Word macro viruses and trojan have effectively foiled removal methods until now.

For example, some current Word macro anti-virus methods available simply "cripple" the virus, leaving the corrupt document in place. Some current methods only cover certain viruses. Further, some methods also require that the user invoke the anti-virus scanner before opening any Word document, a manual and time-consuming process that even diligent users may forget.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING AND INFORMATION

Macro VirusTrack 6.0 is available immediately through ON Technology and leading software distributors and resellers. In North America, pricing in U.S. dollars ranges from $4.49 per user for 10,000 seats to $19.99 per user for 100 seats and includes access to ON Technology's Anti-Virus Hotline and Virus Maintenance Programs.

For availability and pricing outside North America, contact ON Technology for information on authorized distributors and resellers around the world.

To purchase Macro VirusTrack 6.0, call the ON Technology Anti-Virus Hotline at 800-636-9520 (North America) or 919-319-7142.

To receive information about ON Technology, call 617-374-1400 or toll-free North America 800-767-6683, visit the ON Technology home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.on.com, or send inquires over the Internet to info@on.com.

ON Technology Corporation is a leading provider of multi-platform communications and network management software that helps people work together on LANs and across the Internet. ON Technology products operate on customer's NetWare, NTAS, LAN Manager, and Internet networks that include combinations on Windows, Win95, WinNT, Macintosh, DOS, OS/2, and Unix workstations using IP, IPX, NetBIOS and Appletalk protocols. A publicly held company trading under the symbol ONTC since Aug. 1, 1995, ON Technology Corporation is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.


ON Technology Acquires neTrend Firewall Tech
ON TECHNOLOGY COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF INTERNET FIREWALL TECHNOLOGY

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., APRIL 1, 1996 -- ON Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: ONTC) announced today it completed the acquisition of all the technology and related technology assets from neTrend Corporation on March 29, 1996. The acquisition will be accounted for as a purchase of assets.

Based in San Jose, Calif., neTrend developed firewall technology for networks supporting both the IP protocol used on the Internet as well as NetWare's IPX protocol. Vimal Vaidya, neTrend's founder and chief executive officer, will become vice president of ON Technology's Network Security Products group.

The acquired technology is designed to use industry standard, Intel-based hardware and adaptive transparency techniques to provide the application layer protection that until now has been available only on CheckPoint's market leading, Unix-based firewall.

In addition to traditional Internet firewall protection, a key feature of the neTrend technology is protection for dial-in remote LAN access devices, such as those provided by Shiva, Cisco and others.

"The neTrend technology fits perfectly with ON Technology's expertise because it secures networks running IP or IPX, the most popular LAN protocols, and it extends protection to other points of access outside the Internet," said Christopher Risley, chief executive officer, ON Technology.

ON expects to ship its first product based on the neTrend technology during the second quarter of 1996.

"We're very excited about the acquisition of this key technology and we're looking forward to working with Mr. Vaidya and his team to extend our Internet related products," said Jay Batson, vice president of engineering, ON Technology.

ON Technology Corporation is a leading provider of multi-platform network management and communications software that helps people work together on LANs and across the Internet. ON Technology products operate on customer's NetWare, NTAS, LAN Manager, and Internet networks that include combinations of Windows, Win95, WinNT, Macintosh, DOS, OS/2, and Unix workstations, using IP, IPX, NetBIOS, and Appletalk protocols.

A publicly held company trading under the symbol ONTC since August 1, 1995, ON Technology Corporation is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To receive information about ON Technology or any of its offerings, readers may call 617-374-1400 or toll-free North America 800-767-6683, visit the ON Technology home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.on.com, or send inquires over the Internet to info@on.com.


Orchid Fahrenheit ProVideo 64
ORCHID PREMIERES FAST GRAPHICS WITH MPEG AND DIGITAL VIDEO SCALING

HyperDriver Technology Speeds Multimedia Applications

FREMONT, CA -- APRIL 3, 1995 -- Orchid Technology announced today the merging of high-performance graphics and digital video playback with its latest market entry, the Fahrenheit ProVideo 64. With HyperDriver technology and the ability to play and scale both standard and MPEG digital video, the Fahrenheit ProVideo 64 begins a new era in graphics card performance.

The Fahrenheit ProVideo 64 combines S3's latest 968 chipset and video memory (VRAM) for extremely fast Windows and DOS performance. A complete suite of software drivers for CAD, business and graphics is included, as well as Orchid's new HyperDriver Windows software. Orchid's HyperDriver technology is geared towards multimedia and digital video playback applications. While providing compatibility with today's high refresh rates and resolutions, the HyperDriver technology also handles the large block transfers of video data faster than competing offerings. Unlike other 64-bit graphics accelerators, the Fahrenheit ProVideo 64's HyperDriver is compatible with digital video capture cards.

According to Tony Rodrigues, Director of Product Marketing, "Users no longer have to choose between speed, compatibility and feature sets. The Fahrenheit ProVideo 64 pumps out the fastest graphics performance available while moving computers into full-screen MPEG and digital video."

In addition to hardware video scaling in all modes, the Fahrenheit ProVideo 64 supports resolutions up to 1600x1200 and refresh rates up to 120Hz. It is available for both PCI and VLB bus architectures, and comes with either 2MB of VRAM (user upgradeable to 4MB) or with 4MB of VRAM pre-installed. MSRP is $429 (2MB) and $629 (4MB).

Orchid Technology, a subsidiary of Micronics Computers (NASDAQ:MCRN), is a worldwide manufacturer of graphics, sound and digital video multimedia products for the personal computer market. The company is headquartered at 45365 Northport Loop West, Fremont, California 94538, (510) 683-0300. Orchid Technology also has offices in Paris, France; Basingstoke, United Kingdom; and Meerbusch, Germany.


Packard Bell Powerhouse PCs Deliver Internet
PACKARD BELL POWERHOUSE PCS DELIVER COMPLETE INTERNET SOLUTION

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- For the millions of people itching to cruise the information superhighway, Packard Bell's entire line of PCs provides the ultimate Internet vehicle. Packard Bell's multimedia systems offer high-speed modems, the latest in multimedia sound, video and graphics, the industry's most comprehensive bundle of online service providers, plus Packard Bell's exclusive Direct Internet Access.

With Packard Bell Direct Internet Access, users can go directly to the World Wide Web with just a few clicks of the mouse. The program features a high speed graphic Web browser and electronic mail capability, plus Usenet and FTP access, so users can download files from any Internet site. Users can try the service risk-free, as Packard Bell offers the first seven hours of access time at no cost.

Packard Bell PCs also offer another on-ramp to the Internet, with software and start-up options for CompuServe, America Online, Prodigy and The Microsoft Network. By bundling connections to all four leading service providers, Packard Bell makes it easy for novices and experts alike to choose the online experience that best fits their needs.

Once online, users can track daily stock market reports, send e-mail to friends, family and business partners, enter chat rooms for lively discussions, play online games, get the latest sports scores or even book a much-needed vacation.

Net surfers can go direct to the Internet by using Packard Bell's pioneering graphic user interface, Navigator. This easy-to-use software tutorial guides users directly to one of three home locations, including the InfoRoom, where they can access every Internet option loaded on the PC. From Navigator's InfoRoom, users can easily launch Packard Bell's Direct Internet Access or any of the online services, by simply clicking the onscreen icon of that service provider.

"Packard Bell's multimedia PCs deliver the complete integrated Internet solution," said Mal Ransom, vice president, marketing. "By providing high speed modems, software and a choice of online providers, Packard Bell provides the perfect launching pad for exploring the Internet. Our company is committed to making easy-to-use PCs loaded with options that will peak the interest of every consumer."

Based in Sacramento, Calif., Packard Bell designs, manufactures and markets a broad range of PC-compatible desktop computers. Packard Bell is the leading supplier of PCs in the U.S. mass retail channel, according to Audits and Surveys, a research firm that tracks the retail market. Packard Bell is the fourth largest computer company worldwide in terms of shipments, according to International Data Corp., Framingham, Mass. The company maintains a home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.packardbell.com, featuring product information, news releases, technical support contacts and links to interesting websites.

For product service and support, contact: support@packardbell.com


Toshiba Expands Tecra Notebook Family
TOSHIBA EXPANDS THE TECRA FAMILY WITH THE TECRA 720CDT: UNLEASHING THE MOST POWERFUL MULTIMEDIA NOTEBOOK PC WITH 133 MHZ PENTIUM PROCESSOR AND ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA CAPABILITIES

IRVINE, Calif. -- March 4, 1996 Continuing to redefine the power notebook PC, the Computer Systems Division of Toshiba America Information Systems (TAIS) today announced a new addition to its Tecra Series of performance notebooks. The Tecra 720CDT utilizes Intel's new 133-MHz Pentium processor, a brilliant 12.1" 1024 x 768 resolution display, Chips & Technologies' new HiQVideo' graphics controller for full screen, full motion video, the new Zoomed Video (ZV) technology for advanced video capabilities such as MPEG full motion video, built-in 28.8 kbps V.34 modem, CardBus ready PC Card slots, and a 6X CD-ROM, the Tecra 720 Series sets new standards in high performance portable computing.

"The Tecra 720CDT incorporates leading-edge technology not even found on many desktop computers for the mobile user," stated Tom Scott, Vice President and General Manager for the Computer Systems Division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "The advanced performance and video capabilities of the Tecra 720CDT expands the opportunities for our corporate customers to enhance their productivity in the office and on the road."

UNPRECEDENTED PENTIUM PROCESSOR PERFORMANCE

The new Tecra 720CDT incorporates the fastest processor available for mobile computers, Intel's new 2.9V 133-MHz Pentium processor. The 133-MHz Pentium processor in the Tecra 720CDT is the ideal platform for advanced computing applications including complex multimedia, software and hardware development, and desktop replacement.

"Intel is pleased with Toshiba's announcement of their latest addition to the Tecra Series, the Tecra 720CDT based on Intel's 133-MHz Pentium processor", said Steve Nachtsheim, vice president of Intel's Mobile and Handheld Products Group. "By utilizing the power of the 133-MHz Pentium processor, mobile end-users will experience desktop equivalent performance in areas such as rich graphics and full-motion video."

To maximize the processing capabilities, the Tecra 720CDT includes a 256KB, pipelined burst level 2 cache, and 16MB of high speed EDO memory standard - - expandable to a staggering 144MB total system memory. Performance is further enhanced by the systems' internal PCI system bus and external expansion PCI bus architecture.

ENHANCED VIDEO SUBSYSTEM SUPPORTS COMPLEX MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS

Offering the industry's newest and largest in high resolution displays, the Tecra 720CDT features a brilliant and crisp 12.1" 1024 x 768 Active Matrix display (a 12.1" 800 x 600 Active Matrix display is also available). The larger and higher resolution LCD display allow users to see more on their screens at once and is ideal for large spreadsheets, multimedia projects and presentations.

Driving the new 12.1" LCD is the new Chips & Technologies' HiQVideo Multimedia PCI Video Controller and 2MB of EDO video memory, enabling up to 16M color at 800 X 600 and 64K color at 1024 X 768. This new video subsystem features hardware Video Zoom, horizontal and vertical interpolation, and YUV to RGB conversion for breath taking full screen, full motion software MPEG-1 and Indeo video playback. Available for the first time in a notebook computer, 64-bit BitBLT graphics acceleration drives overall video and graphics performance to all new levels.

EXCEPTIONAL MULTIMEDIA CAPABILITIES WITH ZOOMED VIDEO CARD TECHNOLOGY

First in the industry to incorporate the new Zoomed Video (ZV) technology in a notebook computer, Toshiba includes this new standard for optional full screen, full motion MPEG video and other video mediums on the Tecra 720CDT. With the ZV technology built into the main system, and the optional "ZV Card," a new standard type of PC Card, video data transmission rates up to 27Mbytes per second may be achieved. With this technology, complex multimedia applications are available on a mobile platform, including: video playback of MPEG-1 and future MPEG-2 full screen, full motion video, video capture, TV tuner support, and video conferencing.

A new modular 6X CD-ROM drive comes standard with the Tecra 720CDT and provides notebook users with not only the fastest sustained data transfer rate of 1026KB/sec but also the PIO based burst transfer rate of 8.3 MB/sec. in mobile computing. User exchangeable, the 6X CD-ROM can be operated in the Tecra 720CDT or DeskStation V Plus SelectBay modular options slot.

Combining the above features with full duplex 16-bit audio with MIDI, .WAV, and SoundBlaster Pro support, the Tecra 720CDT is the most advanced multimedia notebook PC on the market today.

ADVANCED COMMUNICATION FEATURES

New communication features incorporated in the Tecra 720CDT allow users to easily be in contact with the world anywhere at anytime. These integrated features include a 28.8 kbps V.34 modem and telephony features such as full duplex speaker phone and answering machine capabilities. As with other Tecra models, the new models include infrared wireless communications technology allowing users to transfer files, synchronize systems and to print to other infrared equipped devices and printers.

OFFERING THE ULTIMATE IN EXPANSION & DESKTOP REPLACEMENT

A leader in PC Card technology, Toshiba pioneers support for 32-bit CardBus and future ZV Port technology, the latest advancement in PC Cards. Two CardBus and ZV Card ready slots support either two Type II or one Type III PC Cards. With 32-bit CardBus support, users can connect to high speed networks through advanced peripherals like 100Mbit Ethernet CardBus Cards.

For maximum system flexibility, the Tecra 720CDT offers both a full desktop replacement docking solution with the optional Desk Station V Plus and an economical, low profile docking alternative with the optional NoteDock enhanced port replicator. The Desk Station V Plus has expansion slots for both 32-bit PCI and 16-bit ISA cards, as well as two CardBus ready Type III PC Card slots. The on-board SCSI-II, additional SelectBay modular options slot, 5.25" half height drive bay, two built-in stereo speakers and a full compliment of multimedia ports provide for a complete desktop replacement solution.

The NoteDock enhanced port replicator offers an economical one-touch docking to office peripherals with access to two additional CardBus ready Type III PC Card slots for convenient connection to high speed networks and peripherals.

Designed specifically for Windows 95, the Tecra 720DT, Desk Station V Plus, and NoteDock enhanced port replicator give users the highest level of Plug and Play support including hot and warm docking for seamless transitions between the road and office.

MODULAR FEATURES GIVE USERS VAST COMPUTING FLEXIBILITY

The removable 1.2 billion byte (=1.13GB) hard disk of the Tecra 720CDT allows for easy hard disk drive upgrades and the ability for people within an organization to share one system. For data security, a hard disk drive password feature is provided to prevent access to data.

For additional system flexibility, the Toshiba SelectBay modular options slot houses the standard modular floppy disk drive or the standard 6X Speed CD-ROM Drive. Easy to use, the devices can be quickly exchanged by the user and be used simultaneously by using the second SelectBay slot of the Desk Station V Plus, or by using the floppy drive in the external floppy disk drive case.

EASE OF USE FEATURES

The Tecra 720CDT includes a number of ease of use features to enhance mobile lifestyles. Advanced performance with an exceptional 2.5- 4 hours of battery life is made possible by the systems' 60.5 Watt hour enhanced capacity Lithium Ion battery. "Toshiba realizes that battery life is critical to our mobile users which is why we incorporated the highest capacity battery available in the new Tecra 720CDT," commented Tom Scott. For user convenience, the battery can recharge with the unit on.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Tecra 720CDT will be sold through traditional distribution channels, including VARs, distributors, and dealers. The Tecra 720CDT has an estimated street price of $7,499 and will be available in late April.

TOSHIBA QUALITY, RELIABILITY & SUPPORT

Toshiba is the leader in portable computing and has been recognized by the industry for offering superior product service and reliability. In the July 1995 issue of PC Magazine, Toshiba was one of only two companies from 22 major notebook vendors to receive an "A" rating in their "Service and Reliability" report. According to ongoing analysis by the Gartner Group, Toshiba is ranked as one of four "Tier One" worldwide portable computer vendors exhibiting superior quality assurance, excellent financial and operating stability, sound secondary market support, and outstanding market perception.

The Tecra 710CDT and 720CDT come with Toshiba's three-year limited warranty for parts and labor, including international coverage in 23 countries at no cost (enrollment required). Customers can also take advantage of other service programs for a modest fee, including no-fault coverage for screen damage, on-site service and shipping services. In addition, Toshiba offers 24-hour/7 days a week technical assistance through it toll free number, 1-800-999-4273, an electronic bulletin board service, CompuServe forum and dealer referrals for authorized service providers.

TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.

Based upon market share estimates from International Data Corporation (IDC), Toshiba continues to be the leading vendor in the U.S. market for portable computers, holding 21.3 percent U.S. portable market share for the second half of 1995. IDC research covers the full spectrum of computer resellers with particular focus on the portable computing market.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, with approximate annual sales of $2 billion, TAIS is comprised of seven divisions which manufacture and market a wide range of business and information-oriented products in the United States. Products include portable computers, hard disk drives and CD-ROMs, plain paper copiers, facsimile systems, electronic key telephones and PBX systems.

TAIS is an independent operating company, owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of the $53.8 billion Toshiba Corporation, the second largest computer and office equipment manufacturer, and the world's 20th largest corporation in terms of sales. Toshiba Corporation is a world leader in high technology products with 134 major consolidated subsidiaries worldwide. For dealer referral, and product literature call: 1-800-334-3445.

TECRA 720CDT KEY FEATURES

* Powerful Addition to the High Performance Tecra Series

* The Tecra 720CDT incorporates Intel's new 133-MHz Pentium processor, a 256KB level 2 cache, 16MB of high speed EDO memory standard (expandable to 144MB) and PCI bus architecture for blazing fast performance.

* Featuring the industry's largest high resolution displays, the Tecra 720CDT boasts a 12.1" 1024 x 768 Active Matrix display supported by Chips and Technologies' new HiQVideo' Multimedia PCI Video Controller and 2MB of EDO video memory.

* Multimedia capabilities include Zoomed Video (ZV) technology for advanced applications such as MPEG full motion video playback, modular 6X CD-ROM, and 16-bit full duplex audio.

* The new Tecra model includes two ZV and CardBus ready slots that support two Type II or one Type III PC Cards.

* Complete desktop replacement capability with the optional DeskStation V-Plus with on-board PCI SCSI- 2, additional Selectbay' slot, a 5.25" half height drive bay, integrated stereo speakers, and support for both 32-bit PCI and 16-bit ISA cards. The NoteDock', an enhanced port replicator with two Type III PC Card slots.

* The Tecra 720CDT has integrated communication features with V .34 modem and telephony capabilities.

* Other key features include a removable 1.2 billion byte (=1.13GB) hard disk drive, the Toshiba SelectBay' modular options slot that houses the standard floppy disk drive or 6X CD-ROM modules, and a 60.5 Watt hour enhanced Lithium Ion battery,

* The Tecra 720CDT has Toshiba's three-year limited warranty on parts and labor.

* Available in late April, the Tecra 720CDT has an estimated street price of $7,499.


7th Level/Disney - Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney Interactive and 7th Level Team-Up for New Title

"Hunchback of Notre Dame" Follows Successful "Timon and Pumbaa" Collaboration

BURBANK, Calif., April 8 -- Disney Interactive and 7th Level, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEVL) today announced plans to co-develop a new PC game, following their successful pairing in last year's hit gamepack, "GameBreak! Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games."

The announcement was made jointly by Steve McBeth, president of Disney Interactive, George Grayson, chairman and chief executive officer of 7th Level, Inc., and Marc Teren, vice president of Disney Interactive's Entertainment group.

The new CD-ROM gamepack, featuring the characters from Disney's upcoming animated film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," includes five single and multiplayer games designed for home PC systems. The title, the second in Disney's "GameBreak" line, is scheduled for release this summer.

Continuing the successful relationship established with the "Timon & Pumbaa" release, Disney artists, producers and designers reunite with programmers, designers and the production team from 7th Level to produce a new title geared for gamers ages 7 and older. The new collaboration combines the fun of Disney characters and stories with 7th Level's proven technology and production process to create a state-of-the-art animated action game for home PC systems.

In announcing the co-development, McBeth said "I am delighted to continue Disney Interactive's association with 7th Level. The creative and commercial success of our `Timon & Pumbaa' collaboration has proven to be a highly successful model. I look forward to working together again and to creating top-quality entertainment for our all-family audience."

"`Hunchback' is a welcome addition to our production schedule," said Grayson. "It's the next step for us in expanding our relationship with Disney and seeking future development opportunities together."

Disney Interactive and 7th Level first teamed on the critically acclaimed PC game title, "GameBreak! Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games," released in November 1995. Called "the best" arcade-style game collection by HomePC Magazine, "Timon & Pumbaa" became the #2-selling family entertainment title for Christmas 1995, having sold 175,000 units to date.

Teren said, "The success of `Timon & Pumbaa' has helped expand the PC game genre with its broad-based, all-family appeal and top-quality gameplay. Our new `Hunchback' title will build on this foundation to create a new standard for PC games in the family entertainment category."

7th Level, Inc. blends the best of Hollywood creative artistry, proprietary production techniques and world-class animators and producers to develop state-of-the-art multimedia products.

Disney Interactive, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, develops, publishes and markets a broad range of interactive, family- oriented entertainment and educational materials, including CD-ROMs, video games and online products.


Adobe Internet Conferences for Web Designers
Adobe Systems to Host Series of Internet Conferences for Web Designers

Mountain View, Calif. (April 10, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) - Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced The Adobe Internet Conference, a series of indepth sessions, discussions and tutorials on Web page creation and design. Targeted at graphic designers, webmasters, and marketing communications and publishing professionals involved in designing for the Web, the two-day conferences will bring together some of the world's top designers and sitemasters who will share tips and techniques for developing compelling Web pages on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. The conferences will be held in four cities - including San Francisco, New York, Dallas and Chicago - from June through October.

"Content developers and designers are entering a whole new realm with the World Wide Web," said John Warnock, Adobe Systems co-founder and CEO. "This is a place for them to share their insights and find out how their colleagues have made the transition successfully."

Adobe Systems develops and markets some of today's leading applications for designing graphics for the Web (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe PhotoDeluxe); Web page layout and design (Adobe PageMaker, Adobe FrameMaker and Adobe PageMill); distributing richly formatted documents electronically (Adobe Acrobat); and managing Web sites (Adobe SiteMill). Conference attendees will be able to design their own curriculum, choosing from more than 20 sessions on topics such as HTML Made Easy, Optimizing Images for the Web, Building a Web Interface, Encouraging Return Visits, Advanced Web Design, Getting a Site On-Line, Making It Move: Animating Your Site, Publicizing Your Page, Optimizing Video and Audio for the Web, and Web Site from Scratch.

Speakers include Web aficionados such as Sarah Cohen, senior editor/new media, React Magazine; Hugh Dubberly, creative director, Netscape Communications Corp.; Lisa Lopuck, author, Designing Multimedia; Neil Robertson, new media designer, Phinney-Bischoff Design House; Amy Satran, co-author, Interactivity by Design; Robert Seidl, product planner, Adobe Internet products group; and more.

Each attendee will receive a copy of Adobe PageMill, Acrobat Pro, and PhotoDeluxe software, a $500 value. In addition, they will also receive an Adobe Internet Conference CD-ROM which includes in-depth, how-to information, sample Acrobat files, QuickTime movies, templates, Adobe tech notes, clip art images from Image Club's new Art Bites for Web Sites, and 20 of Adobe's Type 1 fonts. Conference attendees will also be eligible to win thousands of dollars of hardware -- including an Apple Internet Server, a Kodak Digital Science DC50 Zoom Camera, a Casio QV-10A Digital Camera, an HP Vectra XU with Pentium Pro processor, and a Sun Ultra 1 Workstation/Server -- along with Adobe Photoshop, PageMaker, Adobe Illustrator, and FrameMaker software.

Dates and locations for the Adobe Internet Conferences are:

 - June 3-4, San Francisco, Grand Hyatt Hotel

 - July 1-2, New York, Marriott Marquis

 - July 16-17, Dallas, Sheraton Park Central

 - October 7-8, Chicago, Westin Hotel

For registration information contact Adobe and Thunder Lizard Productions by phone at (800) 221-3806; by fax at (206) 285-0308; or visit the Adobe Internet Conference home page at http://www.adobe.com/aic/.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Adobe Swr Bundled with Epson Stylus Printers
Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Adobe HomePublisher To Be Bundled with EPSON Stylus Color Printers

Easy-to-Use Software Combined with Consumer Inkjet Printers Offers Low-Cost Image-Editing and Desktop Publishing Solution

Mountain View, Calif. (April 8, 1996)(Nasdaq: ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated and Epson America Inc. today announced an agreement to bundle Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Adobe HomePublisher software for Macintosh with the EPSON Stylus Color II and EPSON Stylus Pro ink jet printers. The bundle is part of a consumer promotion from EPSON called the "Look Your Best Color Pak" available to customers purchasing these EPSON printers between April 1 and July 31, 1996.

The combination of these EPSON color inkjet printers and the "Look Your Best Color Pak" promotion provides home and small office users with an easy-to-use, high-quality image-editing and desktop publishing solution for under $500. The "Look Your Best Color Pak" includes a CD-ROM containing full versions of Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Adobe HomePublisher software for the Macintosh, discounts on EPSON products, tips on using color and other software to help consumers work with color and images in their documents. During the promotion period, the "Look Your Best Color Pak" will be included free with either printer, offering an estimated value of up to $249 worth of software and special offers. The "Look Your Best Color Pak" promotion is available from major retail outlets that carry EPSON products.

"This promotion provides a cost-effective and easy way for consumers to start working with images and color," said Bruce Chizen, vice president, Adobe consumer products group. "By combining power-ful, yet easy-to-use software such as PhotoDeluxe and HomePublisher with EPSON's 720 dpi photo-quality color printers, home and small business users have access to all the tools needed to produce greeting cards, newsletters, T-shirt logos and a variety of other creative projects."

Easy-to-Use Software Allows Users to Incorporate Photos Into Documents

Adobe PhotoDeluxe photo-editing software makes it easy to modify, personalize and enhance photo-graphs by offering an easy-to-use interface and dozens of built-in templates and guided projects. Photo activities range from incorporating photographs in greeting cards and calendars, to creating photo collages and removing the unwanted "red eye" effect. Adobe PhotoDeluxe provides users two modes of working in the program: Guided Activities and On Your Own. In either mode, the user interface visually guides both novice and expert users through each step of the photo modification and en-hancement process.

The best-selling Adobe HomePublisher for Macintosh automates desktop publishing by providing emplates for newsletters, flyers, brochures, and stationery, and comes with more than 2,500 clip-art images and a variety of fonts.

Full versions of Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Adobe HomePublisher software for Macintosh are included on the "Look Your Best Color Pak" CD-ROM. Both software packages are also available as stand-alone products through Adobe or authorized Adobe resellers, with the estimated street prices of $89 for Adobe PhotoDeluxe and $49.99 for Adobe HomePublisher. A Windows/Windows 95 version of Adobe PhotoDeluxe is exepcted to be available in Q2 1996. Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Adobe HomePublisher are part of the Adobe consumer group's Adobe For You product line of easy-to-use drawing and painting, desktop publishing and photo creativity software for the home and small business.

Affordable Color Printers for the Home and Small Office

EPSON's family of "Photo-Quality" color ink jet printers, with maximum resolution of 720 x 720 dpi, include the EPSON Stylus Pro and EPSON Stylus Color II. With an estimated street price of $499, the EPSON Stylus Pro is designed for consumers who require the best color output. The EPSON Stylus Color II, with an estimated street price of $299, offers faster printing and a fully-loaded feature set. The "Look Your Best Color Pak" comes free these EPSON printers between April 1 and July 31, 1996.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and sup-ports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.

EPSON offers an extensive array of technology products, including ink jet, laser and dot matrix print-ers, scanners, portable and desktop computers, PCMCIA and storage products, data/video projectors and digital cameras. For the OEM market, a variety of component and electronic devices are available. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is an affiliate of Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufac-turer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is head-quartered in Torrance, Calif.


Aladdin StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 Now Shipping
Aladdin Grants Your Wishes: StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 Now Shipping

StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 is earning its A's in Compression: Accept Amazing Automatic Access when Attaining Archives...

Who:    Aladdin Systems, Inc.

What:   StuffIt Deluxe 4.0, utility software.

When:   Shipping begins this week (April 8, 1996).

Where:  Deluxe 4.0 can be purchased from Aladdin Systems directly or through major mail order houses and retail stores.

Why:    New and improved features were devised to create a better and more useful product.

How :   Customer-driven ideas were suggested and the technology supports them.

Price:  StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 is commercial software distributed worldwide. The suggested retail price is $129.95. Aladdin is extending a special upgrade offer to registered StuffIt Deluxe users for $29.95 + S&H(offer good directly through Aladdin until July 1, 1996).

Features: Some of the significant enhancements of StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 include better integration with the Finder, more Internet support, improved e-mail support, increased speed for compression and expansion operations, SpaceSaver(tm) icon "tagging", and drag and drop segmentation.

Other Information

StuffIt Deluxe retains other capabilities found in previous versions, including the ability to encrypt data contained in archives. The StuffIt Deluxe 4.0 package comes with two comprehensive manuals which include tutorials to guide the user through the entire product.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Lyng, Aladdin Systems PR,   408/761-6200 x2 x251,

Internet: pr@aladdinsys.com

Customer Service for Ordering/Sales Info.(408)761-6200 x3

Internet: cust.service@aladdinsys.com


Apple System 7.5 Update 2.0 System Swr Free
Apple's New System 7.5 Update 2.0 System Software Free for Limited Time

New Version Offers Improved Stability, Performance

CUPERTINO, California--April 10, 1996--In response to increased customer demand for the recently announced System 7.5 Update 2.0 Mac OS system software, Apple Computer, Inc. today announced it will waive shipping and handling charges and make the software free of charge through May 31, 1996.

"There has been an enormous demand for System 7.5 Update 2.0," said Jim Gable, senior director of system software product marketing at Apple. "As a result of this demand, Apple's servers are badly overloaded and similar problems are occurring at other sites and online services who are offering the Upgrade. In waiving the shipping and handling charges, Apple can reach more people with System 7.5 Update 2.0 during this introductory period with the least possible inconvenience."

What is System 7.5 Update 2.0

System 7.5 Update 2.0 is a new Mac OS system software update designed to significantly enhance overall system stability while delivering some performance improvements for Apple Macintosh and Mac OS-compatible computers. System 7.5 Update 2.0 also gives customers a one-step easy solution to update all of their Macintosh computers running versions 7.5, 7.5.1 or 7.5.2 of System 7.5, including the PCI-based Power Macintosh computers, and bring them up to the latest version of the Mac OS--System 7.5.3. The Update also includes the latest version of Apple's new networking infrastructure, Open Transport 1.1. This version of Open Transport improves performance in many situations, particularly when using Internet standards.

Obtaining and Installing System 7.5 Update 2.0

Customers can order the update on CD-ROM or floppies in the U.S. The number to call in the United States to order the update is 1-800-293-6617, ext. 984. The number to call in Canada to order the update is 1-800-361-6075. Customers who have ordered this software from the Apple Order Center will not be charged.

System 7.5 Update 2.0 is a comprehensive update that will overwrite a large portion of your existing System Folder. As a result, it is highly recommended that all users follow the instructions in the

"Installing This Update" read-me file. This is especially important for those who have been experiencing system problems prior to the update or previously running beta versions of any system software (e.g. Open Transport).

Localized versions of the system update will be available to international customers in many countries by the end of the second calendar quarter of 1996. Apple also plans to update the Macintosh System 7.5 retail upgrade package to incorporate the improvements in System 7.5 Update 2.0 this summer.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800- 462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Sears Helps Schools Earn Points for Hwr/Swr
Sears Helps Schools Earn Points Toward Computer Hardware and Software As Part of Apple's "Bring Learning Home" Initiative

CUPERTINO, California--April 8, 1996--It's the modern twist to an old American tradition: students giving apples to teachers.

At Sears Brand Central, from April 14 to June 20, when families purchase an affordably priced Apple Macintosh Performa computer and printer bundle specifically designed for home use, schools can earn points towards computer hardware and software products from Apple.

This pilot program from Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Apple Computer, Inc. is designed to help both parents and educators provide students, from kindergarten through grade 12, with greater access to computer technology--at home and at school.

"While both parents and educators would like to enhance children's learning through greater access to computer technology, obviously, household and school budgets are limited," said Chuck Cebuhar, Sears vice president of home electronics. "This program helps make much- wanted computer equipment affordable for both families and schools, and allows us to give something back to the community."

When friends and families of students in any of the 50 states take advantage of the Macintosh Performa 6116CD computer and Apple StyleWriter 1200 printer bundle (at Sears stores in the continental U.S. for $1,299.88), they will also receive a "Bring Learning Home" coupon to submit with proof of purchase to any public or private non-profit school. (Limit two bundles per customer. Price may vary in Alaska and Hawaii.) The coupons are redeemable by the school to Apple Computer, to exchange for specially selected computer products ranging from a collection of educational software to the Apple Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS printer.

"A school can submit just one coupon and receive AcademicEdge, a 10-pack CD-ROM collection of educational software valued at $30," explained Dennis Mull, director of sales for Apple's consumer division. "Or, a school district might pool resources and submit 20 coupons to receive Apple's Internet server solution, the Workgroup Server 6150/66--an ideal way to link homes, schools and the local community through an Internet web site. It's a solution valued at thousands of dollars."

Sears store managers will be working with local school administrators to help educate them on the program designed to help schools earn points toward computer hardware and software.

According to Chuck Cebuhar, "This program allows us to deliver a home computer that can be as affordable as $25 per month using Sears credit, while also helping to provide computer software and equipment to our neighborhood schools." Cebuhar added, "When we work as a team, everyone wins: students, families and schools."

Today, Apple personal computers represent more than 60 percent of the installed base of computers in schools, kindergarten through grade 12, in the United States--nearly three times that of any other brand. Apple computers also run more educational software than any other personal computer, and, Apple has the largest worldwide installed base of home personal computers (source: International Data Corporation, 1995 Global Home Market Survey).

Details of "Bring Learning Home" Special Promotional Offer More than 730 Sears stores coast to coast will exclusively offer the "Bring Learning Home" computer bundle. This is a special computer and printer combination offered only at U.S. Sears stores for a one-time promotional price of $1,299.88, while quantities last, between April 14 and June 20, 1996. No substitutions allowed. This offer, including a "Bring Learning Home" coupon with each purchase, is not available from any other retail store.

The computer is an Apple Macintosh Performa 6116CD. It features a 60MHz PowerPC microprocessor and 8MB of memory, a 700MB hard disk, external modem, CD-ROM drive for playing the latest educational software and games, and easy-to-use multimedia and graphics capabilities. The system also includes an Apple 14-inch color display.

The computer comes loaded with the Macintosh System 7.5 operating system, ClarisWorks productivity software, Intuit's Quicken for home finance, and a complete reference library including encyclopedia, dictionary and atlas, plus 13 additional software programs. The bundle also includes the Apple StyleWriter 1200 inkjet printer that provides professional-looking text and graphics output. These products carry a one-year limited warranty and toll-free telephone support. This offer is good from April 14 to June 20, 1996.

When the bundle is purchased through SearsCharge Plus, monthly payments can be as low as $25 per month.

Program details are available at local Sears stores, or by calling a toll-free number, 1-800-565-LEARN, to receive information via facsimile. Details are also available on the Internet at http://www.homelearning.com/.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Apple Beta-Level QuickTime VR Tools
Apple Computer Announces QuickTime VR Tools for Computer Graphics and World Wide Web, Developer Update

Free Beta-Level QuickTime VR Tools Enable Users of Computer Graphics Programs to Create QuickTime VR Objects and Panoramas on Macintosh; New QuickTime VR Info For Developers

CUPERTINO, California--April 4, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced a significant advance in the creation of virtual reality environments with the immediate availability of new, beta-level Apple Macintosh tools for creating QuickTime VR objects and panoramas. With these tools, Make QTVR Object and Make QTVR Panorama, Web site creators, computer graphics program users, and photographers can more easily create fast, efficient QuickTime VR virtual reality content for their Web sites, CD-ROM titles, and other delivery vehicles such as kiosks. The tools are available today on the QuickTime VR Web site at http://qtvr.quicktime.apple.com/.

"These tools integrate several steps in creating QuickTime VR content and make it much easier for higher-level users to create both objects and panoramas," said Michael Radu, CEO of Mind Expansion Technology, a provider of QuickTime VR-related services.

Along with the new standalone tools, Apple is making available information to help developers incorporate QuickTime VR functionality in computer graphics and multimedia authoring applications. This information includes the source code for the new tools and the file format for QuickTime VR 1.0 panoramas and objects. One example of how this information could be used is to extend a computer graphics program to include menu items for one- step creation of QuickTime VR panoramas and objects. This information is available from the Apple developer Web site at http://dev.info.apple.com/.

In addition to providing tools and information for QuickTime VR 1.0, Apple is beginning the process of creating the next release of QuickTime VR. Apple has shipped to key developers and partners the QuickTime VR 1.1 API Specification for review and comment. Apple will gather feedback on this specification and intends to announce the features of, and schedule for, QuickTime VR Version 1.1 at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference in May.

Software and content developers will continue to use the QuickTime VR Authoring Tools Suite 1.0 for creating photographic panoramas from multiple photographs ("stitching"), for adding clickable hot spots, and for creating complete virtual reality experiences. The QuickTime VR Authoring Tools Suite 1.0 is available from the Apple Catalog at 1-800-282-2732.

QuickTime VR Tools Benefit Photographers, Computer Graphics Users The new beta-level QuickTime VR tools shipping today are Make QTVR Object and Make QTVR Panorama. Make QTVR Object is used to create a QuickTime VR object movie from photographs or computer-generated images of an object such as a piece of jewelry, a human figure modeling clothing, or a car. It converts a QuickTime movie with frames consisting of images of the object into a single QuickTime VR object. The resulting QuickTime VR object can be rotated by the user to see all sides of the object. Object files generated from a single row of photographs around an object are typically about 500KB in size.

Make QTVR Panorama is used to create a QuickTime VR panorama from a panoramic photograph or a computer-generated image of a scene. Make QTVR Panorama converts a panoramic PICT file from a computer graphics program or a scan of a panoramic photograph into a QuickTime VR panorama. The user can pan and zoom within the resulting QuickTime VR panorama. Panoramas generated from photographs can be as small as 150KB.

The new tools bring new capabilities to photographers and owners of computer graphics applications. "We are very pleased with the expanded capabilities the new Apple QuickTime VR tools bring to owners of our real world 3D development application, Bryce 2," said John Wilczak, chairman and CEO of MetaTools. "It is clear that Apple has now provided the Web world with important new enabling technology for the creation and easy integration of virtual reality scenes into Web sites."

Both of these tools create content that can be made part of a Web site, a CD-ROM title, or other program such as a kiosk presentation. This content can be used with the QuickTime VR Authoring Tools Suite or authoring programs such as Apple Media Tool, Macromedia Director, or mFactory from mTropolis.

QUICKTIME VR DEVELOPER INFORMATION AVAILABLE

Effective today, all Apple developers can access updated information about QuickTime VR 1.0 on the Apple Developer Web site. This information includes source code for the new tools, Make QTVR Object and Make QTVR Panorama, and Apple Technotes explaining the QuickTime VR 1.0 Object and Panorama Movie File Formats. Developers can use this information to add QuickTime VR content creation functionality to their programs.

Developers who have signed a non-disclosure agreement with Apple can also receive the QuickTime VR 1.1 API specification for the upcoming release of QuickTime VR 1.1. For more information, registered Apple developers can contact Developer Seeding at dss.software@applelink.apple.com. Please provide your name, company name, mailing address and phone number. To become a registered Apple developer, call the Apple Developer Hotline at (408) 974-4897.

"We expect this combined tool and information release to have several positive effects," said Bud Smith, Apple product marketing manager, QuickTime VR. "We foresee an immediate increase in the amount of Web and CD-ROM QuickTime VR content that people will see. We expect QuickTime VR to be integrated into additional content creation and authoring applications. And we expect many more developers to commit to longer-term projects that integrate QuickTime VR with the upcoming availability of the QuickTime VR 1.1 API."

Features and delivery dates for the next release of QuickTime VR are expected to be announced during the Apple World Wide Developer Conference, May 13-17, 1996 in San Jose, California. The announcement is expected to include seeding and final delivery dates for the next release of QuickTime VR along with its feature set and details of the seeding program.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800- 462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Apple Sells Fountain Mfg Facility to SCI
Apple Enters Into Agreement To Sell Fountain Manufacturing Facility to SCI Systems

FOUNTAIN, Colorado--April 4, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. and SCI Systems, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement to sell Apple's manufacturing facility in Fountain, Colorado, to SCI. Under terms of a three-year agreement, SCI will assume responsibility for manufacturing Apple products at the Fountain site. In describing its evolving business strategy, Apple has previously discussed the Company's intentions to make optimal use of outside resources. "As we move forward, Apple will apply the Company's own resources where we can add most value while leveraging the assets and expertise of third parties where they have outstanding competencies," said Apple Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gilbert F. Amelio.

"By outsourcing the manufacturing activities of our Fountain site to a company of SCI Systems' size, experience and broad business base, Apple has the opportunity to benefit from SCI Systems' economies of scale," said Fred Forsyth, Apple's senior vice president for worldwide operations. "In addition, this arrangement offers Apple an opportunity to reduce both our product costs and inventory carrying costs."

"We're delighted to become a larger part of the Apple community and to expand our presence in Colorado," said Olin B. King, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SCI Systems. "Our previous experience with several plant acquisitions from large high-tech companies makes this opportunity a natural fit for us."

Since 1991, Apple's 360,000 square foot Fountain facility has manufactured subassemblies and finished computers. Apple currently has approximately 1100 employees in Fountain. SCI plans to offer employment to the majority of Apple employees currently working in the Fountain facility, and subject to customary due diligence and approvals, expects to take possession of the plant during June 1996.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, SCI Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCIS) is a diversified multinational electronics manufacturer whose products and systems are supplied to a variety of aerospace, commercial and industrial customers. SCI is the world's largest provider of contract electronics manufacturing services and operates 20 facilities in eight countries, including one in nearby Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


5 Companies Sign AT&T Alternate Access
AT&T, five companies sign alternative access agreements

APRIL 11 -- NEW YORK -- AT&T today announced agreements with five companies allowing business customers in 70 cities to connect with AT&T's network for some services as an alternative to access provided by local phone companies. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

The alternative access providers are: American Communications Services, Inc., Annapolis, Md.; Brooks Fiber Properties, St. Louis; Hyperion Telecommunications, Coudersport, Pa.; IntelCom Group, Denver; and Time Warner Communications, Denver.

"At the 'new' AT&T, we intend to use a variety of means for offering long distance and local phone service to our customers," said AT&T Chairman Robert E. Allen. "These agreements give us the flexibility to provide high-quality service at competitive prices and are part of our commitment to meet customer needs for business and personal communications, on-line and home entertainment services."

The Time Warner Communications agreement includes dedicated and switched local phone service and switched access for business services. American Communications Services, Inc., Brooks Fiber Properties, Hyperion Telecommunications and IntelCom Group will supply dedicated connections for businesses, and AT&T is discussing terms for an agreement with them that would provide switched local phone service and switched access service. None of the agreements involves an equity investment from AT&T.

"These agreements demonstrate that AT&T will not limit itself to reselling local service obtained from monopoly phone companies," Allen said. "We'll continue to pursue arrangements with other companies that provide access to customers and also build network facilities on a selective basis to offer local service."

In early March AT&T announced it had filed with state commissions in all 50 states to provide local service to business and residence customers. Under terms of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, AT&T also is discussing with the seven regional Bell companies and GTE fair and reasonable terms to connect with their networks and the prices at which AT&T will purchase local phone service at cost-based wholesale rates to sell at retail. The Telecommunications Act requires local phone monopolies to unbundle their local network elements and price them at cost.

AT&T plans to offer local phone service throughout the country beginning as early as this summer in some areas. The company also recently announced an Internet access service, AT&T WorldNet(sm) Service, and that it would begin selling DIRECTVR satellite entertainment service.

Cities connected with AT&T's Network by agreements

 Akron, Ohio

 Albany, N.Y.

 Albuquerque, N.M.

 Austin, Texas

 Bakersfield, Calif.

 Baton Rouge, La.

 Binghamton, N.Y.

 Birmingham, Ala.

 Boulder, Colo.

 Buffalo, N.Y.

 Burlington, Vt.

 Cedar Knolls, N.J.

 Charleston, S.C.

 Charlotte, N.C.

 Charlottesville, Va.

 Chattanooga, Tenn.

 Cincinnati, Ohio

 Cleveland

 Colorado Springs, Colo.

 Columbia, S.C.

 Columbus, Ga.

 Columbus, Ohio

 Dayton, Ohio

 Denver

 El Paso, Texas

 Fayetteville, N.C.

 Fort Worth, Texas

 Fresno, Calif.

 Grand Rapids, Mich.

 Greensboro, N.C.

 Greenville, S.C.

 Harrisburg, Pa.

 Hartford, Conn.

 Honolulu

 Houston

 Indianapolis, Ind.

 Irving, Texas

 Jacksonville, Fla.

 Knoxville, Tenn.

 Lexington, Ky.

 Little Rock, Ark.

 Louisville, Ky.

 Memphis, Tenn.

 Milwaukee, Wis.

 Mobile, Ala.

 Montgomery, Ala.

 Nashville, Tenn.

 New Brunswick, N.J.

 New York

 Oakland, Calif.

 Oklahoma City, Okla.

 Orlando, Fla.

 Philadelphia

 Phoenix

 Providence, R.I.

 Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

 Richmond, Va.

 Rochester, N.Y.

 Sacramento, Calif.

 San Diego, Calif.

 San Jose, Calif.

 Shreveport, La.

 Spartanburg, S.C.

 Springfield, Mass.

 Stockton, Calif.

 Syracuse, N.Y.

 Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.

 Tucson, Ariz.

 Tulsa, Okla.

 Wichita, Kan.

For more information, reporters may contact:

 John Heath

 908-221-6659

 jheath@attmail.com

 Ruthlyn Newell

 908-221-2737

 ruthlyn@attmail.com


AT&T Enhances Toll-Free# Internet Directory
AT&T enhances Internet directory of toll-free numbers

APRIL 8, 1996 -- PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- AT&T today announced a full-featured Internet version of its Toll-Free Directory. In addition to the toll-free telephone numbers of the more than 150,000 businesses listed in the directory, the Internet version will give customers quick and easy on-line access to those companies through electronic links to their advertising and home pages.

Businesses may choose from a number of advertising options in the Internet version of the AT&T Toll-Free Directory, ranging from a full-screen color ad to a complete four-screen ad site with e-mail capabilities. AT&T said users of the Internet version of the directory will be able to link to business ads or web sites simply by clicking on the advertisers' listings. In addition, businesses can opt for features such as enhanced directory listings, links to multiple web sites, and listings in additional or related categories in the directory.

"With the phenomenal growth of the Internet, advertising in AT&T's enhanced Toll-Free Directory is a simple and cost-effective way for businesses to reach new and existing customers worldwide," said Patricia Selden, publisher of Yellow Page Directories at AT&T. Selden said the new directory features have tested successfully with selected business customers across the country.

Among the companies testing the directory was The Vermont General Store in Woodstock, Vt., a retail and mail-order firm specializing in unique country wares. The company, which had no prior on-line experience, saw a 10 percent jump in customer catalog requests and tripled the number of corporate inquiries during the first month of the trial.

"My great-grandfather started this business in 1886 and advertised by stuffing catalogs in local mailboxes," said Jireh Billings, owner of The Vermont General Store. "More than a century later, AT&T is offering us a new and exciting way to continue that tradition of building and expanding our business." Billings said the success of the trial quickly convinced him that advertising on the Internet is an easy and highly effective way to reach customers.

AT&T, which recently began providing easy-to-use, affordable Internet access through its AT&T WorldNet service, said the enhanced directory will be launched as part of the company's strategy to offer innovative packages of services, including on-line, local, long distance and entertainment services. While the Toll-Free directory is available to any user on the Internet, AT&T WorldNet subscribers will have ready access to the directory through that service.

The directory will include listings for AT&T business customers with nationally listed 800 numbers, as well as those using the new 888 toll-free prefix. The AT&T Toll-Free Directory is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.tollfree.att.net, or in print through leading bookstores nationwide. Business customers interested in AT&T Toll-Free Services can contact their AT&T account executive or call 1-800-222-0400.

Catalogues and additional information about The Vermont General Store, along with access to the company's home page, are available on-line through the AT&T Toll-Free Directory. Customers can also contact The Vermont General Store directly by calling 1-800-344-6668.

For more information, reporters may contact:

 Doug Idleman

 908-221-3950

 idleman@attmail.com

 Mike Cuno

 908-221-5563

 mcuno@attmail.com

For more information about AT&T Toll-Free Services, business customers should contact their AT&T account executive or call 1-800-222-0400.


Autodesk & Netscape Extend Internet for Eng
AUTODESK AND NETSCAPE TO EXTEND INTERNET AS PLATFORM FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING COLLABORATION

NEW YORK, April 10, 1996 -- Autodesk, Inc. and Netscape Communications Corporation today announced they are working together to extend the Internet into a virtual engineering environment where designers and engineers use Netscape and Autodesk software to collaborate.

The companies are united behind the new DWF file format, developed by Autodesk, as a standard for viewing and publishing 2D vector graphics, such as design drawings, diagrams, and technical illustrations. The DWF file format and the WHIP! Plug-In for Netscape Navigator client software let users view design data efficiently over the Internet. The combination of the WHIP! technology and Netscape's new Navigator Gold and Enterprise Server software provide many of the tools necessary for design and engineering professionals to collaborate, publish and manage design data over the Internet.

With Netscape Navigator Gold's easy-to-use Internet publishing capabilities and the WHIP! technology, design and engineering professionals can embed design data into their HTML pages. Netscape Enterprise Server is the first Internet server software to support Java and JavaScript, enabling the creation, delivery and management of live, online applications and content on enterprise networks and the Internet.

"By creating this technology for designers and engineers, Autodesk and Netscape will help eliminate communication barriers between engineers, architects and other design professionals and increase the use of shared digital designs," said Carol Bartz, Autodesk Chairman, President and CEO. "Our work with Netscape will let Autodesk's design software users collaborate more easily with other users, as well as share their work with their clients in an inexpensive, timely fashion."

"Autodesk's new Plug-Ins are very complementary to the work Netscape has done in Internet Publishing," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "The virtual engineering file format will improve the use of the Internet as a platform in business-to-business engineering and design applications and increase the utility of the Intranet for corporate communications, collaboration and data access. Together we will bring to light the millions of existing designs and engineering documents created in detailed design format that previously were stored on inaccessible internal LAN servers."

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and other risks detailed from time to time in SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Netscape Communications Corporation is the premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tool, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, CA.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography, and geographic information systems. The fourth-largest personal computer company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in nearly 130 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, dealers, and distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or log-in to http://www.autodesk.com.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com by sending email to info@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 415-937-2555 while consumers can call 415-937-3777 for more information.


Packard Bell ISO 9001 Quality Certification
LEADING HOME PC SUPPLIER ACHIEVES ISO 9001

PACKARD BELL FACILITIES CERTIFIED FOR QUALITY NATIONWIDE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Packard Bell Electronics, Inc. has achieved worldwide recognition for its systems and business processes. Recently the company received ISO 9001 certification for its Magna, Utah-based international service and support facility, completing a certification sweep for all its U.S. offices.

Packard Bell, the leading supplier of PCs to the mass retail channel, began documenting its manufacturing process and procedures according to ISO 9001 guidelines in September 1993. Since that time, the PC manufacturer has earned certification for its quality management systems across the board, including its North American headquarters in Sacramento, Calif., its Westlake, Calif. offices and the most recent recognition, for the company's state-of-the-art international service and support facility in Utah.

Overseas, Packard Bell's offices in the Netherlands and Israel have recently received ISO registration and the company's international manufacturing facility in Angers, France will be ISO 9001 certified by the end of the year.

The ISO 9001 standard is the most comprehensive set of quality requirements recognized internationally, requiring documentation and measurements of key performance indication, processes from design to manufacturing and service and support.

Packard Bell's Magna facility accounted for the third and final leg of the U.S. ISO 9001 certification process. The facility employs more than 1,200 highly trained technicians who support more than 5 million Packard Bell PCs in the United States alone. The dedicated staff, working around the clock, currently answer more than 500,000 domestic and international inquiries per month via phone, fax, e-mail and bulletin board systems.

"With the amount of information and inquiries that flow into our Magna facility, we felt it was essential to be efficient, organized and responsive to our consumers," said John Hlavac, vice president, international service and support, Packard Bell. "The ISO 9001 certification recognizes our commitment to quality service."

The ISO 9001 standards were first published by the International Organization for Standardization in 1987. To date, more than 91 countries have adopted these guidelines as national standards for quality management and quality assurance.

Packard Bell reported worldwide sales of more than $4 billion in 1995, manufacturing computers for sale in 33 countries worldwide. In Europe, where the European Community Council's Technical Committee 176 has formally adopted the ISO 9001 standards, sales of Packard Bell computers topped $400 million in 1994.

Based in Sacramento, Calif., Packard Bell designs, manufactures and markets a broad range of PC-compatible desktop computers. Packard Bell is the leading supplier of PCs in the U.S. retail channel, according to Audits and Surveys, a research firm that tracks sales in the retail market. Packard Bell is the fourth largest computer company worldwide in terms of shipments, according to International Data Corp., Framingham, Mass. The company maintains a home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.packardbell.com, featuring product information, news releases and technical support contacts.

For product service and support, contact: support@packardbell.com


Autodesk Corporate News
AUTODESK ROLLS OUT INTERNET PRODUCTS, SEPARATES MULTIMEDIA DIVISION TO FOCUS ON 3D, ADOPTS NEW CORPORATE STANCE TO REFLECT BROADENED BUSINESS

NEW YORK, April 10, 1996 -- At separate analyst and press events today, Autodesk Inc., unveiled new Internet products and announced other corporate news reinforcing its position as the leading provider of design software tools and the leading provider of reusable, intelligent content.

Autodesk said its multimedia market group has become a division of Autodesk operating under the name Kinetix, heralded the company's new corporate theme, Design Your World, and announced that the company will change its NASDAQ stock symbol to ADSK (from ACAD) to reflect its broadened business beyond its flagship product, AutoCAD software. The two new Internet products include a 2D browser plug-in called WHIP! Plug-in and a 3D Web authoring tool from Kinetix.

"Design is a billions-of-dollars business that not only contributes to the gross domestic product, but also affects the very core of our lives. It helps create everything we see and use everyday," said Carol Bartz, Autodesk Chairman, President and CEO. "And because design involves sharing among a team of designers, the Internet is a natural for us. We're uniquely positioned to leverage this new platform and channel for future business opportunities."

NEW PRODUCTS

Autodesk introduced the WHIP! Plug-in, a World Wide Web (WWW) browser plug-in that lets users dynamically view 2D vector design data stored in the WHIP! file format (.dwf). It facilitates communication in the design process by letting anyone on the web easily view 2D vector data without having the application in which the data was drawn. The WHIP! Plug-in was developed with Autodesk's rendering graphics technology. Autodesk is driving the WHIP! Plug-in as the industry standard for viewing 2D vector information, such as diagrams and illustrations; and it has gained support from other software companies in the industry. A prototype of the WHIP! Plug-In and sample web pages are available now, free from the Autodesk Home Page (www.autodesk.com).

Kinetix introduced HyperWire, a new authoring tool for the WWW, which lets users easily create 3D and 2D Web titles based on using simple visual objects rather than complex programming commands. These titles are based upon the Java( language. HyperWire incorporates a VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and a VRBL (Virtual Reality Behavior Language) player. Kinetix said its current application, 3D Studio( R4, and its soon-to-be-released 3D Studio MAX will have VRML/VRBL plug-ins available immediately. HyperWire, the VRML/VRBL player, and the plus-ins will be available in beta form immediately from the Kinetix Web site (www.ktx.com).

INTERNET CONTENT AND FUTURE INTERNET OPPORTUNITIES

Autodesk has met with some success during the past year selling content via its Autodesk Data Publishing (ADP) unit, with subscriptions of its Autodesk Mechanical Library. The company doubled the amount of information on the CD, tripled the number of manufacturers, and circulated 30,000 titles in the commercial world and 10,000 in education.

One of the first applications for the new WHIP! Plug-in will be with ADP's products, so customers can browse and transport content faster before downloading it into their work.

Last month ADP aligned with two leading suppliers of information to pave the way for electronic commerce between buyers and sellers of manufactured parts. Autodesk will enhance the value of the content and services currently offered by Industry.Net and Thomas Publishing. Autodesk also said it will continue to consider the Internet as a vehicle to provide more content and services for the design community and will soon be making its subscription service available on the Internet.

CORPORATE NEWS

Already the world's fourth-largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has long been the marketshare leader in design with 32 percent of the PC market, according to market researcher Dataquest.* But since decentralizing into market groups last year, Autodesk has broadened its business to include a wider range of designers, such as those who use geographic information and supervisors who must manage design files. Autodesk now markets more than two dozen products to more than a dozen different types of design professionals. To reflect its broadened business, the company announced it will change its stock symbol on the NASDAQ stock exchange to ADSK from ACAD, effective May 1, 1996.

The company also kicked-off a new corporate-wide theme, "Design Your World," today, signifying that its software tools help people throughout the world create designs we all see and use every day. These designs range from off-road bicycles from manufacturer Bushido Racing in Santa Monica, CA, to the design of gas and oil stations from Shell Brazil, to mapping from the U.S Air Force, to generating background imagery for 3D games from Sega. Seventy percent of America's Fortune 500 leading industrial and service firms are Autodesk customers.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 127 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or log-in with a WWW browser at http://www.autodesk.com.

*Dataquest, February 1996


Autodesk WHIP! Plug-In for Internet Drawings
AUTODESK WHIP! Plug-In And File Format Allow Distributed Designs Over The Internet

Fundamental Changes In The Way Design Professionals Distribute, View Drawings

New York, NY, April 10, 1996 -- Autodesk has introduced a new 2D vector file format for the Internet and free companion viewer, called the WHIP! Plug-In, for use with Internet browsers. Designed to work together, the new WHIP! Plug-In and Drawing Web Format (.DWF) let users download design data efficiently over the Internet.

Users can view 2D vector data and use high speed pan and zoom capabilities to maneuver through complex and detailed drawings. In addition, support for embedded URLs allows direct links to other locations on the Internet. As a result, design professionals around the world will be able to collaborate on design projects over the Internet more easily, as well as share their work with their clients.

By creating this technology for users of design and engineering software, Autodesk will help eliminate the communication barriers between engineers, architects and other design professionals and increase the use of shared digital designs.

The DWF file format is more efficient than bitmaps or other file formats for storing and displaying design information -- bitmap file formats such as GIF and JPEG store data as individual pixels; vector data is stored as lines, arcs and circles. To further reduce download times, DWF files are transmitted in compressed form which is then decompressed by the WHIP! Plug-In. Since design files are frequently several megabytes in size, this performance gain is a critical factor for the design and engineering communities. Panning and zooming is virtually instantaneous as it is not necessary to reload or access the server.

"We are fundamentally changing the way design professionals distribute and view complex technical drawings," said Carol Bartz president and CEO of Autodesk. "The WHIP! Plug-In facilitates the communication process, making the Internet the ultimate collaborative platform for design."

Netscape and Microsoft each said the WHIP! Plug-In is a key milestone in addressing the needs of designers.

"By adding a plug-in for design professionals, Autodesk has taken the lead in bringing Internet access to the design community, said Jim Barksdale, president and chief executive officer at Netscape. No one else could bring Netscape client access to three million designers this quickly."

"Design professionals need an Internet champion, and Autodesk, as the industry leader, is an important company to watch," said Michael Ahern, Product Manager for Microsoft's Internet Platform and Tools Division. "With WHIP!, Autodesk has added powerful technology for distributing fast, accurate designs more broadly. This is a big step toward making the Internet more useful and accessible for design professionals."

DWF supports both secure and open data. For reasons of liability, electronic transfer of designs has been fairly limited to date. Since the WHIP! Plug-In lacks editing tools, DWF is not readily altered in its binary form. However, the associated DWG file can be embedded into the DWF at the data owner's option, allowing "drag and drop" of the source data file into an AutoCAD session. This provides a mechanism to showcase their designs, yet maintain ownership of their intellectual property.

In keeping with its history of open architecture, Autodesk is publishing the DWF file format. With over 1.4 million users and an estimated one billion DWG files in use today, the DWF file format, and its companion WHIP! Plug In, are poised to become the Internet standard for 2D vector data. The DWF file format is currently in review by numerous software vendors and is being submitted to the appropriate consortiums.

Users can see a demo of the new WHIP! Plug In technology by downloading a preview version of the WHIP! Plug-In and viewing the sample web pages on the Autodesk website at www.autodesk.com. The preview version works with Netscape Navigator -- support for the Microsoft Internet Explorer will be added in the beta version of the WHIP! Plug-In.

The WHIP! Plug-In technology was developed in-house using the same graphics technology employed by Autodesk's new 3D Studio Max product and the WHIP! driver for AutoCAD Release 13.  Using an updated WHIP! driver and a beta version of the WHIP! Plug-In, both scheduled for release over the Internet this summer, AutoCAD Release 13 users will be able to create DWF files of their own drawings. A stand-alone utility, planned for release in the fall, will allow users to convert legacy R12 DWG data or R12 DXF into the DWF file format.

One of the first applications to leverage the new WHIP! Plug-In is Autodesk's own Data Publishing Group, which will publish its Mechanical Library in DWF format so users can quickly browse content before purchasing and downloading drawings over the Internet.

ABOUT AUTODESK

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC -based design and GIS software. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 126 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.


Autodesk Changes Stock Symbol
AUTODESK CHANGES STOCK SYMBOL TO REFLECT BROADENED SCOPE OF BUSINESS

NEW YORK, April 10, 1996 - Autodesk, Inc. announced today that it will change its stock symbol on the NASDAQ stock exchange to ADSK from ACAD to reflect an accelerated push beyond its flagship product, AutoCAD, into new markets. The new symbol will be effective when the market opens on May 1, 1996.

"Autodesk was a pioneer in the design market 14 years ago, but today we offer much more than a single-product for a single market," said Christine Tsingos, Autodesk Vice President and Treasurer.  "Our world of design now ranges from architects and engineers to game developers, map makers and film studios."

A year ago Autodesk re-focused its business into five market groups including architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD), geographic information systems (GIS), data management (DM) and multimedia, which is now a separate division known as Kinetix. Nearly all these groups have launched, or will soon launch, products that have been developed specifically for the customer needs of their markets. The Autodesk Mechanical Desktop is currently shipping, 3D Studio MAX is expected to ship this month, and AutoCAD Map is expected to ship later this year. The data management group's document management and workflow tool, Autodesk WorkCenter, has been shipping for more than a year. Autodesk's Data Publishing unit has circulated 30,000 titles of the Autodesk Mechanical Library to design professionals and 10,000 in education.

Today Autodesk markets nearly two dozen software products for design and document management. It is the fourth-largest PC software company in the world, with over three million customers in 129 countries.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

All prices are suggested retail.


Borland Delphi 2.0 Takes NSTL First Place
BORLAND'S DELPHI 2.0 TAKES FIRST PLACE IN NSTL COMPARATIVE RATINGS REPORT

NEW DELPHI 2.0 EARNS HIGH SCORES FOR PERFORMANCE, VERSATILITY AND EASE OF USE

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. -- April 4, 1996 -- In an exhaustive product evaluation of client/server development tools conducted by National Software Testing Laboratories (NSTL), Borland International Inc.'s Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 received the highest overall rating out of four leading development packages. Outperforming Powersoft's PowerBuilder Enterprise for Windows, Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition and Gupta SQLWindows, Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 was cited as "the fastest, most versatile, and easiest to use of the evaluated products."

NSTL's Rating Reports are internationally recognized as the Consumer Reports of the computer industry. NSTL's Software Digest and PC Digest Ratings Reports are used by many industry analysts and editors as a source of objective analysis of personal computer hardware and software, and also as buying guides for Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies.

Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 is Borland's new 32 bit release of the industry's high-performance client/server application development tool. Delphi 2.0, which began shipping in March, is rapidly gaining customer acceptance due to its suite of powerful client and server development tools that enable large corporations and government organizations to build more robust applications in shorter amounts of time.

"Delphi's performance is head and shoulders above all its competitors," reported NSTL in the March Software Digest Ratings Report on Client/Server Development Tools (Volume 13, Number 3). "[Delphi] offers performance superiority across the board: database and non-database operations, browsing entire database tables, executing queries, or searching for data."

"Borland worked closely with customers before and during the Delphi 2.0 design and development cycle to ensure that Delphi would solve expensive and time-consuming problems for corporations building sophisticated client/server applications," said Zack Urlocker, director of Delphi Product Management at Borland. "We are working closely with our third-party client/server tools and solutions providers to provide a complete solution that offers customers a competitive advantage and greater returns on their IT investments."

Delphi has also received recent praise in trade publication product evaluations. In a product comparison review in PC Week (March 18 issue) in which Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 received "Analysts Choice", PC Week stated, "...Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 is ready to take on big jobs for big organizations, with better team-development support than we have seen from any tool set other than the forthcoming Borland C++ 5.0."

The March 4, 1996 review of Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 in InfoWorld concluded, "If you need to develop 32-bit solutions for Windows, look no further than Delphi 2.0."

For a copy of the full NSTL report, contact the NSTL Testing & Distribution Center at (610) 941-9600. For more information on Delphi Client/Server, customers may contact Borland at (800) 233-2444, extension 1350.

ABOUT DELPHI

The Delphi 2.0 product line is now available in three versions designed for specific types of developers. Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 for corporate client/server developers; Delphi Developer 2.0 for professional developers doing local and LAN-based development; and Delphi Desktop 2.0 for individual programmers. Delphi is the only completely object-oriented development tool for Windows and client/server development that combines a two-way visual programming environment, a high-performance optimizing native code compiler and a scaleable database. Delphi 2.0 features a 32-bit optimized native code compiler that is 15 to 50 times faster than P-code interpreters, such as Powersoft's PowerBuilder and Microsoft's Visual Basic.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include, Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


Brock Support for Microsoft SQL Server V6.5
BROCK INTERNATIONAL, INC. ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR MICROSOFT SQL SERVER VERSION 6.5

ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY OF SQL SERVER 6.5 PROVIDES BETTER DATA ACCESSIBILITY TO USERS OF BROCK'S Integrated Sales Performance software SOLUTIONS

April 1996....Brock International, Inc., (NASDAQ/NMS BROC), the global leader in delivering Integrated Sales Performance solutions, announced today its support of Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5.

Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5 provides some of the highest performance ratings in the database market as well as embraces Internet technologies -- both of which are critically important to Brock's customers.

"BROCK'S ON-GOING, STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH MICROSOFT HAS ALLOWED BROCK TO TEST AND CERTIFY SQL SERVER 6.5 IN ITS BETA FORMAT SO THAT BROCK'S FLAGSHIP PRODUCT LINE, TakeControl, COULD SUPPORT SQL SERVER UPON ITS GENERAL RELEASE FROM MICROSOFT." SAID RICHARD T. BROCK, COMPANY PRESIDENT AND CEO.

Brock International, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, developed the Sales Performance solutions market in 1984 to answer the demanding needs of sales and marketing professionals.  Sales Performance solutions encompass integrated sales, marketing and customer support software, industry best practices consulting and advanced, open technology to provide customers with a process for developing quality, customer relationships from initial contact through on-going support. Brock's global position includes market presence in 26 countries throughout the America's, Europe, the Pacific Rim and Africa. For more information contact Brock at 800-221-0775 or 770-431-1200 or via their World Wide Web site at http://www.broc.com.

Brock International, Inc., Suite 1000

2859 Paces Ferry Road

Atlanta, Georgia 30339

(800) 221-0775

(770) 431-1200 Phone

(770) 431-1201 Fax


CE SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES QUICKEYS 3.5

New Features Net Macintosh Graphics Professionals Increased Productivity

 AVAILABLE: BEFORE JUNE 30

 SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $119.00

 UPGRADE: $35.95

West Des Moines, Iowa, April 8, 1996 - CE Software, Inc., today announced its plans to release by June 30, 1996, a new version of QuicKeys, the industry's easiest, most complete tool for automating the Macintosh. The company also announced that a Power Macintosh version of QuicKeys will be available within 45 days of the 3.5 release. Users who upgraded to QuicKeys 3.5 will be able to download the PowerMac version from CE Software's Web site at no charge.

QuicKeys is a personal productivity tool that eliminates any repetitive and mundane daily computing task performed on a Macintosh. With QuicKeys, users can designate a single key, button, or icon to perform a simple function - like opening a folder - or a complex routine - like a series of formatting commands you may perform often, all without requiring the user to learn a programming language.

"QuicKeys is a mission critical business application for Macintosh graphics professionals," said Christian Gurney, vice president of product lines for CE Software, Inc. "With version 3.5 we're making every effort to ensure that QuicKeys will deliver the necessary functionality to be as useful as possible in a Macintosh user's day-to-day work situation by adding a host of new features and compatibility to the product while simultaneously improving ease of use."

TRIGGERING SHORTCUTS WITH TOOLBARS AND PALETTES

In QuicKeys version 3.5, users can create Toolbars and Floating Palettes for triggering shortcuts. Toolbars are anchored to an edge of a user's screen, while Floating Palettes hover in the foreground and can be moved around. Both the Toolbars and Floating Palettes can be created to perform shortcuts in specific applications or universally across all applications. With Click-and-Go Palettes, which can be displayed on screen with a single keystroke, the shortcut is activated by clicking a button or typing a single keystroke. Once the shortcut is selected, the Click-and-Go Palette is hidden.

BATCH PROCESSING

To help users execute a QuicKeys sequence on multiple documents, version 3.5 includes a Batch Processor extension which operates by opening each document located in the source folder, one at a time, then performing the desired QuicKeys sequence, until all the files in the source folder are processed.

For example, consider an Adobe Photoshop user working on hundreds of scanned images to be posted to a company Web site. In order to create the right files, the images' color cast must be manipulated and they must be converted to .gif format. With the new QuicKeys Batch Processor extension, an image can be adjusted and converted once manually by the user while QuicKeys "watches" what the user does, recording the exact sequence of all the actions performed. Then the user can simply place all the remaining images in one folder, and set the Batch extension to run the recorded QuicKeys sequence on all the files in that folder. The tedium and repetition of manually editing each image are removed, while the quality and consistency of the work increase.

TAB-ORIENTED EDITING INTERFACES

Both the main editor and the sequence editor are revamped for QuicKeys 3.5. Tab-oriented interfaces with adjustable, movable windows and easier-to-read listings make creating and editing QuicKeys shortcuts easier and more intuitive.

Sequencing, or the ability to perform a series of individual shortcuts to complete a specific function, is a core element of QuicKeys. With version 3.5's revised object-oriented sequence editor and its improved interface, users will now be able to more easily fine tune all their QuicKeys sequences, still without having to learn a programming language. The revised sequence editor now features numbered steps and a "more info" option which will show the details of each step without opening it. Complex sequences are also easier to write with the revised Jump extension utilizing QuicKeys' new line-numbering technology. The Jump extension automatically modifies its line numbers as a sequence is edited. To assist users in debugging their sequences, QuicKeys 3.5 provides an optional log file that can be written when a sequence is executed.

MORE POWERFUL SEQUENCE RECORDING

With this release, the QuicKeys recording functionality is revised to enable users to easily and automatically create sequences that are more reliable than ever before. With QuicKeys 3.5 nearly every recorded sequence is ready for immediate use without any modifications from the user.

PHONE DIALER AND NEW MAC OS EXTENSIONS ADD NEW CAPABILITIES

With QuicKeys 3.5 each Phone Dialer shortcut will now store its own dialing configuration data, and there will be new support for PC Card connections. Version 3.5's MacOS Specials Extensions replaces the System 7 Specials, with new features enabling users to select which OpenTransport protocols they want to use, as well as turn Program Linking on and off. QuicKeys 3.5 will also deliver a number of compatibility and reliability improvements enabling the product to work seamlessly with the latest versions of the MacOS and the most popular applications software.

QuicKeys users are anxiously awaiting the new features version 3.5 will deliver. Dr. Mel Martinez, the FUSE Satellite Control Center Developer for Johns Hopkins University, said, "QuicKeys has been so indispensable and incredibly useful on my Mac systems over the last few years that it boggles the mind to realize how much more powerful and easy to use it will be with the new features such as toolbars, floating palettes and batch processor! A 'must have' addition to any Macintosh!"

Chris Schmalz, senior technical support specialist for Macmillan Computer Publishing, said, "A batch processor extension would make the upgrade a no-brainer for my users. Our page layout people are being transitioned to PCI Power Macs and System 7.5.3. Any utility as helpful as QuicKeys must certainly be both compatible and take advantage of the new functionality of an OS revision. I'm excited to see what they've (CE Software's) got cooking."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

QuicKeys 3.5 will be available in the US version by June 30, 1996, and has a suggested retail price of $119.00. Users of version 3.0 may upgrade to QuicKeys 3.5 for $35.95. Users of versions prior to 3.0 may upgrade to version 3.5 for $45.95. Users who purchased QuicKeys version 3.0 either 30 days before April 8 or up to the release date of version 3.5, may upgrade at no charge. The company will also be offering a competitive upgrade price of $49.99.

A thirty-day, demo version of QuicKeys 3.5 will be available for download, via CE Software's Web site at http://www.cesoft.com. The demo version can be converted to a full-working copy by calling CE Software's sales department for the activation key code. The availability of a run-time version and international versions of QuicKeys 3.5 will be announced within thirty days of the US product's shipping.

CE SOFTWARE, INC.

Established in 1981, CE Software, Inc., (NASDAQ/NM Symbol CESH) develops and markets electronic mail, Internet, scheduling and workgroup applications software for Macintosh, Windows and DOS environments. For more information contact, CE Software, Inc., 1801 Industrial Circle, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265. Phone 800-523-7638 inside the United States. Outside the United States call 515-221-1801.


Cirrus UniteScan for Kodak Image Scanners
Cirrus Technology, Inc. Announces UniteScan

High Volume Scanning with the Kodak Image Scanners for the OS/2 Platform

Frederick, MD, April 1, 1996 --- Today, Cirrus Technology announced the upcoming release of a new product, UniteScan. UniteScan offers the latest in high powered scanning for the Kodak image scanners. "Right out of the box", UniteScan offers configuration control and is ready to use. There is no programming required. The user may select the scanner configuration and the frequency to view images as scanning occurs. UniteScan is delivered with eighteen (18) scanner configurations representing mode0 1 through mode18 for Kodak devices.

UniteScan is a serious production scanning level product, ideal for high volume paper input. Available for OS/2 Warp, UniteScan delivers productivity gains, simplicity in processing, speed, robustness, and convenient system integration. UniteScan includes source code for a customizable image saving module for modification using C or C++. UniteScan includes advanced OS/2 Warp device drivers for the Kodak image scanners and does not require use of any special image compression or processing boards. A visual disk drive space meter notifies the user of space utilization. Also included is an image viewer allowing the user to quality check images post scanning. UniteScan will ship in May 1996. Suggested retail price is $11,500.00 per copy. Orders placed prior to May 1, 1996 will be $7,500.00.

Cirrus Technology is currently one of the leaders in providing OS/2 software solutions for high volume input solutions. Cirrus Technology offers support of the Kodak scanner line, and allows use of/integration with Kodak OCR capabilities.

In addition to offering UniteScan, Cirrus Technology integrates and installs Medicaid and Medicare claims processing applications to input, edit and store over 40,000 documents daily. Customized data correction and host data loads are added features for the Unite OS/2 Warp solution.

Cirrus Technology is a Maryland corporation specializing in document imaging and storage management technology for the OS/2 environment. Since 1985, we have been dedicated to providing quality products and services. Now located on the world wide web, Cirrus Technology may be visited at www.cirunite.com.


CLARiiON & Tech Data Partnership for NT RAID
CLARiiON AND TECH DATA CORPORATION ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OFFERING RAID SOLUTION TO NT ENVIRONMENTS

WILL RESELL SERIES 100 MODEL C150 DISK ARRAYS WITH MIRRORED WRITE CACHE MEMORY

SOUTHBORO, Mass., April 9, 1996 -- The CLARiiON Business Unit of Data General Corporation, the leader in RAID disk array storage solutions, and Tech Data Corporation today announced that Tech Data will distribute and support the CLARiiON Series 100, Model C150 disk arrays.

"Our high-performance disk arrays are a powerful yet economical solution for PC-level client/server environments," said Larry Hemmerich, vice president and general manager of the CLARiiON Business Unit. According to IDC analysts, the worldwide market for NT servers in 1995 was $955 million and expected to grow to $1.58 billion in 1996. "With the explosion of NT in the marketplace, the agreement with Tech Data to become a strategic partner will benefit both companies by combining CLARiiON award winning storage subsystems with Tech Data's 50,000 VARs and retailers throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America."

The CLARiiON Series 100, Model C150 disk array offers an economical storage solution for low-end UNIX and PC servers in demanding environments requiring high availability and high performance. Available in both deskside and rackmount configurations, the Model C150 has the capacity for growth up to 28 GB of disk space and has a range of 8 MB to 32 MB of write cache memory, using commodity PCMCIA technology commonly found in laptop computers. The new CLARiiON C150 mirrored cache memory board contains 2 MB of RAM and a battery that maintains continuous power for 13 months. CLARiiON is one of few vendors that provide this type of protection.

"BY OFFERING THE CLARIION SERIES 100 DISK ARRAYS TO OUR CUSTOMERS, TECH DATA CAN NOW PROVIDE A COMPLETE YET SCALABLE STORAGE SOLUTION FOR THE MOST DEMANDING NT ENVIRONMENTS," said Dale Ott, Director of Mass Storage Product Marketing at Tech Data Corporation.

Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ:TECD) is a leading distributor of personal computer products serving more than 50,000 value-added resellers and retail dealers throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. A Fortune 500 Company, Tech Data offers comprehensive product lines in software, networking and communications, mass storage, peripherals and computer systems. In addition to distributing more than 25,000 products from over 600 manufacturers and publishers, Tech Data provides extensive pre-sale and post-sale training, service and support.

The CLARiiON Business Unit is a part of Data General Corporation (NYSE: DGN). CLARiiON leading disk array technology has been protecting customer data and information for more than four years. Data General, with headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts, specializes in servers, storage systems and related software and services. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion in fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com or http://www.clariion.com .


CLARiiON & Sequent Open Storage Solutions
CLARiiON AND SEQUENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS PARTNER TO OFFER CUSTOMERS OPEN STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Southboro, MA., April 8, 1996--CLARiiON and Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. today announced that Sequent will OEM the CLARiiON line of RAID storage products.

Under their agreement, Sequent will add CLARiiONR disk arrays to its storage offerings on its line of high end SymmetryR 5000 servers. The CLARiiON disk arrays allow Sequent to extend its high availability protected data capacity into the multiple Terabyte range.

"CLARiiON has been partnering with Sequent to solve specific customer storage requirements for the past year," said Larry Hemmerich, Vice President of the CLARiiON Business Unit. "With the signing of this new agreement, we will expand our relationship with Sequent and enable them to offer a value-added, high availability open storage solution to all of Sequent's customers. The business between Sequent and CLARiiON is robust, with units already shipping."

"Our customers are demanding multiple terabytes of high availability, secure data storage for their enterprise databases," said John McAdam, President and Chief Operating Officer for Sequent. "We have spent the past two years evaluating storage suppliers. The combination of the strong partnering skills of CLARiiON and their advanced storage technology has resulted in a strategic partnership, which will allow Sequent's customers to continue to grow with the industry's largest open databases."

CLARiiON is the preferred provider of high-availability, advanced storage solutions for open enterprise environments worldwide. CLARiiON has experienced significant growth with the development of its sales channels, including OEMs, VARs, private labelers, systems integrators and distributors worldwide. Innovative CLARiiON storage products support a variety of platforms, including Data General's AViiON systems, Silicon Graphic's CHALLENGE&#153; servers, Sun SPARC systems, IBM RS/6000, Windows NT systems, NCR and Digital Equipment Corporation's Alpha servers. Over the last several months, CLARiiON has joined forces with two of the world's largest open systems companies to demonstrate data warehousing showcases, in excess of 2.5 terabytes of storage; validating scalability and high speed access to and from CLARiiON disk arrays.

Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNT) develops, manufactures, and sells commercial symmetric multiprocessing systems that support very large-scale on-line transaction processing (OLTP), decision support (DSS) and internet-based applications. Through an extensive range of consulting and professional service offerings, Sequent helps organizations re-architect their existing information technology infrastructures. In addition, Sequent partners closely with other open systems vendors to deliver complete solutions to its customers. Sequent's World Wide Web address is http://www.sequent.com. This news release and other information are available from Sequent's news- on-demand fax service at 800-356-0834.

The CLARiiON Business Unit is part of Data General Corporation; an open systems company that specializes in providing servers, storage systems and services to information technology users worldwide. The company, with headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts, reported revenues of $1.2 billion in fiscal 1995. Additional information on the company, its products and services is available on the Internet at http://www.dg.com, or http://www.clariion.com.


Cognos PowerPlay get PC Week Corp IT Award
PC WEEK TAPS COGNOS' POWERPLAY FOR CORPORATE IT EXCELLENCE AWARD

WORLD'S MOST POPULAR OLAP TOOL CONQUERS DATA ANALYSIS/DECISION SUPPORT CATEGORY

BURLINGTON, MA, APRIL 3, 1996 -- Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF;TSE:CSN) today announced that PowerPlay has won the first annual PC Week Corporate IT Excellence Award for Data Analysis/Decision Support. PowerPlay is Cognos' industry-leading multidimensional analysis, or Online Analytical Processing (OLAP), tool. The PC Week award complements the recent InfoWorld Product of the Year Award for Query/Reporting tools captured by Impromptu, Cognos' high-performance interactive tool for database query and reporting in the enterprise. Together, Impromptu and PowerPlay provide a complete, best-of-breed toolset for front-ending data warehouses and delivering enterprise business intelligence.

"PowerPlay provides fast decision-support capabilities that let users slice and dice their data to get meaningful results," explains PC Week in its April 1, 1996 issue. "(PowerPlay) faced the challenges of PC Week Labs' tests and proved to meet the enterprise- wide needs of corporate IT professionals through excellence in product design and implementation." PC Week's ZD Labs is the largest independent testing lab in the world and considered over 1,000 products in their search for the products which best define their standard of enterprise excellence.

"These awards prove that PowerPlay and Impromptu are the best-of-breed desktop tools for decision makers at all levels of an enterprise," said Alan Rottenberg, senior vice president, Business Intelligence products. "After rigorous testing and examination on behalf of their demanding readers, PC Week and Infoworld recognize the proven technology of these two tools.

"PowerPlay and Impromptu are unparalleled in their ease-of-use, performance, manageability, scalability and low cost of ownership," Rottenberg said. "In fact, we expect Impromptu and PowerPlay to bring home even more awards as we continue to enhance the tools and their feature sets."

PRICING, AVAILABILITY

PowerPlay 4.1 is currently available for $695, with discounts available for volume purchases. It requires Windows 3.1 or higher, 4MB RAM, 5 MB hard drive space, and a 386 or higher PC. Impromptu 3.0 is available in a user version for $595 and an administrative version for $695, with discounts available for volume purchases. It requires Windows 3.1 or higher, 8MB RAM, 20 MB hard drive space, and a 386 or higher PC. Call 1-800-4COGNOS, ext. 2070 for more information.

PC WEEK

Headquartered in Medford, Mass., PC Week is published by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. PC Week reaches a controlled subscriber base that includes more than 300,000 qualified buyers who purchase desktop, networking and other enterprise computing products in volume.

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos Business Intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


Thinque to Resell Cognos Business Tools
THINQUE SYSTEMS TO RESELL COGNOS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TOOLS

SALES FORCE AUTOMATION TOOLS GAIN ROBUST OLAP CAPABILITIES

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA, APRIL 5, 1996 --- Thinque Systems Corporation and Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF;TSE:CSN) today announced the formation of a strategic partnership under which Thinque, a premiere software developer of sales force automation solutions for the packaged goods industry, will resell Cognos' Business Intelligence tools, PowerPlay" and Impromptu", as part of Thinque's RouteTraq, SalesTraq and StoreTraq sales force automation product suite.

"We went straight to the leader in Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)," said Bridget Karlin, Thinque Systems' president. "In order to deliver a high performance toolset for sales force automation, Thinque insists on working with only best-of-breed tools. Cognos is the only vendor to provide mature, robust OLAP capabilities, easy- to-use data access and a strong partner program. We believe that working with Cognos tools gives us a substantial lead on all other SFA product vendors."

"Thinque Systems is the sales force automation solution provider with the clearest vision of the role of technology in sale force reengineering initiatives, and they have the advanced software design to lead the way," said Alan Rottenberg, Cognos' senior vice president, business intelligence products. "We are pleased to be partnering with the software provider chosen by industry leaders such as Nestle to supply their worldwide mobile sales force automation solution."

With more than 140,000 seats installed worldwide, PowerPlay is the leading OLAP, or multi-dimensional analysis, tool on the desktops of managers in Global 2000 companies. PowerPlay delivers a rich, Windows 95-compliant graphical environment that allows users to drill up or down and "slice-and-dice" through data, allowing decision makers to understand what drives their business. Recently, PC WEEK awarded PowerPlay its Corporate IT Excellence Award for Data Analysis/Decision Support. Impromptu, InfoWorld's "Product of the Year," is the market leading enterprise database reporting tool.

Thinque Systems' comprehensive suite of Windows for Pen-based mobile solutions have been developed using object-oriented, open systems architecture to build functional, independent modules such as order entry, customer scheduling, inventory management and payment processing. This open architecture and object-oriented design enables Thinque Systems to combine modules and configure them for each customer to provide truly customized solutions that are multi-lingual and operate on a wide variety of hardware.

All Thinque solutions are integrated with ThinqComm, an advanced intelligent mobile communications management software product that connects mobile computer users to a Host for the reliable exchange of data via wireline and wireless communications methods.

THINQUE SYSTEMS

Thinque Systems is a California-based corporation engaged in the development and implementation of advanced mobile technology solutions that provide sales force automation to the consumer products industry. Founded in 1985, Thinque System has grown by applying technical expertise along with creative thinking and problem-solving ability to develop easy-to-use automation products that provide exacting business solutions across a wide variety of industries. For more information, please contact Thinque Systems at 818-752-1350.

COGNOS

Cognos is uniquely positioned to deliver business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and reporting needs. With more than 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, department, workgroup, personal, and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos business intelligence products are available through the company's 40 offices and over 450 resellers worldwide.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Mass. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.


Computron Sentinel Workflow Process Monitor
COMPUTRON INTRODUCES SENTINEL, THE FIRST REAL-TIME WORKFLOW PROCESS MONITOR

SENTINEL COMBINES COMPUTRON S AWARD-WINNING WORKFLOW PRODUCT WITH ARBOR SOFTWARE S ESSBASE MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATABASE SERVER TO ALLOW REAL-TIME MONITORING AND ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS PROCESSES

COMPUTRON DEMONSTRATING SENTINEL AT 1996 AIIM SHOW IN CHICAGO

RUTHERFORD, N.J., APRIL 1, 1996 -- Computron Software Inc. (Nasdaq: CTRN) has introduced Computron Sentinel, the software industry's first real-time business process monitoring system for workflow applications. Sentinel is the latest enhancement to Computron Workflow, an Imaging Magazine Product of the Year, and utilizes Arbor Software Corporation s Essbase OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) engine to represent in-process workflows in an innovative multidimensional model.

Workflow software allows users to automate and simplify business processes by defining and automating the rules, roles and routes that are integral to business processes and the people who participate in them. As a result, the workflow system not only simplifies and automates the flow of electronic information from point to point through the enterprise, but also enhances the performance of traditional computer-based tasks. Until now, however, workflow monitoring has consisted of "after-the-fact" reports generated by the workflow system.

"With Computron Sentinel, users of workflow software can monitor business processes as they are performed in much the same way that real-time shop floor systems track manufacturing processes," said Christopher Mauldin, Director of Strategic Planning for Computron Software Inc. "This is a first for workflow users, and it will significantly enhance their ability to closely manage business processes and quickly make day-to-day business decisions with confidence. Computron Sentinel will allow companies to become more proactive in managing their business process environment."

The Computron Sentinel system shows a real-time picture of automated business processes, including:

 - What tasks are being performed;

 - The depth of workflow queues (by task or by individual);

 - Average cycle times per work item;

 - Workflow thresholds that are being exceeded.

Workflow thresholds, for instance, can be automatically established based on historical trend analysis. Computron Sentinel can automatically generate a warning and, if appropriate, trigger a workflow event such as electronic mail notifications to the supervisor. In addition, flashing color changes on the real-time monitor screen alert supervisors to take corrective actions.

Computron Sentinel not only provides real-time workflow tracking, but also allows a graphical review of workflow history. Thus, Sentinel system users can perform a "fast-forward" review of a particular period of time. When exceptions occur -- perhaps graphically represented by a spike in a graph -- users can pause the display and drill down into the workflow database for more information, and they can take corrective action if necessary. Furthermore, Sentinel system provides a rich source of workflow metrics -- cycle times, occurrences outside of deviations, costing of processes -- all of which can be utilized for process improvement and "what-if" testing in a sophisticated computer simulation system. Computron Sentinel thus becomes a vital information source for resource planning and workload balancing.

Arbor Software s Essbase fills an essential function in the Sentinel system, Mauldin said, "because it stores information in a manner that highly optimizes random information retrieval and manipulation." In practice, Essbase receives a complete "snapshot" of workflow system data every few minutes. Then Essbase allows the Sentinel system to extract that up-to-date workflow information for use in a wide range of graphical views, for measurement of precise system metrics, and to trigger automatic workflow "events" such as notifying a supervisor when workloads are imbalanced or predefined thresholds are exceeded.

Using Essbase with Sentinel, users can now perform departmental reporting, marketing analysis, expense analysis, and customer and product profitability models from information previously locked up in computer-stored images and documents. While reviewing the Essbase reporting model in a spreadsheet, users can "drill down" to the actual stored invoice, purchase order, project notes, or variance explanation directly from Essbase. Essbase polls the workflow system and retrieves statistics at predetermined time intervals, building a historical multidimensional view of all the automated processes.

Computron Sentinel s graphical metaphor, which can be customized by the user, is another key component of its functionality. "Sentinel allows a manager to monitor intuitively what s going on in a business process," Mauldin explained. "And because the system is exception- driven, the manager can make decisions when problems occur, rather than having to search for problems to solve."

Arbor Software Corporation Background Information

Arbor Software Corporation (Nasdaq: ARSW) develops and markets client/server software for business planning, analysis and management reporting. Arbor s products are used by more than 650 corporations spanning a broad range of industries and business applications, including Bank of Boston, Emery Worldwide, Fidelity, Los Angeles Times, Neutrogena, Pennzoil, PEPSICO, Prudential and Sears. Arbor has over 80 application, services, tools and platform partners, including Comshare, Hewlett- Packard, IBM and Microsoft. Arbor s products are sold direct, as well as through system integrators and VARs worldwide. Arbor s offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale, Washington, D.C., and London. More information on Arbor products and services can be found on Arbor s World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.arborsoft.com.

Computron Software Inc. Background Information Headquartered in Rutherford, N.J., Computron Software is an international software company that designs, markets and supports n-tier client/server- based financial, workflow and computer output on-line (COOL) report/data archiving software solutions that are interoperable across most major UNIX and legacy architectures, as well as on Microsoft Windows NT. Computron was one of the pioneers in the development and integration of high-impact business process reengineering, workflow and COOL technologies into client/server packaged software applications. These technologies add value by automating business processes and expanding the role of financial software from its roots in accounting to encompass literally every person and department enterprise-wide, bringing together all forms and types of information and automating their movement throughout the organization.

Computron currently markets its products and services through a direct sales force and indirect channels throughout the world. The company has 17 offices and distributors in 13 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.


Bionic Knight DEED 3.0 New Pricing/Features
Bionic Knight Unveils New Features, New Pricing for DEED PDM Software for 32-bit Windows

DEED 3.0 Now Offers Command Support for AutoCAD, New Automatic Links that Cut Data Entry Time in Half, and New Pricing for Engineering Workgroups

BOCA RATON, Florida (April 8, 1996) - At PDM Conference '96 being held here this week, Bionic Knight Software, Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina, will demonstrate a number of new features incorporated into DEED 3.0, the company's 32-bit object-oriented Product Data Management (PDM) solution for Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT. DEED has been streamlined with more efficient links between drawings and document associations, new AutoCAD attributes have been added, and DEED now supports six approvals for drawings and documents. A new licensing structure also makes it easier to deploy DEED in enterprise computer networks.

DEED is a Dynamic Engineering Expert Database that gives engineers and designers a central point of control over CAD drawings and documents via a comprehensive system of check out, approval, and check in procedures. With DEED, engineers can not only manage CAD/CAM drawings, but they can also manage all the parts required for product assembly, and all the documents and data associated with those parts through a single central database. With the new features added to DEED, there is even more direct support for AutoCAD, and automated links that make parts and document tracking more efficient than ever before.

"Bionic Knight's customers have been making extensive use of the close integration DEED offers with AutoCAD, so we decided to extend support with a new set of commands to add drawing title block attributes," explained Barbara Crook, Vice President of Marketing for Bionic Knight Software and a chief architect of DEED. "We have also streamlined the software with new automatic links that cut input time in half, and we have made it easier than ever to find drawings stored in the database. With these new features, DEED 3.0 gives PC users the same kind of PDM power that engineers expect from more expensive UNIX systems."

New Features in DEED 3.0

AutoCAD users gain an additional advantage with DEED through special links that allow DEED to automatically create Bills of Material (BOMs) from AutoCAD drawings. By integrating DEED into an AutoCAD environment, AutoCAD users can directly view PDM attributes or write BOM and other reports directly onto drawings. Among the AutoCAD features added to DEED 3.0 is new command support from within AutoCAD to add drawing title block attributes to DEED, including drawing number, description and revision, size, drawn by, and project. This command dynamically links the drawing to its associated parts/products/assembly/components so any changes made to drawings automatically update BOMs and related documents. This new linking feature will prove to be a real asset to users who are seeking to interconnect their PDM packages with Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) software. In addition, these new automatic links between the drawing items and document association list reduces the number of input steps by as much as 50 percent. The DEED interface has also been improved to make it even easier to locate parts and drawings stored in the database.

DEED also now supports six approvals for drawings and documents prior to drawing check-in for greater security.

DEED 3.0 includes an easy-to-learn and use Configuration Management Tool that gives Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT users extensive control over drawings and documents. The DEED Configuration Management Tool gives engineering departments a comprehensive check-out/approval/check-in procedure for CAD/CAM documents and drawings by placing all controlled documents in an electronic "vault" for access by authorized users. Users can manage CAD, text, spreadsheets, and a wide variety of document types. Links can easily be set to launch AutoCAD, other CAD systems, graphics systems, graphic viewers, text editors, spreadsheet packages - virtually any Windows application document type with a recognizable file extension. Documents and drawings can be checked out of the vault, and revisions are submitted back through an approval cycle before they can be stored back in the vault to eliminate mishandling and unauthorized changes. And with added support for the Microsoft's high-performance 32-bit architecture, access to the vault is faster than ever.

New Licensing Fee Structure

DEED runs on any Windows 3.x, Windows 95, or Windows NT based system (an 80486 processor is suggested at minimum). DEED can be licensed for a single user price of $795.

Bionic Knight has also introduced a new Server Pack licensing structure to handle multiple concurrent users with associated per-user discounts. A 3-user server pack sells for $1,480 ($495 per user), a 5-pack for $2,100 ($420 per user), a 10-pack for $3,960 ($369 per user), a 20- pack for $7,670 ($385 per user), a 50-pack for $18,560 ($372 per user), and a 100-pack for $35,100 ($351 per user). All server pack pricing includes a free year of support services, which includes automatic upgrades and telephone support.

Bionic Knight Software Inc. was founded in 1987 to deliver specialized engineering software tools to mechanical engineers and CAD/CAM design professionals. The company's software development team has more than 14 years of experience in engineering design and manufacturing processes and holds a variety of circuitry patents. Today, these professionals are plying their expertise to develop leading-edge, object-oriented data management, product assembly, parts database, and related solutions to help engineers extend quality control, enhance productivity, and reduce waste and cost


DELL DISPUTES PRICE WAR CLAIM

NEW YORK, N.Y., APRIL 9, 1996 --The chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DELL) told securities analysts gathered here today that the company's sales to corporate customers remain strong and reports of "price wars" are exaggerated since prices for computer systems are not coming down faster than component costs.

Michael S. Dell, chairman and chief executive officer of the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems, said there have been dramatic reductions recently in component costs such as memory. For example, prices for memory, which represents up to one-fourth the overall cost of a computer system, have fallen in some cases by as much as 50 percent over the past few months.

"This is good news for customers of direct companies such as Dell that build systems to customer order and thus do not maintain inventories of finished goods for stocking on retail shelves," Mr. Dell said. "Because of the efficiency of our direct model, customers can receive their new computer systems with lower-priced components within just a few days, rather than weeks or months."

He pointed out that the company's price declines have tightly tracked component costs, and prices relative to key competitors are about where they were a year ago. "Through our direct model, we have maintained prices that are typically 5 percent to 20 percent below the prices of our major competitors who sell computers through reseller and retail outlets," Mr. Dell said.

"Stated another way, our direct model delivers the latest technologies to our customers at very attractive prices," Mr. Dell added. "For instance, we were among the first in the industry to provide customers with Pentium processor-based computers, and we did it at 486 prices."

Mr. Dell said the company's direct approach should allow Dell to gain a similar competitive edge as business customers transition to systems utilizing Windows NT and Pentium Pro. "Based on what we are hearing directly from our customers, we believe this upcoming transition will combine with the current pricing environment to drive continued robust growth in the business market for computer systems over the remainder of the year."

He added that the Dell direct model is a good barometer of business demand, since the company talks directly with more that 300,000 customers each week and 90 percent of Dell's sales are to businesses and governments.

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on revenues of $5.3 billion for the past four quarters.

Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/.

Special note on forward-looking statements. Statements in this press release that relate to future results or events are based on the company's current expectations. Actual results in future periods may differ materially from those currently expected or desired because of a number of risks and uncertainties, including the level of demand for computers, the intensity of competition and the company's ability to execute its business model effectively. Additional discussion of these and other factors affecting the company's business and prospects is contained in the company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Dell Announces Powerhouse Technology Combo
DELL ANNOUNCES POWERHOUSE TECHNOLOGY COMBINATION

SDRAM, next-generation features make XPS P166s Dell's fastest Pentium processor desktop

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 8, 1996 -- Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DELL) today introduced its fastest and most powerful desktop Pentium processor-based system ever. New, performance-boosting features of the Dell Dimension XPS P166s include synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), next-generation DIMM memory sockets, the recently introduced Intel 430VX Pentium processor chipset, integrated audio and a new easy-access chassis design. Despite the high performance and wealth of new features, the XPS P166s will come with the affordable prices that are a hallmark of the Dell Dimension product family.

Dell will begin taking orders immediately for configurations of the Dell Dimension XPS P166s starting at $3,799. Volume shipments of additional configurations will begin early next month. Dell also announced that it will offer two powerful new peripherals with the XPS P166s-- an 8X CD ROM drive and a 2.5- gigabyte (GB) hard disk drive.

COMBINATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES DISTINGUISH NEW DELL PC

With today's announcement, Dell is offering a new, faster memory architecture--SDRAM--on a desktop computer for the first time. Faster performance in a computer's memory subsystem is essential to realize the full benefits of increased processor speeds. Dell chose SDRAM to address this need. SDRAM differs from its predecessor -- asynchronous memory, which includes EDO memory -- in that it is capable of providing a continuous flow of data to the system's processor. SDRAM does this by feeding data at exactly the rate that the processor can handle it, creating a continuous "stream" of data. Data streaming is particularly valuable in application environments such as high-end multimedia, where it can significantly boost performance. Conversely, asynchronous memory does not provide a continuous stream of data, often leaving the processor idle and reducing performance. Because of its performance benefits, SDRAM has long been the memory technology of choice in workstation and high-end engineering environments.

SDRAM is a next-generation memory technology because it is poised for use with faster PC processors that are expected to be available in the future. For example, SDRAM can transmit data at very high speeds -- 100-megahertz (MHz) or more -- whereas the fastest PC processors today accept and transmit data at 66MHz.

Additionally, Dell plans to use only SDRAM that conforms to the full set of specifications set forth for SDRAM by the leading industry standards committee for computer memory. This compares to a form of the memory that has been labeled "SDRAM Lite" because it conforms only to a certain, smaller set of the specifications for SDRAM.

Along with a new, high-performance memory architecture, the Dell Dimension XPS P166s is equipped with next-generation memory technology called dual in-line memory modules, or DIMMs. DIMMs provide a wider data path than single in-line memory modules (SIMMs), the type of memory socket employed in most current PCs. A single DIMM performs the same functions as two SIMMs, increasing reliability by reducing the number of necessary components.

Another new technology incorporated into the XPS P166s is the Intel 80430VX chipset. Dell chose this chipset for its new flagship Dimension product because the chipset offers benefits such as support for SDRAM and DIMMs. Dell's internal performance analysis indicates that the XPS P166s with its 430VX chipset and SDRAM is the fastest single- processor Pentium system the company has ever offered. Recognizing that most customers consider sound an essential part of their system, Dell designed the XPS P166s with an integrated Creative Labs Vibra 16 sound chip, one of the most popular sound solutions in the industry. For customers who require higher-end sound capabilities, Dell will offer a Creative Labs AWE 32-based upgrade card.

Finally, the Dell Dimension XPS P166s is housed in a new chassis that offers easier access to internal components through an improved layout, more efficient cooling, and three 3.5-inch / two 5.25-inch external bays.

PRICING

The Dell Dimension XPS P166s is priced at $3,799 for a fully configured system that includes 16-megabytes (MB) of SDRAM, 512- kilobytes (KB) of pipeline burst cache, a 6X CD ROM drive, a 2.5GB hard disk drive, the Imagine 128 video card with 4MB of video RAM, the Creative Labs AWE 32-based upgrade card, Altec Lansing ACS31 speakers complete with subwoofer, a U.S. Robotics 28.8KB per second data/fax modem, a 17LS monitor (15.75" viewable), factory-installed Windows 95 and Microsoft Office Professional software, and a three- year limited warranty.

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on annual revenues of $5.3 billion. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/.

For a complete copy of our Guarantees or Limited Warranties, please write to Dell USA L.P., 2214 W. Braker Lane, Suite D, Austin, Texas, 78758-4053, Attn: Warranty.


Digi DataFire ISDN LAN Adapter Wins Award
DIGI INTERNATIONAL'S DATAFIRE WINS NETWORK COMPUTING'S "WELL-CONNECTED" AWARD FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

DATAFIRE TOPS REMOTE ACCESS AND MOBILE COMPUTING CATEGORY BASED ON ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE QUALITY ISDN SOLUTIONS

April 4, 1996 -- NETWORLD+INTEROP--Digi International Inc. today announced that its DataFire ISDN LAN adapter card has won Network Computing's 1996 Well-Connected Award for "Best Single-User ISDN Product" for the second consecutive year.

The DataFire U Client, which provides reliable, high-speed access to the corporate network, Intranet or the Internet, was selected by Network Computing's editorial staff for its ease-of-use, reliability and value.

"The DataFire demonstrates our commitment to providing quality, cost-effective remote access solutions that meet the needs of our customers," said James R. Baker, Digi International's vice president and general manager of the Remote Access business unit. "With the growing market demand for reliable ISDN solutions, we're extremely pleased to have the DataFire family again be recognized by the respected editorial staff of Network Computing."

The Well-Connected Award was presented to Digi International at a gala event held Tuesday night April 2 at the Las Vegas Hilton during the NetWorld+Interop 96 Las Vegas trade show and is also highlighted in the April 1 issue of Network Computing.

"The Well-Connected Awards are significantly different from other IS or networking publications' awards," said Patricia Schnaidt, Editor-in-Chief of Network Computing. "Our awards aren't based on a reader popularity contest or editors' secondhand knowledge of the product marketplace. Our editors have tested these products themselves in our real-world labs. These are the products they would design into production networks of their own. That's what make the Well-Connected Awards the industry's most coveted and meaningful editor's choice award.

Engineered for ease of use, DataFire is one of the most cost-effective ways to equip a PC with high-speed ISDN communications capabilities. DataFire integrates an ISDN network interface card, NT1 (line terminator) and power supply into a single unit to meet all of the hardware needs for connecting a PC to an ISDN line for access to the corporate network, the Internet or on-line service providers. DataFire installs in the expansion slot of ISA-bus PCs, connects directly to a BRI ISDN line, and supports one 128 Kbps or two 64 Kbps communications channels.

Digi International (Nasdaq National Market: DGII), based in Minneapolis, Minn., is a leading ISO 9001-compliant provider of data communications hardware and software that delivers seamless connectivity solutions for multiuser, remote access, and LAN markets. The company markets its products through an international network of distributors and resellers, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Digi's World Wide Web address is http://www.dgii.com.


Dialogic Ships VRSoft Speech Recognition Swr
Dialogic Ships VRSoft Speech Recognition Software

Provides a Cost Effective Automatic Speech Recognition Solution for Global Markets

PARSIPPANY, NJ -- April 11, 1996 -- Dialogic Corporation (NASDAQ-DLGC), the world's leading manufacturer of high performance, standards-based computer telephony (CT) components, announced today that it is now shipping VRSoft for DOS from Voice Control Systems, Inc.(VCS) (NASDAQ:VCSI).

VRSoft is a discrete, speaker independent speech recognition software engine used in conjunction with Dialogic's D/21D, D/41D, D/41E and D/41ESC voice boards. VRSoft delivers either two or four shared channels of automated speech recognition and is ideally suited for small to medium sized voice messaging, interactive voice response (IVR), and automated attendant systems.

For the first time, developers can build advanced, cost effective applications by adding an inexpensive speech recognizer. VRSoft does not require additional dedicated voice recognition hardware, which greatly reduces the cost of adding speech recognition to an application.

VRSoft's 16 word speaker-independent vocabulary is supported in more than 40 languages, making it an attractive solution for global developers. In addition, VRSoft can overcomes the barriers experienced by rotary phone users creating , and creates new opportunitiesy for developers who sell systems in areas of the worldU.S. and abroad, where touch tone service is still not widely available.

"By partnering with VCS, Dialogic offers our small-system developers a technologically-superior product at an exceptionally attractive price," said Steve Leyland, Pproduct Mmarketing Mmanager at Dialogic. "This is in line with Dialogic's current 'nNo compromises' solution approach which leverages our feature-rich industry standard products to create innovative telephony applications without trading performance for price."

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

VRSoft is priced at $150 (US) per channel: The four channel version is $600 for the four channel version and the $300 for the two channel version. $300. Both two and four channel versions are available now from Dialogic for DOS-based systems. Future operating systems, including Windows, are planned for later in the year. The two channel version can be upgraded to four channels to accommodate future growth.

Founded in 1978, Dallas-based Voice Control Systems is a leading global supplier of speech recognition and speaker verification technology with more than 300,000 speech recognizers and 45 languages in use worldwide. The VCS product line is specifically developed for use in applications in telecommunications, consumer electronics, desktop computing, cellular/automotive and computer telephony. The company provides speaker-independent, discrete and continuous speech recognition, as well as speaker verification. Its enhanced technologies include phonetic dictionary, word spotting, Cut-Thru (barge in), and alphabet recognition.

Dialogic Corporation is the leading manufacturer of high performance, standards-based computer telephony (CT) components. Computer telephony systems built with Dialogic products manage more than one third of all telephone, facsimile, and multi-media calls answered by computers over wireless and wired networks worldwide. Dialogic products are used in voice, fax, data, voice recognition, speech synthesis and call center management CT applications. The company is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, with regional headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, Brussels, Belgium, and has sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit Dialogic Products.


Illustrator 6 for Mac: Visual QuickStart
Illustrator 6 for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

By Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas

The newest version of the top-selling Macintosh illustration software will soon be released, followed soon after by Illustrator 6 for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide, the new, thoroughly revised edition of this bestselling how-to guide. The series' accessible format is specifically tailored to the beginning and intermediate user: step-by-step instructions, hundreds of screenshots, detailed illustrations, and special tips help users avoid potential problems.

Using this guide, readers can learn Illustrator without having to wander through menus or read a great deal of text. Extensive pictures and captions ensure that readers will quickly master Illustrator fundamentals. Elegant, original artwork created in Adobe Illustrator by the authors and their colleagues will both inspire and illuminate.

ISBN 0-201-88633-2

List price: $19.95

Pages: 290 pages

Catalog number: 88633

Print date: Available in April

Peachpit Press

2414 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

800-283-9444,  510-548-4393,  fax 510-548-5991

URL: http://www.peachpit.com


Extron SYSTEM 4LD Projector Control Switcher
Extron's SYSTEM 4LD Has Universal Appeal

ANAHEIM, CA -- Extron's SYSTEM 4LD is a universal, large-screen projector control switcher with a built in scan doubler designed to render high performance.

The 300 MHz bandwidth SYSTEM 4LD has four universal inputs which allow for line doubling, or scan doubling, of Composite Video, S-Video (S-VHS), and RGB signals. By line doubling the input video and eliminating visible scan lines commonly associated with large-screen video, then passing the video through a digital noise filter, the SYSTEM 4LD will make fair quality video look better, and professional video look like HDTV (high definition) video. "Chroma noise" is virtually deleted leaving only crisp, clear video. Any of the four inputs may be line-doubled or decoded to RGB, generating output of the highest quality.

Extron's SYSTEM 4LD provides digital control of every major brand of video, data, and graphics projector giving the SYSTEM 4LD universal appeal. Operating the remote control is easy, simply use the manufacturer's remote control to switch and route all video sources. The SYSTEM 4LD will recognize the projector by "listen and talk" control.

The SYSTEM 4LD (P/N 60-155-01) is available at a list price of $4, 295. For a closer look at the SYSTEM 4LD, stop by Extron's Booth #M4532 at NAB.

Located in Anaheim, California, Extron Electronics is a leading manufacturer of computer-video interfaces, switchers, distribution amplifiers and scan converters. Extron's computer signal processing equipment is used to integrate computer-video to presentation displays and can be seen used in today's high-tech boardrooms, presentation/training centers, university lecture halls, and other applications. Scan Converters are used in the multimedia industry to convert computer-video to the NTSC or PAL video standard for display on consumer Televisions and recording onto videotape.

See: http://www.extron.com


Extron Comb Filter/Composite Video Decoder
Extron's CD 400 Exhibits Professional Quality

Anaheim, CA -- Extron's CD 400 is a professional quality, comb filter, quad standard Composite Video decoder designed to convert video to an analog RS-170 standard RGBS/RGBHV signal so that all sources in a system (computer and video) may be switched or distributed as an analog RGB signal. Using digital technology, the CD 400 can output a high quality image from NTSC, S-Video (S-VHS), PAL and SECAM video formats.

Applications of the CD 400, such as displaying RGB video signals on RGB monitors and routing video through RGB switching and distribution systems, make it a valuable and versatile component of a system. Hue and Gamma controls are provided to achieve optimum picture quality. Dual input connectors allow separate inputs for both Composite Video and S-Video with an auto detect circuit to automatically switch to whichever input has an active signal. This input selection can be controlled via remote control or front panel buttons.

The CD 400 (115 volts P/N 60-145-01, 230 volts P/N 60-145-02) lists for $1,595. For a closer look at the CD 400, stop by Extron's Booth #M4532 at NAB.

Located in Anaheim, California, Extron Electronics is a leading manufacturer of computer-video interfaces, switchers, distribution amplifiers and scan converters. Extron's computer signal processing equipment is used to integrate computer-video to presentation displays and can be seen used in today's high-tech boardrooms, presentation/training centers, university lecture halls, and other applications. Scan Converters are used in the multimedia industry to convert computer-video to the NTSC or PAL video standard for display on consumer Televisions and recording onto videotape.

See: http://www.extron.com


Farallon Opens South Bay R&D Facility

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 8, 1996 -- Farallon Computing, Inc., today announced that it has opened an office in San Jose to serve as its South Bay hardware research and development facility. Farallon will maintain its engineering offices in its Alameda, California headquarters as well as in Lawrence, Kansas.

The San Jose office was opened to accommodate the growing number of engineering resources that Farallon is acquiring to work on its popular hardware products, including the Netopia(tm) family of high-speed Internet access solutions and the EtherWave family of daisy-chainable, plug-and-play Ethernet solutions.

"We are finding that many of the engineers we are hiring live in the South Bay, and we wanted to have a facility that was conveniently located in order to attract some of the best people in the business," said Rita Dettore, human resources manager.

Farallon's new R&D facility is located in the Lincoln Park building at 2880 Zanker Road, Suite #207, San Jose, CA 95131. Engineers interested in working at Farallon can contact human resources at (510) 814-5100.

Farallon

Founded in 1986, Farallon Computing, Inc. is an industry-leading developer of networking products that enable Internet and Intranet users to increase their productivity. With over 30 percent of the schools in the United States networked with Farallon's products, the company is again taking a leadership position by contributing its knowledge and expertise of the Internet to students and teachers.

For more information on Farallon's new Internet access routers or the company's broad line of hardware and software networking products, contact your nearest Farallon reseller or Farallon Customer Service at telephone (510) 814-5000, fax (510) 814-5023 or Internet info@farallon.com. A list of Farallon distributors worldwide is available on the company's Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.farallon.com or from Farallon Customer Service. Farallon is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. and has European offices in Paris and London.

FOR GENERAL AND PRODUCT INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5000

 info@farallon.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION ONLY, CONTACT:

 AMAL ABED

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5307

 amal@farallon.com

 KRISTIN KNUDSEN

 Thomas Associates

 (415) 325-6236

 kristin@thomaspr.com


Ericsson to Private label GDC APEX ATM Sw
GDC AND ERICSSON INK NEW DEAL

ERICSSON TO PRIVATE LABEL THE GDC APEX ATM SWITCHES

LAS VEGAS, NV, USA --April 3, 1996 -- General DataComm, Inc. (NYSE-GDC) and Ericsson Business Networks AB at this week's Networld+Interop Spring '96 show (Booth 5345), announced they signed a contract to private label the GDC APEX family of ATM switches. The first phase of the contract stipulates a need for approximately 200 edge switches.

GDC and Ericsson entered into a systems integration relationship in January 1995, which resulted in Ericsson supplying the APEX switches to Telia, Sweden's national telephone operator. Ericsson will now include the APEX product family into integrated solutions for other customers.

"Based on our good experience of the APEX product family," said Rolf Johansson, Manager Network Design, Ericsson Business Networks AB, "we will extend the relationship with GDC and include their ATM products in integrated solutions, supporting data, voice and video applications. This together with our total networking competence gives us a unique opportunity on an expanding market."

"GDC has been ranked as the leader in the ATM market in Europe by Dataquest," said Ross Belson, president, General DataComm. "The extension of our relationship with Ericsson validates the Dataquest findings, as well as attests to the strength of GDC's ATM product offerings."

The GDC APEX family of ATM switches includes the APEX-DV2, an enterprise premises switch for campus or private network environments, the APEX-NPX, designed to meet the demanding requirements of telecommunications service providers, the Multi-Service Access Concentrators, designed to extend the reach of ATM technology from the edge of an enterprise or service provider's network to smaller workgroup and traffic locations. GDC APEX is a scalable system that can easily and cost-effectively be upgraded to accommodate network growth. Moreover, GDC continues to develop voice over ATM and multimedia interfaces for the APEX product line as outlined in earlier APEX-ADVANTAGE announcements, and will be demonstrating these advanced service interfaces as part of the entire APEX-ADVANTAGE strategy during 1996.

Ericsson offers a complete product portfolio for broadband networking, including switching, access network, transport network and telecom management systems. The network oriented solutions cover everything from service development and operator business support to network design and implementation. The APEX family will be part of such network solutions.

Ericsson's 85,000 employees are active in more than 100 countries. Their combined expertise in switching, radio and networking makes Ericsson a world leader in telecommunications.


GDC APEX-Advantage '96 Service Provisioning
GDC ANNOUNCES APEX-ADVANTAGE '96

GDC'S NETWORK VISION FOCUSES ON ATM SERVICE PROVISIONING GUIDING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING PROGRAMS

LAS VEGAS, NV -- April 2, 1996 -- Leveraging its extensive experience working with service providers and ATM switched networking, General DataComm, Inc. (NYSE-GDC) today introduced at Networld+Interop (booth # 5345) APEX-ADVANTAGE '96, GDC's vision of how service provisioning will evolve. The core of the APEX-ADVANTAGE concept, first introduced in March 1995, is to deliver full and flexible ATM support of data, voice and video applications. As GDC's new strategic ATM blueprint, APEX-ADVANTAGE '96 reflects the evolution of this overall ATM concept to provide for a range of functionality that optimizes the link from a customer's premises to the carrier's office.

"With the communications deregulation that is occurring around the world, service provisioning is becoming more and more competitive. To stand out from the crowd, service providers must build network infrastructures and service that support their customers' current needs, and anticipate their future requirements, as well," said Michael C. Thurk, senior vice president, marketing and service, GDC. "APEX-ADVANTAGE '96 is GDC's roadmap for service providers to meet these needs, thus facilitating the rapid deployment of wide area ATM network communications. And as an ATM market leader, according to Dataquest, GDC is finding that more and more service providers are following our roadmap."

There are three underlying technology components of APEX-ADVANTAGE '96: high speed backbone ATM switching, frame-to-ATM access and service and open, flexible, scalable network management.

HIGH SPEED BACKBONE ATM SWITCHING

APEX-ADVANTAGE '96 specifies how GDC's existing APEX-DV2 and APEX-NPX networks connect with even more powerful switching platforms such as GDC's APEX-Strobos'. APEX-Strobos, to be formally announced in the latter half of 1996, will provide such features as very high-speed cell switching, high port densities, support for higher speed transport and sophisticated carrier-oriented network management.

FRAME-TO-ATM ACCESS AND SERVICE

GDC differentiates itself from competitors by providing a unique high density Frame Relay/Frame UNI to ATM interface in the APEX switching family for Internet access and service providers. With User Selectable Protocols for frame relay and Frame UNI on the same platform, GDC's solutions are unsurpassed in protecting existing service provisioning investments. GDC offers customers high-density frame relay and ATM switching in a single platform, along with a smooth migration path to frame UNI with a simple software download. This can substantially reduce the cost of deployment for service providers wishing to offer multiple services over a single backbone, especially as compared to a multiple platform solution.

OPEN, FLEXIBLE, SCALABLE NETWORK MANAGEMENT

APEX-ProSphere' Network Management is a new suite of GDC APEX&#174 ATM network management applications for cost-effective, virtually effortless management of the network. Based on GDC's open, standards-based architecture for network management, APEX-ProSphere currently includes: a common management platform for alarms, events and diagnostics, allowing easy isolation for network-wide fault conditions; a Service Provisioning Manager to enable simple, graphical, end-to-end configuration of ATM and higher layer services in the APEX network; the Routing Generation Manager - a point-and-click application to automatically construct and download cost-optimized routes for self-healing APEX ATM networks; and the APEX Accounting Management System, the first system to provide usage-based billing for public switched ATM services.

The GDC APEX family of ATM switches includes the APEX-DV2, an enterprise switch for campus or private network environments, the APEX-NPX, designed to meet the demanding requirements of telecommunications service providers, and the Multi-Service Access Family (MAC, MAC1), designed to extend the reach of ATM technology from the edge of an enterprise or service provider's network to smaller workgroup and remote traffic locations. GDC APEX is a scalable system that can easily and cost-effectively be upgraded to accommodate network growth. Moreover, GDC continues to develop voice over ATM and multimedia interfaces for the APEX product line as outlined in earlier APEX-ADVANTAGE announcements, and will be demonstrating these advanced service interfaces as part of the entire APEX-ADVANTAGE '96 strategy during 1996.


JASON Project Plunges Students in the Ocean
CYBERSURFING THE HIGH SEAS, THE JASON PROJECT PLUNGES MILLIONS OF STUDENTS INTO THE OCEAN

Educational Adventure Excites Students in Science

Key Largo, FL -- High technology meets the high seas on the Internet as computer users worldwide will be able to access the first-ever underwater web site, view in real time a live scientific expedition of marine ecosystems off the southern coast of Florida, and chat with scientists living in an underwater laboratory as they research and analyze organisms and environments in the diverse Florida watershed.

All this can be reached from the JASON Project homepage, http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/JASON.html, a learning tool that is one component of the JASON Project. An annual, high-tech, interactive learning adventure, the JASON Project is designed to excite and engage students in science and technology and motivate and provide professional development for their teachers. The JASON Project broadcasts scientific exploration live to hundreds of thousands of students at Primary Interactive Network Sites in the US, UK, Bermuda and Mexico. Using advanced, interactive, telecommunications technology, the students at the Primary Sites watch the expedition live, ask the scientists at the Florida expedition site questions and drive an underwater remote operated vehicle from their local site.

World's First Underwater Web Site

Providing a virtual porthole into the teeming, brightly- hued underwater life off the Florida coast, the world's first underwater web site will plunge web surfers to the ocean floor. This web site, available April 15-26, will be serving live video snapshots in color from inside an underwater research laboratory where scientists actually live and work 60 feet under the ocean's surface for extended periods of time. Web site visitors can see a quick-time virtual reality tour of the laboratory, called AQUARIUS, as well as live pictures taken inside and outside the facility. Located nine miles from the Florida Keys coast, AQUARIUS is owned by NOAA and managed by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The web site was designed by EDS Corporation, founding sponsor and technology provider for the JASON Project.

Live Cybercasts of JASON VII Programming

Web surfers can cruise on a nuclear-powered submarine, chase sharks, and explore an unidentified shipwreck by tuning into the world's first underwater "cybercast" using cutting edge audio/video streaming technology. The cybercasts simultaneously broadcast the live audio and video signals that are sent via satellite to the Primary Sites. The special video streaming software can be downloaded free from the JASON Project homepage to view the cybercast. Viewers may also select from an extensive menu of prerecorded video programming, including highlights of past expeditions.

JASON Project Homepage

From rivers to streams, from swamps to lakes, students around the world have been posting data from their local aquatic field investigations to a specially-designed interface of the JASON homepage to electronically enrich their JASON VII curriculum activities. Throughout the school year, JASON-participating schools have been using the interactive investigation not only to learn about local watersheds, but to establish communication with other classes around the world to compare and contrast their research findings. The JASON homepage broadens their scope of scientific understanding while fostering new global friendships.

The JASON Project homepage was voted one of the best educational sites on the World Wide Web by I-way magazine in its yearly I-way 500 rating of the best on the Web. The JASON Page, which ranked second in the listing, was noted for its innovative use of the web as an education tool, especially for the interactivity it provides students and teachers. The JASON Page also received the "Souper Site" seal of approval from Parent Soup, an America Online community designed specifically for parents to help educate and raise their children.

Live Chats with Scientists Living Underwater

While the JASON homepage is educational, it also gives students the excitement of seeing what their peers on this scientific adventure are discovering and experiencing. Student Argonauts, students hand-picked to assist scientists at the expedition site, will post daily reports describing their scientific and production activities. Video images, data maps and other data analysis will supplement their reports, giving viewers back home a more detailed look into JASON Project VII.

To bring the expedition even closer to home, visitors logged on the Internet will be able to chat live with the Student Argonauts and AQUARIUS scientists about their research. Dr. Jerry Wellington, a JASON team scientist living in AQUARIUS, expects to use the live chat sessions to describe the ongoing experiments set up inside and outside AQUARIUS, as well as conduct Q&A sessions with inquisitive students.

The JASON Project high-tech learning adventure was founded in 1989 by Dr. Ballard after receiving thousands of letters from students asking him about his discovery of the wreckage of the R.M.S. Titanic. The JASON Foundation for Education is supported by a unique alliance of public, private and non-profit organizations that are committed to the improvement of science and technical education for all students. EDS Corporation, a founding sponsor, is the technology provider to the JASON Project. Other National Corporate Sponsors are Bechtel, the National Geographic Society, Sprint, SUN Microsystems and Eastman Kodak Company. The State of Florida Department of Education is a partner for JASON VII.

 Contact: Scott Treibitz

 Voice: 305-451-2345

 or

 Contact: Amber Moore

 Voice: 703-276-2772

 Email: tricom1234@aol.com


Softbank Expos Acquires Strategic Networks
Strategic Networks Acquired by Softbank Expos & Announces "Interop Roadshow" Conference Tour

Consulting Firm Teams With Interop to Boost Educational, Consulting, and Testing Offerings

FOSTER CITY, CA AND ROCKLAND, MA--(APRIL 3, 1995)--Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc., a leading provider of networking consulting, testing, seminar and advisory services, announced today that it has been acquired by SOFTBANK Exposition and Conference Company of Foster City, CA. SOFTBANK Expos, with its Interop group, produces NetWorld+Interop and Interop DotCom as well as many other major technology events.

Nicholas J. Lippis, III, founder and president of Strategic Networks, believes the acquisition will accelerate Strategic Networks' already rapid growth. "Strategic Networks has been tremendously successful and growing at a breakneck pace. SOFTBANK, through the Interop group, has the resources that make it possible for Strategic Networks to grow even faster. There is a lot of synergy between our companies that can be leveraged to our mutual advantage. I am very excited about this opportunity for Strategic Networks," Mr. Lippis said.

"Strategic Networks' strength in technical education, consulting and testing, is a natural complement to the Interop events, which are focused around advanced education of professional networkers," said William Lohse, President of SOFTBANK Expos. "We believe Nick is a real star in the technological universe and are proud to be partnering with him and his company."

The first Strategic Networks venture produced by Interop will be Remote Access '96, a series of eight day-long seminars on the delivery of high-quality, cost effective remote access services. The seminars are highly participatory, including the presentation of four case studies to which vendors will offer technology solutions. Attendees not only have the opportunity to enter into a dialogue with the vendors around the case studies, but can also present their own case studies for considering. Remote Access '96 will be presented in the following cities:

  Minneapolis, MN: June 4

  Reston, VA: June 6

  Oak Brook, IL: June 11

  New York, NY: June 13

  Bellevue, WA: June 18

  San Jose, CA: June 20

  Denver, CO: June 25

  Boston, MA: June 27

For seminar information call 1-800-875-9108.

In conjunction with the SOFTBANK acquisition, Strategic Networks is also introducing two new performance evaluations. The 1996 ISDN Router and Bridge Evaluation will be conducted as a joint effort between Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc. and Core Competence, Inc., headed by Mr. David M. Piscitello. This Evaluation will deliver crucial information to network professionals who are looking to ISDN routers and bridges to eliminate bandwidth bottlenecks and to provide scalable bandwidth for their remote access networks.

The 1996 ISDN Router and Bridge Evaluation will define and compare the functionality, performance, and cost of the leading ISDN router and bridge equipment for remote access. The Evaluation includes a combination of detailed, objective functionality comparison and evaluation plus meaningful analysis that puts this data in the proper perspective. This complete and balanced analysis will be invaluable to network managers as they select the most appropriate network devices for a wide range of remote and branch office access applications. End-users and small office consumers will find the result of the Evaluation equally useful in selecting access equipment for telecommuting and Internet access purposes.

The 1996 ATM Switch Evaluation will be conducted by Strategic Networks and Scott Bradner, Director, Harvard Network Test Device Lab. This Evaluation will prove to be the most thorough evaluation of products that offer cell switching services. Its purpose is to provide both users and manufacturers of this technology with reliable and comprehensive information that addresses each audience's key concerns.

The testing phase of the 1996 "ATM Switch" Evaluation is designed to provide a set of meaningful and repeatable performance metrics that are applicable to a broad set of ATM switch products. Scott Bradner and Strategic Networks will carefully analyze product performance relative to these metrics and thoroughly examine product functionality critical to successful real-world implementation. Strategic Networks will use the test results and its own extensive knowledge of critical user issues to get to the heart of the most pressing concerns facing network managers and to help switch vendors accurately position their products. Strategic Networks' extensive work with Fortune 1000 network managers puts it in a unique position to add the qualitative analysis that will be meaningful and significant to both the vendor and user communities. For testing information call 1-800-999-7621.

"Testing is where the rubber meets the road in the search for technical truth," said Mike Edelhart, Vice President of Interop, to whom Strategic Network will report. "We are excited by the benefits we can bring the network market through this extraordinary testing program."

Mr. Lippis will continue to serve as president of Strategic Networks at its Rockland, MA site.

NetWorld+Interop is a comprehensive networking event that offers a combination of conferences, tutorials, workshops, exhibits and interactive technology demonstrations. Launched in Las Vegas in 1994, NetWorld+Interop also produces events in London, Sydney, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Atlanta, Paris and, in 1997, Singapore. Recognized as The Networking Summit, these events address the business, engineering and product application issues of the Internet and the networking industry. They are the industry's premier events where attendees come to experience new and emerging networking technologies before making critical purchasing decisions. At the NetWorld+Interop web site (http://www.interop.com), attendees can research the latest in exhibitor product information, technology conference offerings, show events and year-round NetWorld+Interop information.

SOFTBANK Expos, the world's largest Internet conference & trade show company, presents 21st century technology events. Its shows and conferences include NetWorld+Interop, Interop DotCom, JavaOne, Seybold Seminars, Windows Solutions, ComputerMania, Interactive 96, Support Services and Computer Training & Support. The events begin with the best available educational conferences, which attract the brightest professionals in the technology community. The interactive trade show floor is a professionally enriching experience for the qualified attendees who visit the exhibitors year-round with on-line events and a collection of focused newsletters.

SOFTBANK Expos, 303 Vintage Park Drive, Foster City, CA 94404

1-800-4-SBEXPOS, 415-578-6900, http://www.sbexpos.com


Interactive Conf & Expo Doubles Expo Floor
14th Annual Interactive Conference & Expo Doubles Expo Floor

MEDFORD, MA (APRIL 10, 1996)--SOFTBANK Institute announced today that more than 200 booths have been booked for the Interactive '96 Conference & Expo which will be held May 12-15, 1996 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This year's Expo Hall is twice the size of the Interactive '95 Expo Hall and is one of the reasons why the Georgia World Congress Center was chosen as a site. Companies representing products and services used in interactive training will be exhibiting at the Interactive '96 Expo. SOFTBANK Institute, the conference and expo organizer, is predicting that the show attendance will grow by more than 30% in 1996.

"The reason for the explosive growth at this year's expo is three-fold," according to Kerry Brady, SOFTBANK Institute Expo Sales Executive. "First, the growth in the use of interactive technology in training is resulting in an increasing number of vendors focusing on the training market. Second, this is the world's largest forum for buyers of interactive products and services used in training, and vendors want to be sure to be visible to their market. And third, the conference program has been carefully crafted to attract a high-quality buying audience. The Expo attendees will come to our conference to be educated in the cutting-edge as well as the practical uses of interactive technology in training, they will then shop as qualified buyers in the Expo Hall for a variety of products and services."

The Interactive '96 Conference and Expo will be the world's largest forum focused expressly on the application of interactive multimedia technologies in training and performance. More than 3000 training professionals, interactive multimedia developers and designers, IS professionals, instructional designers, computer-based training and interactive video authors, and online documentation specialists from across the country will gather at the Georgia World Congress Center to learn how interactive technology can be used in training to enhance the performance of organizations.

"Organizations, large and small, are dealing with a variety of pressures which can be alleviated by using interactive technologies to develop and deliver training," said Cinda Daly, SOFTBANK Institute Program Director for Interactive '96." Training directors are pressured to provide greater efficiency and productivity from employees at all levels, to accommodate the same training needs with fewer financial and human resources, and to measure learning and evaluate results, to name just a few. At Interactive '96, training directors, staff and curriculum developers will come together to share ideas and strategies for coping with these and other pressures."

This year's conference offers more than 120 solution-based educational sessions on such topics as Using Web Technology, Design Methodologies, Management Perspectives, Techniques for Experienced Multimedia Developers, The Classroom and Multimedia Convergence, Distance Learning, Tackling the First Multimedia Training Project, Supporting Performance: Systems, Processes and Tools; Performance Support Application Design, and Online Documentation and Help. Industry leaders will provide the opening and closing keynote speeches. On Monday, May 13, Michael Vance, Chairman and Founder of the Creative Thinking Association of America and former Dean of Disney University, will challenge attendees with his speech Think Out of the Box: A Formula for Success. Business communication expert William Horton will provide the closing address, Future.media@interactive.96.

In addition to a comprehensive conference, Interactive '96 will offer the largest expo of its kind in the training industry. Top interactive vendors, including companies such as Asymetrix Corporation, AT&T Tridom, and Global Knowledge Network, will display their products and services. Product announcements by exhibiting vendors targeting the interactive training marketplace are expected as well. In addition, a Best of Show Awards program will be introduced, where attendees will have an opportunity to vote on the best application of an interactive technology in training, performance support or online documentation.

SOFTBANK Institute is the world's leading provider of professional development and networking opportunities for employees responsible for enhancing performance in the workplace. In addition to the annual Interactive Conference & Expo, SOFTBANK Institute produces the annual Computer Training & Support Conference & Expo, the annual Support Services Conference & Expo, and provides year-round professional development through SkillTech Professional Seminars. SOFTBANK Institute is a division of SOFTBANK Exposition & Conference Company. For information or to register for Interactive '96, call 1-800-34-TRAIN (outside the US call 1-617-393-3635.)

SOFTBANK Expos, the world's largest Internet conference & trade show company, presents 21st century technology events. Its shows and conferences include NetWorld+Interop, Interop DotCom, JavaOne, Seybold Seminars, Windows Solutions, ComputerMania, Interactive 96, Support Services and Computer Training & Support. The events begin with the best available educational conferences which attract the brightest professionals in the technology community. The interactive trade show floor is a professionally enriching experience for the qualified attendees who visit the exhibitors year-round with on-line events and a collection of focused newsletters.

SOFTBANK Expos, 303 Vintage Park Drive, Foster City, CA 94404

1-800-4-SBEXPOS, 415-578-6900, http://www.sbexpos.com


SonicPPP Upgraded for Macintosh
SONIC RELEASES FIRST OPEN TRANSPORT COMPATIBLE PPP CLIENT WITH APPLETALK AND TCP/IP SUPPORT

SUNNYVALE, CALIF. - April 10, 1996 - Sonic Systems, Inc. today announced an upgrade to SonicPPP, it's popular PPP client software for the Macintosh, making it the first Open Transport compatible PPP client to support both AppleTalk and TCP/IP.

SonicPPP allows Mac users to dial-in to a PPP remote access server, such as Sonic's QuickStream/3, to access AppleTalk and TCP/IP network resources in the same point-and-click manner they would when in the office and connected directly to the network. AppleTalk file servers and printers can be selected from the Chooser and other AppleTalk services such as E-mail and databases can be used without learning new access methods. For companies with direct connections to the Internet, all Ethernet based TCP/IP services, such as Internet mail, World Wide Web, FTP and News groups are also available to the remote user via SonicPPP.

"Open Transport is the new network operating system for the Macintosh, but there is no PPP client currently available which allows AppleTalk and TCP/IP," said Sudhakar Ravi, Sonic's Vice President of Engineering. Mr. Ravi continued, "SonicPPP offers this functionality so that users don't have to wait for Apple's long-delayed ARA 3.0."

SonicPPP, included with Sonic's QuickStream/3 Remote Access Server, is available from Sonic's Web Site at http://www.sonicsys.com.

For more information on Sonic Systems or its line of Macintosh networking products, please call (408) 736-1900, fax at (408) 736-7228, E-mail to sales@sonicsys.com or visit Sonic's Web Site at http://www.sonicsys.com.

Editorial contact:

Sonic Systems, Inc.

Larry Woodard

Director of Marketing

575 N. Pastoria Ave.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Tel: (408) 736-1900 X 103

Fax: (408) 736-7228

E-mail: larry@sonicsys.com


Spyglass Licensing Agreement with QNX Swr
Spyglass and QNX Team Up to Bring High Performance Embedded Web Technology to Consumers in TVs, PDAs, Other Internet Appliances

Naperville, Ill. -- Thursday, April 4, 1996 -- Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) announced today a licensing agreement with QNX Software Systems Ltd. of Ottawa, Canada, the largest supplier of highly scalable, realtime OS software for x86 CPUs. This agreement will enable Spyglass embedded Web technology to end up in various applications such as televisions, set-top boxes, PDAs, and other Internet appliances running the QNX operating system.

Marc Miller, Spyglass executive vice president of marketing, estimates that several million copies of Spyglass client technology could be distributed through the QNX agreement. Current estimates are that there are approximately 15 million users of Web browser software. The potential for embedded technology is even greater given the size of the market for consumer electronics and business systems devices.

"Web browsers are limiting," Miller said, "but building Web capabilities inside consumer devices is boundless. We adopted an embedded Web technology strategy when we entered the Web marketplace nearly two years ago, and the QNX deal validates our case, again."

"Given the enormous market for PC-based consumer devices, this pact presents tremendous growth opportunities," said Miller. "Moreover, since QNX can run on various Web platforms -- televisions, set-top boxes, hand-held terminals, PDAs, and the like -- this represents exciting distribution opportunities for our technology."

According to QNX Software Systems President Gordon Bell, Spyglass embeddable technology was an ideal fit for QNX when the company looked to bring strong, leading edge Web browser technology to its line of high-performance realtime software. "We require efficient technology that can be broken apart, easily embedded, and configured to suit devices such as Web terminals with small-memory footprints right up to full-featured Web browsers for our workstation OS users," Bell said.

Developers of embedded applications are always looking for ways to minimize memory hardware costs for consumer devices by fitting the most software into the smallest memory footprint. According to Dan Dodge, vice president of Research and Development and co-founder of QNX Software Systems, "It's hard to imagine a high-performance, multitasking OS with a complete windowing system running in something as tiny as a PDA or set-top box, but that's exactly what we've done and why Internet appliance manufactures are coming to us."

QNX also offers tremendous scalability and modularity, Dodge said. "Rather than force developers to work with one OS for the desktop, another OS for networks, yet another OS for PDAs, and so on, we provide a single scalable operating system that can fit various target platforms while maintaining high performance connectivity," he said. "We're the only OS vendor to do this. In combination with Spyglass' embeddable Web technology we will be extending this paradigm to Web access."

Software developers have been eager for the Spyglass technology on QNX. "We already have a number of VARs and consumer Web device OEMs lining up for the port of this technology to our Photon microGUI," said Dodge. The Photon microGUI is QNX's high-performance graphical user interface. It recently won BYTE Magazine's 1995 Award of Distinction and will used to provide the front end for Spyglass technology on QNX.

QNX Software Systems officials said the company would begin deploying the Spyglass technology within the next three months.

About QNX Software Systems Ltd.

QNX Software Systems Ltd. (Kanata, ON, Canada) is the industry leader in high-performance realtime operating system software for PCs. With hundreds of thousands of installations in over 60 countries, the company has established a firm base over the last 15 years in many application areas, including industrial automation, point-of-sale, financial online-transaction processing, medical instrumentation, and communications. Some of the company's customers include such diverse corporations as DuPont, GE, General Mills, Kodak, Sony, Motorola, and Texaco. (Headquarters: 175 Terence Matthews Crescent, Kanata, Ontario, Canada Tel: 613-591-0931; Fax: 613-591-3579; Press email inquiries: jenp@qnx.com.)

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 56 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 145 Internet-based products and services.

Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. (Headquarters: telephone -- 708.505.1010, ext. 504; fax: 708.505.4944; press email inquiries: Randy Pitzer; Web server, Internet: www.spyglass.com.


SQL Testing in all PeopleSoft Products
PeopleSoft and SQA Sign Exclusive Worldwide Agreement to Integrate and Distribute SQA's Testing Solution in All PeopleSoft Products on Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.X

PeopleSoft will also standardize on SQA Suite for its worldwide, internal client/server testing.

WOBURN, MASS. -- APRIL 11, 1996 -- SQA, INC. (NASDAQ: SQAX), the leader in automated testing of Windows client/server applications, today announced a strategic worldwide agreement with PeopleSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSFT), a leading provider of client/server business software. Under the terms of the agreement, PeopleSoft will exclusively integrate and bundle SQA's industry-leading automated testing tool, SQA Robot, with PeopleSoft applications. PeopleSoft will deliver SQA's award-winning product to every PeopleSoft customer to ensure that their PeopleSoft applications maintain the highest quality during installation, customization, deployment, and maintenance.

In the agreement SQA also grants PeopleSoft a worldwide site license to use SQA Suite internally. PeopleSoft will standardize on SQA's solution as its corporate standard for client/server testing. This will include the use of SQA's testing tools by hundreds of PeopleSoft engineers and quality assurance (QA) personnel, as well as a complete training in SQA's unique client/server testing process, SQA Process.

"PeopleSoft is demonstrating an industry-leading commitment to quality by integrating automated testing into their client/server application products, " said Ron Nordin, president and CEO of SQA. "This is example of the type of forward-thinking and innovation that has made PeopleSoft such a successful company. We're very excited to have them as a business partner and a customer."

"This strategic agreement with SQA represents our continual effort to provide the highest quality client/server applications to our customers," said Dave Duffield, PeopleSoft president and CEO. "We are very selective in choosing only industry-leading solutions to deliver to our customers. We chose SQA after a thorough investigation of the tools and companies in the market. We're convinced SQA is the leader in automated client/server testing."

Agreement Strengthens PeopleSoft Product Line and Brings Benefits to PeopleSoft Customers

Under the terms of the agreement, PeopleSoft will integrate and deliver a specialized version of SQA Robot, SQA's core automated testing product, in every sale and upgrade of PeopleSoft's applications, including PeopleSoft Financials, PeopleSoft Distribution, PeopleSoft Manufacturing, and PeopleSoft HRMS. The specialized version of SQA Robot will be bundled with PeopleSoft's PeopleTools software, an innovative suite of rapid application development tools, productivity tools, and decision support tools created specifically for building, modifying, managing, and using client/server business applications. PeopleSoft's entire worldwide customer base will receive the special version of SQA Robot and be able to use it to deliver high-quality PeopleSoft applications on Windows NT, Windows 95 and Windows 3.x across a wide variety of popular database platforms, including DB2, Oracle, Informix, Sybase System 11, and Microsoft SQL Server.

SQA will tightly integrate SQA Suite with PeopleTools by way of an API (application programming interface) that PeopleSoft will build under SQA's guidance. This API will allow SQA to bring the benefits of its unique Object Testing and Object-Oriented Recording to PeopleSoft customers. The API will be exclusively available to SQA.

"This agreement is a win for PeopleSoft's customers, as well as PeopleSoft and SQA," said Roger Hodskins, vice president of strategic alliances at SQA. "PeopleSoft users will enjoy the benefits of SQA's advanced automated testing, and PeopleSoft will be the first client/server applications vendor that can offer an integrated industrial-strength testing solution to its customers."

Many of PeopleSoft's customers already benefit from the use of SQA's testing solution. "After comprehensive analysis of all major automated testing products on the market, British Petroleum came to the conclusion that SQA's product was by far the best to use with PeopleSoft," said Ken Ward, Manager of Employee Services at British Petroleum. "The tighter integration of SQA Suite with PeopleSoft products will deliver additional benefits to current PeopleSoft users."

In the agreement SQA has also granted PeopleSoft the right to resell the complete, generally-available version of SQA Suite to its end- users, as well as through its extensive network of partners. PeopleSoft will also become an SQA Authorized Training Partner and be able to deliver SQA's training and services.

PeopleSoft Will Become an SQA Corporate Customer and End User

Under the agreement SQA will grant PeopleSoft a worldwide site license to use SQA Suite in its quality assurance and testing process by its internal employees and contractors. SQA will provide product maintenance, upgrade and telephone support during the agreement period.

"Our internal testing needs are very demanding and span Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.x," said Peter Nasca, vice president of release management at PeopleSoft. "We had to pick a vendor that could help us satisfy our testing needs as well as the needs of our customers. We're experienced in automated testing and we put every vendor through a thorough evaluation. We're confident we've made the right decision with SQA."

ABOUT PEOPLESOFT, INC.

PeopleSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSFT) was established in 1987 to provide innovative software solutions that meet the changing business demands of enterprises worldwide. A client/server applications pioneer and market share leader, PeopleSoft develops, markets, and supports a complete suite of enterprise applications for accounting, materials management, distribution, manufacturing, and human resources for several hundred Fortune 1000 customers around the world. PeopleSoft product and service information can be located on the World Wide Web at www.peoplesoft.com.


STB Video Rage Accelerator in Destination PC
STB Systems Announces VIDEO RAGE - An Accelerator and TV Tuner Featured In Gateway 2000's New Destination Big Screen PC

Open Your Eyes To The Next Generation Of Gaming Excitement

Richardson, Texas -- April 1, 1996 -- STB Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ-STBI), today announces that computer game enthusiasts can now compete on the most impressive electronic playground ever, thanks to an innovative new generation of graphics display and acceleration technologies.

The Gateway 2000 Destination Big Screen PC is the world's first system to effectively combine the power of an advanced PC with the eye-popping visuals of a wide-screen home entertainment TV. Gateway's Destination incorporates an expansive 31-inch TV/VGA monitor, a wireless keyboard, a wireless trackball/mouse, a communications center and a generous bundle of software. With these features, Gateway 2000 expects Destination to become the game and home entertainment system of the future.

STB System's VIDEO RAGE graphics card provides the full-motion, flicker-free acceleration that brings better-than-TV resolution to the Destination Big Screen PC. The VIDEO RAGE board employs an on-board GUI and digital video accelerator, using 2MB of VRAM for display modes up to 1024x768 pixels.

VIDEO RAGE is a PCI bus card that is fully MicrosoftR Plug-and-Play 1.0a compliant and which meets PCI 2.1 specification requirements. The STB VIDEO RAGE is also a cable-ready television tuner capable of receiving more than 125-channels and accepting composite or S-Video input, while delivering near-HDTV output performance. The integrated digital video scaler provides window control from full-screen to icon size.

Additional STB VIDEO RAGE features include: NTSC to YUV video decoder capable of supporting up to three input sources; standard VGA and VESA graphics modes up to 1024x7698 at 75Hz, non-interlaced; GUI accelerator capable of more than 20 million Winmarks (Winbench 4.0 P5-75).

VIDEO RAGE expands STB's extensive line of multimedia graphics accelerators. STB is a leading worldwide source of DRAM-based GUI accelerators, and specializes in working with game developers and others to provide affordable and technically superior board solutions.

The Gateway 2000 Destination Big Screen PC, which is available for viewing at the Computer Game Developers Conference 1996, also incorporates STB's SOUND RAGE 32 sound card.

SIMPLY THE BEST!

STB Systems, Inc., is a leader in the development and manufacture of video graphics adapters used primarily in IBM-compatible desktop (PCs). STB is one of the largest independent suppliers of video graphics adapters worldwide. Founded in 1981, the company has established a tradition of designing award-winning video graphics adapters and writing specialized video drivers and utilities which provide maximum software performance and compatibility. STB also manufactures multimedia, 3D, sound and Specialized Technology products. STB's headquarters are in Richardson, Texas with operational offices worldwide including eastern United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. STB's primary manufacturing facility is located in Juarez Mexico.


Sundial to Publish Clearlook OS/2 Word Proc
Sundial Systems to Publish Clearlook Word Processor

A Bright Future for Clearlook

April 2, 1996, Seal Beach, CA - Sundial Systems Corporation and Clearlook Corporation today announced that Sundial Systems has become the publisher of the Clearlook Word Processor.

"This means that Clearlook has a bright future with continued development and support ensured. Sundial has a long-standing reputation of commitment and success in the OS/2 market," noted Helmut Gassner of Clearlook Corporation.

Under the agreement, Sundial Systems has assumed all publishing, marketing and distribution responsibilities for the Clearlook Word Processor. Thus all existing Clearlook customers have become Sundial Systems customers, and existing orders and warranty obligations for Clearlook are being honored by Sundial. Clearlook Corporation will continue development and the two companies will work together to insure that future versions of Clearlook respond to customer needs and address the on-going dynamics of the OS/2 word processing market.

"Sundial has long been a leader in exploiting the industry's most advanced technologies that are included in OS/2 Warp," said John Soyring, Vice President of IBM Personal Software Products. "With Sundial's leadership, I expect they will bring valuable new features to the OS/2 word processing market as well."

Sundial Systems has already assumed technical support responsibility for all English-language versions of Clearlook and the support policies for Clearlook remain unchanged. Sundial has added Clearlook to its support area on Compuserve. Additional support options are planned for future availability. "The tradition of quality technical support for all of Sundial's customers remains unchanged -- whether they are using Relish or Clearlook. While we are still getting up to speed on the more sophisticated aspects of Clearlook, and thus might not have all the answers as quickly as we would like, we have been preparing to support the Clearlook customer base for some time" said Rollin White of Sundial Systems.

Sundial Systems will shortly make available a new version of Clearlook which has been "rebranded" as a Sundial product - "Clearlook from Sundial Systems." This version (1.7) will replace the version currently available in the channel and will be the subject of a future announcement.

Work is also progressing on Version 2.0 of Clearlook which is planned for availability later this year. Over time, Sundial Systems also plans to integrate portions of its Relish product family with portions of Clearlook to produce some exciting new products targeted toward specific solutions to customer needs.

"With this announcement, we'd like to welcome the existing Clearlook community to the Sundial Systems family. Our commitment to the OS/2 market started in 1987, continues today, and is accelerating into the future," remarked Carla Hanzlik, Vice President of Sundial Systems.

For further information on Clearlook and Sundial Systems, contact Randell Flint, President of Sundial Systems, at 310-596-5121 or 310-596-5366 or clearlook@ibm.net.


US Robotics Sportster Voice Faxmodems
U.S. Robotics announces Sportster Voice faxmodems; V.34 faxmodems offer integrated communications solutions

SKOKIE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 1996--U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ:USRX) today announced new Sportster products that bring full-duplex speakerphone and professional office message center capability to the small office.

The Sportster Voice product line includes internal and external V.34 faxmodems for computers running Microsoft Windows, and an external V.34 faxmodem for Macintosh computers. All three models include the 33.6 Kbps V.34 speed enhancement which increases V.34's top speed from 28.8 Kbps and boosts throughput at lower speeds. All models integrate the capabilities of a high-speed modem, fax machine, full-duplex speakerphone and digital answering machine into a single, compact device.

"Sportster Voice brings advanced communications functionality to the small office and home office environment," said Michael Seedman, vice president and general manager of U.S. Robotics' Personal Communications Division. "We've combined reliable data, fax, and voice communications solutions into one affordable unit."

The Sportster Voice products provide the full fax and data capabilities of a Sportster modem in addition to personal voice mail with multiple mailboxes, remote voice message and fax retrieval capabilities, fax on demand (not available on Mac), caller ID, and a full-duplex speakerphone that allows users to talk and listen to the person on the other end without interrupting the normal flow of conversation.

All products include an Internet Connection Kit that contains the Internet guidebook "Discover the World Wide Web with Your Sportster," and a U.S. Robotics Connections CD-ROM which includes all the necessary information and software to use the modem plus a variety of additional software to access and use the Internet. The PC versions of Sportster Voice are Plug and Play and require the Windows OS to support the voice capabilities. The Macintosh version includes Megaphone screen-based telephone software from Cypress Research, Software Ventures' Internet Valet, and a free 15-day trial with PSI Net.

The Sportster Voice internal model for the PC and the Sportster Voice external model for the Macintosh are shipping. The Sportster Voice external model for the PC will begin shipping in late April, 1996. List price for the Sportster Voice internal model is $239. List price for the Sportster Voice external model for the PC and for the Sportster Voice external model for the Macintosh is $279.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products, modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies, inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.


Varian Sequential ICP-AES for Windows 95
HIGHEST-PERFORMING SEQUENTIAL ICP-AES TEAMS WITH WINDOWS 95

PALO ALTO, Calif., - April 1, 1996 - Varian introduces a new sequential ICP atomic emission spectrometer which delivers the industry's best performance for the analysis of difficult samples, and includes multi-tasking software based on the Windows 95 operating system.

The Liberty Series II easily analyzes difficult organic solvents, such as methanol, without dilution, and improves detection limits by 50% over its predecessor.

Varian's new Plasma96 software employs a unique, easy-to-use worksheet concept modeled on an analyst's workbook. From the central worksheet, users can rapidly access all results and graphics during the fully automated analysis. The worksheet can also be used to quickly customize reports from stored data or select subsets of elements for analysis.

Available as an upgrade to the hundreds of Liberty ICP users worldwide, Plasma96 software permits urgent samples to be easily inserted into an automatic sequence for rapid analysis, and includes extensive quality control, data reporting, and export options. The Windows 95 operating system allows several programs to run simultaneously, features advanced networking capabilities, and is compatible with a range of Windows and DOS products.

The new Liberty Series II ICP-AES is available in three versions, offering solutions to a broad range of customer needs from the determination of sulfur and phosphorus with an axially viewed plasma or vacuum path optical system to routine multi-element analysis for the environmental, chemical, and petrochemical industries.

For additional information or literature, contact the sales office nearest you.


VR Soccer '96 Sells Off Shelves iN UK
VR SOCCER '96 Sells Off The Shelves In U.K! Ship Date For U.S. Release Announced!

April 10, 1996 -- Irvine, California -- VR Sports announced today that the European version of VR Soccer '96 scorched to #1 in less than two days in the new UK games charts compiled by ChartTrack, the European version of PC Data and TRST. Set for a simultaneous release on both the Sony PlayStation and IBM and compatible systems in the United States, VR Soccer '96 will be the inaugural title of the newest division of Interplay Productions, VR Sports. This highly sought-after title, sold as Actua Soccer in the United Kingdom, will ship to retail April 29, 1996.

"We couldn't have asked for a better introduction for our inaugural title," remarked Paul Sackman, director of marketing for VR Sports. "It's a marketer's dream to be able to set a precedent like this. VR Sports will prove to be the publisher/developer to contend with in the sports gaming industry. It is not just a claim look at the stats."

The PlayStation version outsold every other title on the market by a marked distance, beating out Virgin's PC CD-ROM title Command & Conquer by nearly three to one and the cartridge title FIFA '96 by nearly four to one.

Developed by Gremlin Interactive, VR Soccer is the highly-awaited 3D multi-player soccer simulation that set the industry buzzing when it was first announced. VR Soccer '96 was developed utilizing precision motion-capture technology from top international soccer players via Interactive Motion Technology. Game features include 44 actual international teams plus full team editing capability and squads of 22 real players with eight different skill factors. Custom cup, team, league and tournament options, in addition to replaying moments of glory from infinite virtual camera angles, give soccer players an edge they wouldn't otherwise achieve on the soccer field. A 20-player network option rounds out the full-team experience of this cutting-edge sports sim that takes interactive sports gaming to the next level.

Since 1984, U.K. based Gremlin Interactive has been an award-winning developer and publisher of home interactive software for a variety of computer and console systems. Using only the most up-to-date technology and available equipment such as their in-house motion- capture studio, Gremlin is presently developing titles for PC CD- ROM, Sony PlayStation, SEGA Saturn and other consoles. Gremlin Interactive titles include Loaded, VR Soccer '96, Whiplash and Slipstream 5000.

VR Sports, the sports division of Interplay Productions, is developer and publisher of state-of-the-art realistic sports software for both game console systems and personal computers. VR Sports uses the most advanced technology available. The Difference Is Real! VR Sports is releasing VR Soccer '96, VR Golf '96 and VR Baseball '96 in the second quarter of 1996 for SEGA Saturn, Sony PlayStation and IBM and 100% compatible computers.


Screen Actors Guild Selects OPEN/Workflow
SCREEN ACTORS GUILD - PRODUCERS PENSION AND HEALTH PLANS SELECT WANG'S WORKFLOW SOFTWARE TO STREAMLINE PROCESSING

BILLERICA, Mass. (April 9, 1996) -- Wang (NASDAQ:WANG), a leading provider of imaging and workflow software, announced today that, together with its systems integration partner Omnikron Systems, Inc., it will provide a 55-seat Windows NT workflow software system and related services to the Screen Actors Guild - Producers Pension and Health Plans. The Health Plan services the Screen Actors Guild, one of the largest entertainment industry unions in the world, and will use Wang's OPEN/workflow for Microsoft Windows NT to automate its health plan claims processing operations. The workflow software will enable the Health Plan to process an increasing number of claims more quickly, reducing operating costs and improving customer service to approximately 36,000 participants.

Wang and Omnikron were selected by the Health Plan to integrate an existing VAX-based health claims processing system with Wang's OPEN/workflow software. The new workflow system will be used for processing health plan participants' claims and personal information, including eligibility status. It will allow several customer service employees to view participants' documents simultaneously. The workflow system will also speed employees' ability to respond to customers -- previously, employees had to manually locate or request a document from multiple sources before responding to an inquiry.

Omnikron will also supply OCR technology to the new system to dramatically reduce the time required by the claims adjuster to manually enter data on member's medical claim forms. Omnikron was selected by the Health Plan for its software integration experience in claims processing, underwriting and financial applications.

"We see the Wang/Omnikron solution as a long-term investment in automating, as fully as possible, our manual processes," said Don Stoller, director of operations, Screen Actors Guild-Producers' Pension & Health Plans. "In addition to immediate benefits such as fast turnaround time and improved customer service, we anticipate that Wang's workflow software will also enable us to handle higher levels of workloads without adding staff."

"For the Screen Actors Guild - Producers Pension & Health Plans, a key concern was ensuring that the new workflow software could leverage the current system's functionality," said Mike Epler, Omnikron's workflow and imaging manager. "Omnikron's experts will provide the systems integration work to allow the workflow system to continue driving the work processes while supporting existing system features and functionality."

The Health Plan will use Wang's OPEN/workflow running on a Microsoft Windows NT server with 55 Windows NT client workstations. A Bell & Howell 3338A scanner and HP 300ST optical jukebox will also be used in the scanning, indexing, work introduction and routing of documents. Terminal emulation is through WRQ's Reflection 2 software and electronic character recognition is done via Nestor's OMNItools 2.0 product.

"Workflow software can make a critical difference in traditionally paper-driven work processes, such as the Screen Actors Guild - Pension and Health Plans' processing operations," said Tim Corkery, vice president, channels business development, Wang.

"Together with Omnikron's integration expertise, Wang's workflow software will automate the Health Plan's former manual-based system and allow its employees to take on larger workloads, while lowering overall operating costs."

Omnikron Systems, Inc.

Omnikron Systems, Inc. is a leading client/server software development and consulting company and expert in software integration and system design. It is focused on providing solutions in workflow, imaging, COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk), Internet/intranet, data warehouse, AS/400, automated test tool technologies, and personnel to companies in the financial services, entertainment, computer manufacturer/equipment leasing, and legal services industries.

Wang

Wang Laboratories, Inc. is a recognized worldwide leader in workflow, integrated imaging, document management, network storage management and related office software for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks. Information about Wang and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.wang.com.

Contact: Ed Pignone, Wang, 508/967-4912

edmund.pignone@wang.com

Sue Parente, The Weber Group, 617/520-7072

sparente@webergroup.com

Tracy Smith, Omnikron Systems, Inc., 818/591-7897

tracy@omnikron.com


White Pine X Server Licensed to Insignia
White Pine Software Licenses X Server Technology to Insignia Solutions for NTRIGUE

OEM Deal Addresses Windows-Via-X Connectivity for the Mac

NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA (April 5, 1996) -- White Pine Software, Inc., today at Networld+Interop announced a contract has been signed to license its market leading X server technology, eXodus for Macintosh, to Insignia Solutions for use with Insignia's NTRIGUE software. NTRIGUE is a high-performance Windows NT-based application server that delivers Windows 95, Windows 3.x and Windows NT applications to all X terminals, UNIX workstations, and Power Macintosh and Macintosh computers and PCs using X display software.

eXodus simplifies the running of Windows applications on Macintosh and Power Macintosh computers. Working with Insignia, White Pine has enhanced eXodus to provide optimum support for Macintosh-based NTRIGUE users. eXodus can be easily configured to connect to an NTRIGUE server, and then run sessions with one or more Windows applications appearing seamlessly on the Mac desktop.

"Our customers are extremely excited about access to Windows applications via X; the marriage of eXodus and NTRIGUE represents the most important new step for Macintosh X connectivity in years," states Steve Roche, Director of Product Marketing for White Pine Software.

NTRIGUE is the first completely open systems-based solution to support both 32-bit and 16-bit Windows applications. As soon as NTRIGUE is installed, all enterprise desktops can access Windows 95, Windows 3.x and Windows NT applications. NTRIGUE provides a low cost, low maintenance desktop computing strategy to deliver consistent Windows applications to all enterprise desktops, and acts as a management tool to enable MIS departments to centrally manage corporate desktop applications.

"The combination of the eXodus technology and NTRIGUE will deliver all the power of the application server to users' Macintosh and Power Macintosh computers with one simple, optimized solution," said Dr. Robert P. Lee, Insignia Solutions' president and CEO.

Insignia Solutions is a leading developer of PC compatibility solutions for Macintosh computers, X Windows-capable desktops and UNIX workstations. The publicly-held company develops, markets and sells solutions that provide Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS applications on the desktop (SoftWindows), and via a Windows NT server to a variety of enterprise desktops (NTRIGUE). With its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, the company maintains research and development facilities in High Wycombe, England and in Santa Clara. The company's sales and marketing departments are located in Santa Clara; Andover, Massachusetts; and High Wycombe. Additional information about Insignia Solutions and its products can be obtained by visiting the company's Web site at http://www.insignia.com.

For over a decade, White Pine Software has pioneered desktop connectivity solutions and offers a "one stop" connectivity source - with X server and network file services, host connectivity, and Internet applications - for distributed, multiplatform environments. White Pine is the leader in desktop and host connectivity solutions for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and UNIX-based platforms, and continues to provide the most comprehensive technology for both the Internet and the Intranet. For more information visit http://www.wpine.com, email info@wpine.com or call 603-886-9050.


Zenith Intros Education Multimedia Systems
Zenith Data Systems introduces education multimedia systems

PRODUCTS DEVELOPED TO MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE EDUCATION MARKET

BUFFALO GROVE, ILL. -- April 9, 1996 -- Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) today introduced a series of multimedia solutions developed specifically for the K-12 education market. These systems couple the price/performance value of a ZDS Z-STATION VP multimedia configured desktop computer and monitor with 10 highly rated educational software titles to provide turnkey multimedia solutions for educators at prices ranging from of $1,599 - $2,399 *.

"For more than 15 years, ZDS has been providing educators with quality products that offer solution-oriented multimedia technology at outstanding values," said Jeff Loebbaka, senior director of Desktop Product Marketing. "The challenge is to continue to offer schools access to the latest technology at affordable prices and to provide complete solutions which makes it easier to integrate technology into the classroom. By providing educators with integrated technology solutions, ZDS is able to provide schools complete turnkey learning systems that enhance teaching and learning."

In developing the education multimedia systems, ZDS paid particular attention to the requirements of K-12 schools when identifying which educational software titles to include with the bundle. The ten "best of breed" titles selected address the range of educational topics and grades covered by this market. The software titles included with this bundle are: Smithsonian's America, The Animals! 2.0, World Atlas and Almanac 6.0, Math Rabbit, Time Magazine Multimedia Almanac 1996, Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia 1996, The Ultimate Human Body, My First Incredible Amazing Dictionary, The Way Things Work, and The Adventures of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny.

Additionally, the Z-STATION VP education multimedia systems meet the wide range of schools' requirements by offering a choice of Windows 95 or Windows for Workgroups, 8MB to 16MB RAM configurations, and 540MB to 1.2GB hard drive choices.

CONFIGURATIONS, PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

Zenith Data Systems offers the education multimedia systems in several configurations with the most requested features. All systems come with Windows 95 or Windows for Workgroups, Netscape Navigator, ten educational software titles, a 3.5-inch 1.44MB floppy drive, PCI local bus, a 64-bit video graphics controller, 1MB video DRAM (upgradable to 2MB), an SVGA monitor and an integrated multimedia kit including a 4X CD-ROM drive, 16-bit Sound Blaster audio card, speakers and a microphone.

A system with a 75 MHz Pentium processor, 8MB RAM, 540MB hard drive and a 14-inch viewable SVGA color monitor is $1,599 *. With a 100 MHz Pentium processor, 256K cache, 8MB RAM, 850MB hard drive and a 15-inch viewable SVGA color monitor, the price is $1,899 *. A configuration with a 100 MHz Pentium processor, 256K cache, 16MB RAM, 850MB hard drive and a 15-inch viewable SVGA color monitor is $2,199 *. A system with a 120 MHz Pentium processor, 256K cache, 16MB RAM, 1.2GB hard drive and a 15-inch viewable SVGA color monitor is $2,399 *.

The education multimedia systems are available April 1, 1996 through June 28, 1996. For more information or to order systems, customers should contact ZDS, their local ZDS representative, or education ZDS sales specialists.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WARRANTY COVERAGE

Zenith Data Systems offers 24-hour, seven-day-a-week toll-free customer assistance and product support. Customers can also connect with the ZDS World Wide Web home page for technical information at http://www.zds.com. Z-STATION VP education multimedia systems are covered by a three- year limited warranty for all parts and labor that includes on-site service for the first year and carry-in service for the second and third year. All response commitments are based upon commercially reasonable efforts, and all response times may vary depending on availability and/or the nature of the service requested.

ZDS IN THE EDUCATION MARKET

For the past 15 years, ZDS has provided integrated instructional technology systems for K-12 and higher education, earning certification by leading integrated learning systems software vendors, including Computer Curriculum Corp., Jostens Learning Corp., New Century Education Corp. and Intechnica International. Most recently, ZDS teamed with Microsoft Corporation to launch the Campus Z-Station program which is designed to increase university students' ownership of high-quality computers, optimize connectivity to campus networks and the Internet, offer an easy-to-support PC standard, and provide powerful, easy- to-use software applications to university campuses across the country.

ABOUT ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS

Zenith Data Systems offers a full line of personal computer products ranging from high-performance servers and desktops to its award-winning line of notebook computers and wireless mobile products. With more than 1,200 Z-LINK GOLD resellers in the U.S. and sales locations in more than 30 countries, ZDS markets its products to business, education and government. The company is headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Ill., with engineering facilities in Santa Clara, Calif., Billerica, Mass. and Buffalo Grove; and manufacturing facilities in St. Joseph, Mich.

Zenith Data Systems, 2150 East Lake Cook Road, Buffalo Grove, Ill., 60089, (847) 808-5000, Fax (847) 808-4434, Internet http://www.zds.com.

Please direct reader inquiries to (800) 533-0331.

Products mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

* Prices quoted are estimated street prices in U.S. dollars. Offer valid from April 1, 1996, through June 28, 1996.


IBM OS/2 Warp Server on Top in File/Prt Perf
IBM's OS/2 Warp Server Comes Out On Top In File and Print Performance

PC Week Labs Tests Performance of Leading PC Server Operating Systems

AUSTIN, Texas, April 10, 1996 . . . Results of an independent test conducted by PC Week Labs show that OS/2 Warp Server running on a single processor outperforms both Microsoft Windows NT Server and Novell Netware 4.1 running on four-way SMP- (symmetric-multiprocessing) equipped servers.

"We are very pleased with the results of this test, especially considering the fact that Windows NT was running on a server with four 133MHz Pentium processors and Warp Server was running on a uniprocessor machine," said Art Olbert, director of product plan management, IBM Personal Software Products. "Our own tests have shown a 14 percent improvement in file and print performance in OS/2 Warp Server Version 4 over LAN Server 4.0. That means we have improved performance for our current customers and we have also beaten the competition."

According to the tests, OS/2 Warp Server had a peak performance of 56M bps (mega-bits per second), outperforming Windows NT Server by up to 26 percent in file and print services. Windows NT Server performed at a maximum of 44 M bps, while Netware 4.1 placed last. The testing was conducted with Ziff-Davis Benchmark Operation's newly released NetBench 4.01, with file and print services running on a 100M bps Fast Ethernet network.

"The results of this test are very impressive, but then again, I've always been impressed with the performance of IBM's LAN Server," said John Robinson, systems manager, South Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation. "And as we roll out the new OS/2 Warp Server, I've seen a significant improvement in file and print services."

The OS/2 Warp Server SMP Feature

Currently in alpha testing, the OS/2 Warp Server SMP feature was demonstrated at the launch event of OS/2 Warp Server in February. An open beta program is planned to begin in the second quarter of 1996, with general availability expected in the third quarter of the year.

OS/2 Warp Server Version 4: The Complete Business Solution

OS/2 Warp Server is IBM's business server solution for customers ranging from small businesses to large enterprises. It provides a foundation for application serving and file and print sharing, plus a wealth of integrated features including system management, backup and recovery, remote access, enhanced TCP/IP support, advanced print function and LAN Internet access.

For Internet users, IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and technology on the World Wide Web. The IBM home page is at http://www.ibm.com. The fastest, easiest way to find any information about IBM software is to go to the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com. The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


US Robotics Sportster Voice Faxmodems
U.S. Robotics announces Sportster Voice faxmodems; V.34 faxmodems offer integrated communications solutions

SKOKIE, Ill.--April 9, 1996--U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ:USRX) today announced new Sportster products that bring full-duplex speakerphone and professional office message center capability to the small office.

The Sportster Voice product line includes internal and external V.34 faxmodems for computers running Microsoft Windows, and an external V.34 faxmodem for Macintosh computers. All three models include the 33.6 Kbps V.34 speed enhancement which increases V.34's top speed from 28.8 Kbps and boosts throughput at lower speeds. All models integrate the capabilities of a high-speed modem, fax machine, full-duplex speakerphone and digital answering machine into a single, compact device.

"Sportster Voice brings advanced communications functionality to the small office and home office environment," said Michael Seedman, vice president and general manager of U.S. Robotics' Personal Communications Division. "We've combined reliable data, fax, and voice communications solutions into one affordable unit."

The Sportster Voice products provide the full fax and data capabilities of a Sportster modem in addition to personal voice mail with multiple mailboxes, remote voice message and fax retrieval capabilities, fax on demand (not available on Mac), caller ID, and a full-duplex speakerphone that allows users to talk and listen to the person on the other end without interrupting the normal flow of conversation.

All products include an Internet Connection Kit that contains the Internet guidebook "Discover the World Wide Web with Your Sportster," and a U.S. Robotics Connections CD-ROM which includes all the necessary information and software to use the modem plus a variety of additional software to access and use the Internet. The PC versions of Sportster Voice are Plug and Play and require the Windows OS to support the voice capabilities. The Macintosh version includes Megaphone screen-based telephone software from Cypress Research, Software Ventures' Internet Valet, and a free 15-day trial with PSI Net.

The Sportster Voice internal model for the PC and the Sportster Voice external model for the Macintosh are shipping. The Sportster Voice external model for the PC will begin shipping in late April, 1996. List price for the Sportster Voice internal model is $239. List price for the Sportster Voice external model for the PC and for the Sportster Voice external model for the Macintosh is $279.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products, modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies, inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.

U.S. Robotics, 8100 North McCormick Blvd, Skokie, IL 60076

800-DIAL-USR, 708-982-5010


Jupiter's Yahoo! Survey Report Now Available

Comprehensive Picture of Web Users Unveiled

April 11, 1996 -- New York -- Yahoo!, the publisher of the most intuitive, up-to-date and efficient guide to the online world, and Jupiter Communications, the source for analysis of the online and Internet universe, have teamed up to produce a report that provides a comprehensive profile of Web users. THE YAHOO!/JUPITER WEB USER SURVEY, is designed to be the most complete explication of the demographics and habits of the World Wide Web community.

The report and its statistical analysis and conclusions are invaluable to anyone running a Web site, considering launching a Web site, advertising on the Web, selling products online, or anyone whose business involves new media.

Yahoo! recently completed a survey of users of its Web site, one of the most frequently used sites on the Internet's World Wide Web. More than 62,000 users responded to questions about their Web usage and habits. This statistical snapshot of Web users is fully cross-tabulated and analyzed by Jupiter's staff of industry experts and combined with an in-depth follow up questionnaire. The report offers a comprehensive examination of the questions of Web demographics.

The survey and report are designed to answer questions such as:

* Who is the "typical" Web user?

* What do people want on the Web?

* How willing are people to conduct transactions over the Web?

* Does most usage come from home users, or professional users?

* What demographics are present on the Web now, which will be

  prevalent in the future?

An initial run through of the first survey yielded some fascinating tidbits:

* 63% of respondents were using the Netscape browser.

* 22% of respondents have America Online accounts.

* Well under 10% of respondents were accessing the Web through

  a commercial online service.

Located in Mountain View, Calif., Yahoo! is a company devoted to enabling consumers and working professionals to make the most of their online experiences. Yahoo! publishes the most intuitive, up-to-date and efficient guide for information and online discovery, which bears its same name. Much more than a simple directory or search engine, Yahoo!'s guide enables users to navigate through the Internet and gather their own online information for both business and pleasure. Additionally, the guide is an ideal home base for net surfing.

Jupiter Communications is a new media research, publishing and consulting firm. Its award-winning newsletters include THE INTERNET BUSINESS REPORT, ONLINE MARKETPLACE, and INTERACTIVE CONTENT. Jupiter's GLOBAL INTERNET SUMMIT '96 conference will be held in Paris June 4-6.

The executive level report was published in November of 1995 and is available for purchase from Jupiter Communications for $1,095. For more information, contact Jupiter at 212-780-6060 or 800-488-4345.


CorelVIDEO Brings Visual Comm to Desktops
CorelVIDEO Brings Visual Communications to Your Desktop

Ottawa, Canada--Corel Corporation has begun shipping its new LAN-based desktop videoconferencing system. CorelVIDEO provides full motion picture quality within a local campus environment and a high quality connection to the LAN, home or satellite office. The product uses a single pair of existing unused category 5 UTP wires to transport audio and video signals without impacting network traffic.

Shipping now, CorelVIDEO carries a suggested list price of $499 US per video desktop. CorelCAM, an ergonomically designed camera, may be purchased at an additional price of $499 US.

"CorelVIDEO sets a new threshold for affordability by offering top quality desktop videoconferencing at a basic price that's under $500 per seat," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel Corporation. "CorelVIDEO will help increase the effectiveness of all communication within an office building or small campus. It promotes workgroup awareness through document sharing and freeze-frame snapshots and it provides a medium for company-wide distribution of promotional videotapes or live news feeds."

Key product features include the following:

* Ease of Use: CorelVIDEO gives new users access to the desktop software through a single window.

* Directories: Multiple directories can be created by dragging and dropping user's pictures into the appropriate directory. Simply double-click on the picture of the person you want to call and CorelVIDEO places the call for you. These directories can be viewed pictorially or textually and can also hold additional information such as e-mail addresses. Users can also modify their video phone picture to indicate to others that they are temporarily away from the office or in a meeting.

* Calling Features: CorelVIDEO supports traditional features such as do not disturb, call forward, call waiting and on hold. Users can create their own speed dials by dragging the pictures of frequently called people to their monitor desktop. The product also allows for multiple calls and will soon support multiparty calls for quick and easy conferencing without the need for a boardroom.

If a customer wishes to have access to outside calls, they simply add a codec card and the communication card of their choice to the CorelVIDEO switch and it becomes a shared resource for everyone on the system. CorelVIDEO supports H.320 so that users may communicate with external contacts who have an H.320 compliant video system.

* Data Sharing: This feature helps promote workgroup awareness by allowing users to collaborate on documents. Documents may be modified by multiple users, even if only one participant has the software loaded. CorelVIDEO utilizes Future Labs' TALKShow for its data conferencing solution.

* Audio Cues: Users will hear a ringing sound when they are being called.

* Freeze-Frame User Snapshots: Pictures are taken at predetermined intervals so co-workers will quickly be able to determine if the person they wish to talk to is on the phone, having a meeting or away from his or her office. Users can personally manage the accessibility of these snapshots.

* Broadcast Capabilities: CorelVIDEO users can make or tune into live or pre-recorded programs such as product demos or training sessions.

Corel consulted with the Ontario Telepresence Project throughout the development of CorelVIDEO. The Ontario Telepresence Project is a provincially funded research group that has focused on the social and technological implications of desktop video for the past three years. Consequently, Corel was able to integrate much of this knowledge into the product.

A typical CorelVIDEO workstation requires the following hardware:

* Switch: A standard PC with any number of Corel-supplied ISA bus line cards serves as the CorelVIDEO switch. A single card can support up to 16 users. The minimum system requirements for the PC is a 486 66 with 16 MB of RAM, 512 megs of hard drive space and 100 MB of free space. The recommended system requirements are a Pentium 60, 32 MB of RAM, 512 megs of hard drive space and 100 MB of free space.

Eighty users may operate with a single PC serving as the central switch, assuming that there are five available ISA slots with 16 users per line card. Multiple PC's may be bunked together if companies have more than 80 users. This process of cascading and bunking CorelVIDEO switches together allows for an unlimited number of users.

Every user is connected to the wiring closet and the maximum distance between the central switch, or another bunked switch, and any workstation is 300 feet. (200 feet if the system is using CAT 3 cables).

* CorelCAM (optional): An ergonomically designed camera that provides eye-to-eye contact and features a built in dual lens for normal or wide angle viewing, a built-in microphone and an audio video shutter for privacy. Users may adjust the height of CorelCAM or mount the camera on a tripod.

* Speakers: Standard speakers are required. These are not necessary if the person is using a TV for video display.

* CorelCONSOLE: The CorelCONSOLE controls incoming and outgoing audio and video between the workstation and the central switch. A stand is provided for the CorelCONSOLE.

* Video Overlay Card or separate TV: These devices are needed to display the video.

* LAN connection: A LAN connection that joins all CorelVIDEO workstations and the CorelVIDEO switch is required.

Corel Corporation

Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an award-winning developer and marketer of PC graphics and multimedia software. CorelDRAW, Corel's industry-leading graphics software, is available in over 17 languages and has won over 215 international awards from major trade publications. Corel ships its products through a network of more than 160 distributors in 60 countries worldwide and has an online presence on the Internet at http://www.corel.com. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ--National Market System (symbol: COSFF).

Corel Corp

The Corel Building

1600 Carling Avenue

Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1Z 9R7

613-728-8200,  fax 613-761-9176


IT Metrics Swr Converted to NT & Win 95
IT Metrics Software converted to NT 3.51, NT 4.0 and Windows 95...

April 12, 1996 -- Santa Monica - Positive Support Review, a Santa Monica based management consulting firm, has just released its latest HandiGuide system for the NT and 95 environment. The IS, Communication and Data Processing Metrics HandiGuide combines the latest features of MS Office 95, Word 7.0 and Excel 7.0 to give consistent OLE graphical reporting for measuring both the cost and value of an organization's information technology.

These metrics have been formulated with 25 years of consulting experience and are proven tools in a variety of industries for measuring the tactical and strategic components of the technology function. The Metrics HandiGuide is designed to track the effectiveness of Information Technology through graphical measures, clearly the best method of conveying target attainment to management. This HandiGuide has extensive samples in its 200 plus pages including over 150 metrics and 50 sample reports.

Using the tools provided, the user can accurately implement and monitor Service Level Agreements internally or control outsourcing, and enhance their image with customers. Topics include Reporting Organizations, Report Groupings, Metrics (Financial, Staffing, Productivity and Computer Operations among others), Implementing Service Level Agreements, Service Level Data Capture and Metrics System. In addition, PSR offers a specialized service in customized metrics for individual organizations.

For more information on Positive Support Review's Management Series including its IS Position Description HandiGuide, Client Server Management HandiGuide, and PC Policies and Procedures HandiGuide, contact PSR via e-mail info@psrinc.com, Internet at http://www:psrinc.com/psr.htm, by phone (310) 453-6100 or fax (310) 453-6253.


Jane's Info Group Advanced Tactical Fighters
JANE'S COMBAT SIMULATIONS TO SHIP ADVANCED TACTICAL FIGHTERS

Two Of The Biggest Names In Their Fields Create the First Product Stemming From Five-Year Exclusive Alliance

SAN MATED, Calif., April 1, 1996 -- Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), a leading global interactive entertainment software company, and Jane's Information Group, the premier international defense-industry publisher, combine forces to deliver the first product published under the Jane's Combat Simulations brand. Advanced Tactical Fighters (ATF) will incorporate a new level of realism and authenticity that only the world's leading provider of defense-related materials can provide. ATF is now shipping.

A five-year exclusive alliance with Jane's, teaming the biggest talents in air combat simulations with the most respected name in military reference works, gives Electronic Arts (EA) production teams an undeniable advantage. In addition to Jane's published and unpublished materials, EA has full access to their extensive and accurate library of images and global military information.

ATF uses Jane's vast resources of recently declassified information to successfully simulate the experience of flying the most advanced jet fighters in the world. ATF is the only flight simulation that features all seven of these cutting-edge aircraft together in the same product -- the Boeing F-22, F-117A Nighthawk, B-2A Spirit, X-29, X-31 EFM, ASTOVL, and the Dassault Rafale C. ATF will support up to eight players on a network, or two players via a modem. Players can now combine forces or go head-to-head in dogfight action. In multiplayer mode, over 30 aircraft are available for players to fly in the network.

New technology has also translated into greatly advanced 3D graphics for a more authentic environment; what was previously flat is now richly textured. This makes it possible to have digitized special effects, including realistic damage to the aircraft, detailed explosions and movable flight surfaces.

"Jane's participation throughout the design process of ATF has been key to creating a realistic flight experience using authentic aircraft," says Grace. "What makes these aircraft unique is that they are the fighters of tomorrow. They are superior to present day fighters in that they are far more maneuverable." He adds, "ATF allows pilots to experiment with many new dogfighting techniques, new weapon systems and new flight modes. We also have the finest flight simulation environment -- ATF feels more like combat flying complete with realistic sights, sounds, and thinking."

Grace's ATF production team was responsible for the flight simulation classic, Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, as well as last year's hit U.S. Navy Fighters (USNF). PC Gamer magazine said USNF "could well be the most authentic flight sim ever produced," and PC Simulations deemed it "the flight sim standard for 1995."

Jane's Information Group, almost a century old, is the leading provider of defense-related information to the world's militaries, governments, and businesses. This global company is best known for its ability to track and publish essential and definitive information on the defense, aerospace, and transportation industries through their numerous magazines, yearbooks, and CD-ROMs. Jane's is also responsible for weekly and monthly publications which are read in more than 165 countries by top military strategists.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA has an annual sales rate of over $520 million. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: EA SPORTS, Electronic Arts Studio, Origin Systems Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd. and Jane's Combat Simulations. EA has subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

Electronic Arts

1450 Fashion Island Blvd

San Mateo, CA 94404

415-571-7171


HTS Chemicals on CD-ROM Now Shipping
HTS Chemicals on CD-ROM - now shipping!

Chemical Design is pleased to announce that HTS Chemicals on CD-ROM is now shipping with the JAN96 release. Providing a unique source of diverse molecules for high-throughput screening (HTS) programs, HTS Chemicals is a collection of current chemical suppliers' databases supplied on CD-ROM for easy access and retrieval. Using Chem-X's advanced chemical database technology, these databases can be searched by 2D/3D structure and data field (including formula and molecular weight fast fields) for rapid selection of compounds for testing.

The diversity of the molecules contained in each database is expressed using Chemical Design's innovative pharmacophore key. This key represents all the pharmacophores exhibited by molecules in the database. Comparison of pharmacophore keys enables compounds with new or untested pharmacophores to be easily identified for purchase to complement existing corporate databases.

Currently comprising over 200,000 chemical compounds from several different sources, HTS Chemicals is available from Chemical Design by subscription. Quarterly updates, including access to new chemical catalogues, will be released. Instructions for purchasing compounds selected from HTS Chemicals are provided in a catalogue, which also features analyses of database content. HTS Chemicals can be used on a wide range of platforms, and an entry-level Chem-X/BASE system for MS-Windows (including Windows 95) or Apple Macintosh (including Power Macintosh) is contained on the CD-ROM.

Content of HTS Chemicals JAN96:

Database Supplier           Database content

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ChemBridge Corporation      52473 Compounds from Russian sources

ChemStar                    40833 Compounds from Russian sources

ComGenex                    39685 Aromatic & heteroaromatic compounds

Contact Service Company     34473 Rare organic compounds for screening

                                  and research

Maybridge Chemical Company  49812 Drug-like molecules & intermediates

For further information, please call Chemical Design at (201) 529-3323,  fax (201) 529-2443 or e-mail CHEMX@applelink.apple.com

Chemical Design Inc

20 Route 17 South, Suite 120

Mahwah, NJ 07430

201-529-3323,  fax 201-529-2443


Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals Training
Demo Disk Offers Sampling of Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals Multimedia Training

Fullerton, CA-A demo disk illustrating the Computer-Based Training (CBT) portion of a Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals multimedia training package is now available from SAVANT Audiovisuals.

The Windows-based software offers eight modules covering major MS topics. The demo disk covers the first two topics, Introduction and Hardware Overview. Other topics treated in the full program are Acquiring and Evaluating Spectra, Inlets, Ion Sources, Mass Filters, Detectors and Vacuum Systems. In addition, the program incorporates digital video clips, quizzes, "Test Track" feature which evaluates exam results and redirects the user to subjects needing review, and a final master test to assure proficiency. A separate VHS videotape, Training Guide and a 296-page Student Handbook are keyed to the CBT modules. On-line help is immediately available.

SAVANT also produces computer-based training programs on spectral interpretation-Spectra Book (IBM) and SpectraDeck (Mac) which include Mass Spec segments-as well as slide/tape and video training programs on the subject.

To order the Mass Spec Fundamentals demo disk or to receive a catalog describing SAVANT's full line of analytical lab and safety training programs, call SAVANT Audiovisuals, Inc., 801 East Chapman Ave., P.O. Box 3670, Fullerton, CA 92634, (714) 870-7880, (800) 472-8268 or FAX (714) 526-7400.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREAMERS GUILD!

CONFERENCE MARKS DEVELOPER'S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

LOS ANGELES, Ca. -- April 3,1996. The Dreamers Guild, a Chatsworth-based interactive entertainment developer, is pleased to announce its fifth anniversary, an event that coincides with the Computer Game Developers Conference held this week in Santa Clara.

"We were formed the weekend of the 1991 C.G.D.C. by a handful of creative and talented individuals," says William Simpson, Guild President and CEO. "Since then, we've had at least 100% growth in every year of our existence." The Dreamers Guild currently employs nearly one hundred industry professionals in departments including Art, Programming, Writing, Design, and Music.

Gaining initial acclaim by creating software conversations, the Guild has since grown into a production/development studio creating original product. The Guild typically produces 12-14 interactive projects simultaneously.

The Dreamers Guild has developed over 20 titles during their first five years. Most recently, for CD-ROM, the Guild developed Turner Interactive's Dinotopia: Living the Adventure, based on James Gurney's international bestseller. Another Guild CD, Harlan Ellison's I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, developed for Cyberdreams and distributed by MGM, is currently enjoying rave reviews. Later this year, the Guild will debut Faery Tale Adventure II: The Halls of the Dead through Trimark Interactive, and Pandemonium Golf for IBM.

The Guild will also continue to set the industry standard in the development of on-line multiplayer games. Its slate of on-line games includes Fiefquest, Plant Net, Citadels, On-Line Baseball, and Skulls, Bones, & Buccaneers.

"Our next step is publishing both CD-ROM and on-line games for release in the near future," adds Simpson. "At next year's C.G.D.C., who knows what we'll have to announce? We'll keep you posted."

The Dreamer's Guild

9810 Owensmouth Ave, Suite 1

Chatsworth, CA 91311

818-349-7339,  fax 818-349-5830

http://www.dreamersguild.com


Resident Evil for Sony PlayStation
CAPCOM ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES: THE EVIL HAS LANDED

Category: Action/Strategy

Format and Suggested Retail Price: Sony PlayStation - $66.95

SUNNYVALE. Calif. -- April 1. 1996 -- Resident Evil one of the single most anticipated games of the year released Friday for the Sony PlayStation. Defying comparison, Resident Evil is a combination of action, horror, role-playing, and strategy, that will make even the most jaded gamer's jaw drop. Resident Evil has been rated "M" for mature audiences by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). It is available at a suggested retail price of $66.95.

"I'm ecstatic to say that we have a mega hit on our hands," said Greg Ballard, president of Capcom Entertainment. "The initial shipment of Resident Evil has already exceeded Street Fighter Alpha, currently the number one title in America, in life-to-date shipments. We knew this was going to be a big title for Capcom because of the tremendous interest it has generated from the trade. press and consumer. Let me be the first to say it: Resident Evil is going to be Video Game of the Year."

In Resident Evil you control either Chris Redfield. the slacker pilot and sharpshooter: or Jill Valentine. the tough demolition's expert. of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Squad), sent in to investigate your fellow teammates' helicopter crash. Once at the crash site, however, you're quickly chased into a nearby foreboding mansion by a pack of monstrous creatures. Inside, you become separated from your squad, and are forced to puzzle out the mysteries on your own as you search for your missing compatriots. This house is filled with acid-spitting zombies, giant spiders, horrid frog-like creatures, mutant dogs and a host of other tricks and traps guaranteed to make you sweat and beg for more.

Stretching the capabilities of the Sony 32-bit processor to the fullest. Resident Evil fuses the cutting edge, futuristic polygon power of the PlayStation with good old fashioned gothic horror. The 3D rendered characters are placed into a pre-rendered environment, which allows the PlayStation processor to effortlessly create a sense of the depth that is lacking in most games. The first time a Cerebus crashes through a window vou will drop your controller.

Capcom Entertainment, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Capcom Co., Ltd.. is a leading force in the multi-billion dollar interactive entertainment industry. The company develops. markets and distributes computer entertainment for personal computers and home video games for the Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn. and Sony PlayStation. Capcom Entertainment, Inc. is based in Sunnyvale, Calif.

CAPCOM ENTERTAINMENT, Inc.

475 Oakmead Parkway

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 774-0500

Executive Fax (408) 774-3994

Sales/Mktg Fax (408) 774-3995

Acctg Fax (408) 774-3996


Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge
NIGHT WARRIORS FEVER STRIKES AS MONSTER ARCADE SEQUEL ARRIVES TODAY EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SEGA SATURN

Category: Fighting game

Format and Suggested Retail Price: Sega Saturn - $64.95

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- March 29, 1996 -- Unleash all fears and experience the dark and powerful forces of the night as Capcom Entertainment today releases Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge exclusively for the Sega Saturn. Delivering devastating combat action. Night Warriors is an exact translation of the popular arcade game that garnered a cult following in the arcades. Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge is available now at a suggested retail price of $64.95.

"Night Warriors is a must-have title for every Saturn owner." said Greg Ballard. president of Capcom Entertainment. It retains the classic Capcom gameplay of the original arcade chart topper, and introduces four new characters. We believe Night Warriors could very well drive hardware sales."

Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge boasts four new playable characters. killer moves, faster speed. and even more dynamic graphics. One or two players can compete as any of the ten classic monster warriors. or choose from one of the four frightful new playable characters.

The two new characters rushing into the Night Warrior frenzy are Donovan Bane, the Dark Hunter whose reputation as a cold, efficient fighting machine is demonstrated by fatal attacks like the Homing Sword, and Hsien-Ko, the Chinese Ghost whose destiny is to save her mother's soul through use of moves like the Guillotine Swing. Two boss characters from the original DarkStalkers game, Huitzil, the Mayan Android, and Pyron, the galactic despot, return as playable characters.

Capcom Entertainment, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capcom Co., Ltd., is a leading force in the multi-billion dollar interactive entertainment industry. The company develops, markets, and distributes computer entertainment software for personal computers and home video games for the Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. Capcom Entertainment is based in Sunnyvale, Calif.

CAPCOM ENTERTAINMENT, Inc.

475 Oakmead Parkway

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 774-0500

Executive Fax (408) 774-3994

Sales/Mktg Fax (408) 774-3995

Acctg Fax (408) 774-3996


C&G's MacWorld Game Hall of Fame released

Five Classic Macintosh Games -- Back by popular demand -- On CD-ROM

April 3, 1996 -- Salinas, CA: Casady & Greene, Inc., developers of award-winning software for over ten years, announced today the long-awaited C&G's MacWorld Game Hall of Fame The CD ROM contains five MACWORLD Magazine Game Hall of Fame-winning games developed by Casady & Greene. Suggested retail price is $59.95.

The following game favorites include:

Crystal Quest. - Best Action Game - 1988; Best Mac II Game - 1988

The fast action game of grab-shoot, and run for the border. Collect as many crystals as you can and escape through the gates in record time to collect bonus rounds.

Sky Shadow - Best Arcade Game - 1990

The ultimate, fast-anion, challenge of interceptors vs. aliens, with screaming air raids at breakneck speed.

Glider 4.0 - Best Arcade Action - 1991

The acrobatic paper glider classic with incredible graphics. Everyone loves Glider!

Crystal Crazy - Best Shoot-em-up - 1995

More action, more lunatic special effects than it's best-selling predecessor, Crystal Quest. Solve the puzzles, grab the crystals and avoid things like hatching space bunnies!

Mission Thunderbolt - Best Role-playing Game - 1992

A futuristic, role-playing game of deadly intrigue and espionage. Recover the anti-matter weapon from the evil aliens who have secreted it underground. Test your stealth and skills!

Laura Kunysz, Exec. Vice President of C&G states, "C&G's MacWorld Game Hall of Fame CD has several of my all-time favorite arcade classic games. They may not all work on all the new machines - but they all give hours of intense, serious fun! Our game fans have been waiting for this collection of oldies but goodies. The back orders are staggering!"

Important Game Requirements:

For non-Power Macintoshes: All 5 games work

For Power Macintoshes: Mission Thunderbolt, Crystal Quest with Critter Editor, and Crystal Crazy work on all models. Sky Shadow, and Glider 4.0 work only on 6100 and 8100 models and on the Performa 6100 series.

Casady & Greene Inc

22734 Portola Drive

Salinas, CA 93908-1119

408-484-9228,  fax 408-484-9218

E-mail: C&G@casadyg.com


O'Reilly PolyForm Web Forms Construction Kit
O'REILLY & ASSOCIATES ANNOUNCES UPCOMING RELEASE OF POLYFORM

Web Forms Construction Kit Helps Users Build and Manage Interactive Web Pages

Sebastopol, CA, April 12, 1996--O'Reilly & Associates, publisher of the award-winning web server WebSite, has announced the May release of PolyForm, a web forms construction kit. PolyForm allows webmasters to build and manage interactive web pages with forms that collect, process, and respond to each user's specific input. PolyForm's interactive forms let visitors react to what is published on a web site with their own feedback or information requests. It can be used on both the Internet and the Intranet.

PolyForm's graphical interface is designed to give web managers the ability to develop and maintain inviting web forms quickly. PolyForm's Script Wizard and form templates allow beginners to have effective forms up and running in minutes. Advanced users can concentrate on more elaborate form design while PolyForm automatically performs all the associated CGI processing.

PolyForm runs on any Win-CGI 1.1-compliant server, such as WebSite. It also runs on servers which support Microsoft's ISAPI server. PolyForm has a suggested list price of $249.

PolyForm features simple and intuitive installation, a built-in SMTP mailer for sending mail, tamper-proof forms with no additional programming needed, and a 140-page book complete with detailed examples, tips and techniques.

PolyForm's primary benefits include:

* attract and retain visitors to the user's site--the site becomes

  more interactive;

* save hours of time: no CGI programming required for forms that once

  required it. PolyForm automatically handles the necessary CGI

  programming, enabling even beginning users to design forms in under

  five minutes;

* request any kind of information from site visitors, and then easily

  import it into a database.

"PolyForm takes web site development to another level," says Kimberly Simoni, PolyForm product manager. "One of the most compelling questions these days is, 'How can I make my Web site profitable?' Gathering and using meaningful information collected from your Web site visitors is one viable answer. PolyForm lets you ask the questions you need answered. Responding to your users and managing form data is a breeze!"

With PolyForm, site visitors can answer surveys, order products, provide feedback, request information, and sign guest books--the ways site developers are using PolyForm are as diverse as their sites. The MetroDade Police department uses PolyForm to collect anonymous crime tips from site visitors. CompuGraph International uses the program to allow people to enroll in the 1st Annual International Corel User's Web Page Contest. The Spa, an Internet service provider and web developer in South Hadley, Massachusetts, uses PolyForm on the official web site for TeenAge Mutant Ninja Turtles.

PolyForm will be available by mid-May in software stores nationwide. The official release date is May 7, 1996. O'Reilly & Associates will preview the program at Internet World in San Jose, California, from April 30-May 2. More information about the product is available at O'Reilly Software Online (http://polyform.ora.com/).

UPCOMING RELEASES: TWO NEW PRODUCTS

O'Reilly will release two new programs, a mail server and a statistics package, in Q3, '96. The products, as yet unnamed, will work initially on the Windows NT and 95 platforms, and the statistics program will extend O'Reilly's software into cross-platform development. O'Reilly software includes these two products, WebSite Professional (to be released Q2, '96), and the currently shipping products, WebSite 1.1 and WebBoard, a web conferencing tool. O'Reilly's software product family provides web developers with powerful tools to create inter- active, compelling sites easily, efficiently and cost-effectively.

ABOUT O'REILLY & ASSOCIATES

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., is a major developer of software for the Internet and Intranet. The company's currently shipping software products include WebSite (Web server software for Windows 95 and Windows NT), and WebBoard (Web conferencing system). The company has long been recognized worldwide for its definitive books on the Internet and UNIX, and more recently for its development of online content and software. O'Reilly developed the Global Network Navigator (GNN), a pioneering web-based publication which it later sold to America Online. The company's planning and review cycles link together software developers, authors, computer vendors, and technical experts throughout the industry in a creative collaboration that mirrors the strengths of the "open systems" philosophy itself.


Employee Stock Ownership Plans
HARCOURT BRACE PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING LAUNCHES EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS AND ESOPLAN SOFTWARE IN RESPONSE TO GROWING INTEREST IN ESOPs

March 28, 1996 -- SAN DIEGO, CA -- Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing announced today that Employee Stock Ownership Plans: A Practical Guide to ESOPs and Other Broad Ownership Programs book and companion software ESOPlan are now available.

Despite the growth of employee ownership in the United States, especially through employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), few books have been written that discuss the technicalities of employee ownership plans, and none at all are specifically targeted at CPAs and other professional advisors. Employee Stock ownership Plans fills that gap.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans provides an authoritative and detailed reference for professional advisors who want the most current and accurate information. The book is structured to allow the reader quick access to specific issues and topics. The first chapter introduces the ESOP concept and briefly discusses other broad ownership plans. With this grounding, the reader can then turn to any chapter without having to refer to other parts of the book first.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans explores why thousands of companies are finding that employee ownership plans such as ESOPs are ideal for them. It explains the best ways to take advantage of the ability of a seller in a closely held company to defer taxation on gains from a sale to an ESOP by reinvesting in other companies. It also describes how to finance an ESOP that borrows money to buy out owners or to acquire capital with pretax dollars.

Also available is a powerful and easy-to-use software program by MoneySoft called ESOPlan. This program can be used in conjunction with the book or by itself. ESOPlan provides you with the capability to evaluate and structure both leveraged and non-leveraged ESOPs.

ESOPlan guides you through the entire analysis process and helps you to determine the benefits and cost of implementing an ESOP. ESOPlan is designed to prepare a management study that considers such factors as the projected financial position of the company, an internal estimate of value, and an examination of the various tax benefits, compared to the costs, for establishing an ESOP under a variety of structures. The program helps the user answer questions such as: What are the tax benefits and savings that an ESOP offers the company? How much will it cost to establish and maintain an ESOP? How does an ESOP compare to a traditional transaction? How will the ESOP impact the future financial performance of the company? How does the ESOP benefit employees? What is the impact on the value of shares held by remaining shareholders?

There are two main components to ESOPlan: the Analysis Section and the Report Writer. In the Analysis Section, the user enters historic financial data, analyzes the data and walks through a series of ESOP structure and financing issues in order to evaluate the impact of various "what if..." scenarios on the company, shareholders, employees and lenders. ESOPlan automatically "crunches the numbers" to prepare the feasibility evaluation and lay the foundation for a board room-quality management report or funding document.

The Report Writer takes the results of the feasibility evaluation and complies it into a "smart" narrative report that can be edited with any popular word processor. The Report Writer lets the user put the finishing touches on the ESOP feasibility evaluation and combine it with an explanation of the user's assumptions and other appropriate business information to create a formal presentation for management, shareholders, and prospective funding sources.

For ordering information, call 1-800-831-7799. Employee Stock Ownership Plans (book) + ESOPlan (software) - $379 (reg $474), ISBN 0-15-606415-4. ESOPlan (software only) is $395, ISBN 0-15-602143-9. Employee Stock Ownership Plans (book only) is $79, ISBN 0-15-602173-0.

Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing

525 B Street, Suite 1900

San Diego, CA 92101-4495

619-699-6716,  fax 619-699-6542


How to Select & Install Medical Software
HARCOURT BRACE PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING LAUNCHES HOW TO SELECT AND INSTALL MEDICAL SOFTWARE

March 28, 1996 -- San Diego, CA -- Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing announced today that How to Select and Install Medical Software is now available.

Based on discussions and work nationwide with physicians who provide a variety of services under a wide array of health-care delivery structures, How to Select and Install Medical Software addresses the basic needs of managing a medical practice as well as the utility of various features found in medical software products.

For providers, practice managers, and their staffs, this publication works as a step-by-step guide to selecting and implementing a medical software package and to making full use of the system once a decision is made. For medical consultants, this book examines the technological complexities and practical implications of using computers in the medical practice environment.

How to Select and Install Medical Software also explains the mechanics of such emerging areas as managed care, medical records, and electronic exchange of information; it is especially useful in its integration of the practice management and patient service side of medicine with the business development and accounting aspects of health care.

How to Select and Install Medical Software was written by Ronald B. Sterling, a nationally recognized expert in medical practice management systems and president of Sterling Solutions, Ltd.. With over 15 years experience using technology and information as a competitive weapon, he has worked with PHOs, MSOs, and clinics to integrate business operations with office automation systems. He has reviewed over 130 health-care software products and is a frequent speaker on medical practice management and hospital-based physician networks to a variety of industry groups.

How to Select and Install Medical Software, at 144 pages, is being offered for $39 (ISBN 0-15606396-4). For ordering information, call 1-800-831-7799.

Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing, a division of Harcourt Brace & Company, is a leader in providing accounting, auditing, financial planning, tax, and practice management publications and software.

Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing

525 B Street, Suite 1900

San Diego, CA 92101-4495

619-699-6716,  fax 619-699-6542


Callahan's Crosstime Saloon Comedy Adventure
CALLAHAN'S CROSSTIME SALOON

NEW COMEDY ADVENTURE FOR OCTOBER RELEASE

CHANTILLY, Va., April 2, 1996 -- Legend Entertainment Company announced the planned October 1996 release of the PC CD-ROM comedy adventure game CALLAHAN'S CROSSTIME SALOON. game is set in what looks like a typical present-day Long Island bar except that the crowd of regulars includes time travelers, space aliens and other unusual folks. Legend Entertainment's Chairman Mike Verdu said, "CALAHAN'S CROSSTIME SALOON is friendly like the Cheers bar, but has a cosmic clientele like the Star Wars cantina. It's the place where every being knows your name."

Callahan's offers a unique twist on the traditional adventure game format. The game consists of six adventures organized like a TV sitcom, where each episode presents the band of regulars with a new challenge. Legend Entertainment's President and Callahan's Executive Producer Bob Bates commented, "This game is accessible and fun for everyone. Because of the episodic format, people can play through one of the stories in an evening or two and come away with a real sense of accomplishment. Then they can come back for another story without having to remember everything from their first session. Callahan's offers incredible entertainment value-the funny puzzles, witty dialogue, gorgeous environments and nonviolent themes will appeal to the whole family."

The Callahan's episodes can be played in almost any order and offer comic insights into the human condition. Players will travel from the streets of Transylvania to the rain forests of Brazil and the edges of the Universe as they help the Callahan's regulars solve life's thorniest problems. Beautiful 360-degree panoramic vistas bring the scenes to life and give the player a highly detailed view in any direction.

Bates continued, "Josh Mandel brings sterling credentials to the game designer's role. Josh is a gifted comedic writer who toured the country for nine years as a stand-up comedian and designed many award-winning games for Sierra including Freddy Pharkas and Space Quest VI. With Callahan's, Josh has created a gaming environment teeming with hilarious situations, comical puns and outrageous characters.

The game's premise is that Earth is an art exhibit for the entertainment of the "Gods." One of the "Gods," Gingranich, wants to cut Earth's funding. Fortunately for Earth, Gingranich's chief advisor stops for a drink at Callahan's where he learns some powerful lessons about laughter and friendship.

The Callahan's world popularized in the seven Callahan's Crosstime Saloon novels was created by author Spider Robinson, who has won three Hugo awards and a Nebula. The New York Times called Robinson, "the next Robert Heinlein" and the American Library Association named Callahan's Crosstime Saloon the Best Book for Young Adults. Callahan's fans gather online at alt.callahans, which is among the busiest newsgroups worldwide. The next Callahan's novel, Callahan's Legacy, will be released in October (for Books (800) 288-2131).

CALLAHAN'S CROSSTIME SALOON is DOS and WIN 95 compatible. The title will be distributed throughout North America by RandomSoft (800) 788-8815. European distribution will be provided by Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) 0171.368.2255 and Australian distribution will be provided by Directsoft Australia 61.2.482.3455. An in-depth strategy guide will be written by best-selling author Rick Barba (Prima Publishing (800) 531-2343).

Legend Entertainment Company, founded in 1989, is a leading developer and publisher of high quality entertainment software featuring compelling story lines and richly detailed environments. Recent bestselling titles include MISSION CRITICAL, SHANNARA, DEATH GATE and COMPANIONS OF XANTH. A compilation of eight award-winning Legend Entertainment adventure games, THE LOST ADVENTURES, will be released in June 1996.

Legend Entertainment Company

PO Box 10810

14200 Park Meadow Drive

Chantilly, VA 22021-0810

703-222-8500,  fax 703-222-3471


PC EXPO NYC Offers 4 Top Keynote Speakers
PC EXPO IN NEW YORK TO OFFER FIVE TOP KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

WEB.X--The Internet Event for Business and Networks Expo will also be featured at PC EXPO

(New York, NY, March 13) -- PC EXPO In New York will offer business buyers of technology an unprecedented number of influential keynote speakers during the show and conference, June 18-20, 1996 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. The keynote presentations will complement the PC EXPO exhibit floor featuring 830 exhibitors showcasing hundreds of new products covering the entire gamut of computing. Two new features, WEB.X--The Internet Event for Business and Networks Expo will also be at PC EXPO.

Four top-level executives -- Scott McNealy of Sun Microsystems, Eric Benhamou of 3Com Corporation, Jim Barksdale of Netscape Communications, and John Whiteside of IBM Corporation -- will deliver keynote addresses. The fifth presentation will be an executive panel with representatives from at least five major companies discussing, "The PC of the Future," moderated by Fortune magazine, the official sponsor of the PC EXPO keynote series.

"PC EXPO's unprecedented roster of keynote presentations this year represents the brightest and most influential minds in the computer industry; their influence affirms the show's established reputation as a bellwether event for new products and trends," said Mark Dineen, vice president of Blenheim Group USA, Inc., producers of PC EXPO.

The keynote presentations will provide more than 130,000 attendees expected at PC EXPO with critical information for planning their technology purchasing strategies, added Mr. Dineen.

Blenheim Group USA, Inc., based in Fort Lee, NJ, is part of Blenheim Group PLC, the world's leading independent producer of conferences and exhibitions. Attendees can access available information about all of Blenheim's I.T. shows at the ShowNet site on the World Wide Web, at URL: http://www.shownet.com.

Blenheim Group USA

Fort Lee Executive Park, One Executive Dr, Fort Lee, NJ 07024

800-829-3976,  201-346-1400,  Fax: 201-346-1532


EA/Origin Launch Test of New Internet Gaming
ELECTRONIC ARTS/ORIGIN LAUNCHES TEST OF NEW INTERNET GAMING TECHNOLOGY; Ultima Online debuts with over 3,000 participants

AUSTIN, TX., April 1, 1996 - ORIGIN Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), today launched its first Internet test of online gaming with a multiplayer online version of Ultima., one of the most successful and highly-acclaimed series of role-playing games in the entertainment software industry. The Ultima Online test, which begins today and runs for a week, will have more than 3,000 participants from all over world. Players from as far away as Australia, Germany, Japan and Russia are expected to participate.

Requests for participation in the test were so numerous, the company had to stop accepting applications after just one week and limit the number to approximately 3,000, which exceeded the early estimates that perhaps 500 to 1,000 game players would enroll in that time frame. "We were astounded by the reaction," said Richard Garriott, creator of the Ultima series and founder of ORIGIN Systems. "Unlike others who have tried to do gaming on dedicated online services, we are leading the charge for games running on the Internet. We believe the future holds great promise for online gaming and this is our first step in the learning process. Of course, we think we can have lots of fun doing it."

"We believe we have set a new standard for online gaming with rich, fully-rendered graphics and stunning visual effects in millions of colors," continued Mr. Garriott. In the Ultima Online test game, participants will be able to have real-time conversations, engage in combat, purchase necessary items and experience the effects of day and night. The on-screen characters in Ultima Online are fully-customizable, allowing the player to choose attributes such as the gender, hair color and clothing desired. The character then is stored in the game server and can be called up at any time the participant wishes to play.

Ultima Online runs 24-hours a day, the world always evolving and changing, whether participants are playing or not. The game was designed from the ground up to be self-regulating and self-generating. For example, if a dragon's preferred food is deer, and the players kill all the deer, the dragon may turn on the town (and townspeople!) in search of food. A simulated resource system allows the game to manage itself so that it can generate quests, conversations, non-player characters, and monsters, on its own.

"Basically, we're testing to see how the technology will perform with hundreds of people over the Internet," says Starr Long, Ultima Online's associate producer. "We're interested to see how many players can fit together on a map and how the servers hold up with the demand."

Ultima Online runs under Windows '95 native. Test participants have Internet access and the ability to send and receive TCP/IP packets to and from sites on the Internet (SLIP or PPP).

ORIGIN Systems, based in Austin, Texas, develops and publishes state-of-the-art entertainment software, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA has an annual sales rate of over $520 million. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: EA SPORTS, Electronic Arts Studio, Origin Systems Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd. and Jane's Combat Simulations. EA has subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

Electronic Arts

1450 Fashion Island Blvd

San Mateo, CA 94404

415-571-7171


The Java Handbook
PATRICK NAUGHTON FOUNDER OF THE TEAM THAT DEVELOPED JAVA AUTHORS THE DEFINITIVE JAVA GUIDE

April 9, 1996, Berkeley, CA-Java, the revolutionary new programming environment from Sun Microsystems, is bringing cutting-edge interactivity to the World Wide Web. To help users exploit the power of Java, Osborne/McGraw-Hill today announces the release of The Java Handbook. In order to produce a definitive book that shows readers precisely what Java can do and, more importantly, exactly how to use it, Osborne turned to Patrick Naughton, the pioneering founder of the development team that created Java.

With its in-depth coverage and insider perspective, The Java Handbook is the resource Web programmers have been waiting for-complete with the compelling first-hand account of the history of Java as told by the visionary whose determination and sheer tenacity have made the promise of interactivity on the Web a reality.

In The Java Handbook, Naughton shows his readers how to program in Java to create the dynamic, executable content that brings Web pages to life. This comprehensive guide starts with the basics, and then provides detailed coverage of every important aspect of Java programming, including:

* A primer on object-oriented programming and a detailed discussion

  of Java language constructs.

* Complete coverage of all Java Developer's Kit 1.0 class libraries.

* Lessons on advanced Java features such as multi-threading,

  networking, and GUI programming.

* Working code examples for creating interactive Web page elements

  such as animation, painting, continuously updated displays, sound,

  and client/server networked applications.

According to Naughton, "It was an exhilarating experience to help shape and drive the development of Java-I lived and breathed this technology 24 hours a day for four years-but it's even more exciting to see the results of that work poised to change the face of the Web. I've written this book to help Web programmers master Java so they can start Web revolutions of their own."

Scott McNealy, Chairman, CEO and President of Sun Microsystems pays a unique tribute to Naughton's book, "This book kicks butt...so fun, it makes me want to go write a Java Applet myself!"

As a bonus, free executable code examples are provided throughout The Java Handbook, allowing programmers to immediately try out Java applets on their own. Additionally, the code can be downloaded for free from the Osborne/McGraw-Hill website: http://www.osborne.com.

"The interest in Java is enormous, and there's been a flood of information about its potential," stated Scott Rogers, Executive Editor at Osborne/McGraw-Hill. "But there is a scarcity of tangible how-to advice for people that want to actually program using Java. Patrick's book fills this void with an insider's perspective that only he can provide."

The Java Handbook is softcover, 450 pages, and has illustrations and graphics throughout. Suggested retail price: $27.95. ISBN: 0-07-882199-1. For orders only, phone: (800) 227-0900, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

Patrick Naughton, one of foremost Java developers in the world, spent four years intently pursuing his singular programming vision as a founder of the Java development team at Sun. Naughton is currently senior vice president of technology at Starwave, a media company presently forging new ground in the electronic publishing universe, where he heads the development of platform strategies, applications and tools for publishing online services on the Internet. Starwave uses Java to create several popular sites on the Web, including Mr. Showbiz, NBA.com and the ESPN Web site SportsZone. Renowned for its continually updated sports scores, The Zone has more viewers on the Web than any other destination site, and was recently awarded the Excellence in Software Award from the Software Publisher's Association.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of computer books that include user and reference guides for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Known for its best-selling Internet titles-The Internet Complete Reference and The Internet Yellow Pages-as well as its Busy People and Oracle Press series, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with the Corel Corporation, the Oracle Corporation, Stream International, and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for developing future computer books.

McGraw-Hill Inc

Professional Book Group

11 West 19th St

New York, NY 10011

800-233-1128,  Orders: 800-822-8158,  Fax: 800-932-0183


CD Solutions Interactive Training Series
CD Solutions Launches Interactive Training Series on CD-ROM

First disc in Coping with Organizational Change series helps companies compete more effectively by providing guidance for conflict resolution, says author

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- (March 27, 1996) -- CD Solutions, Inc. today announced that it is launching a comprehensive, interactive CD-ROM-based skills training program aimed at helping people cope with significant change within their organizations.

The first disc in the Coping with Organizational Change series, called Workshop in Conflict Solutions, is being released this week. Other scheduled titles will focus on coaching and counseling, team building, and general supervisory skills.

"Most organizations are undergoing significant change, with many becoming flatter and more efficient. This frequently means those on board have to do more with the same or fewer resources," said CD Solutions President Paul H. Earl.

"People are finding they need to work with others in new ways, and this requires them to enhance their people skills, which is what Coping with Organizational Change addresses."

Coping with Organizational Change, which runs on the Windows, Windows 95, and Macintosh platforms, is the latest series in the CD Solutions Library of education and reference CD-ROMs. It's based on the work of John W. Baker, II, of BCV Associates, a widely recognized authority in the human resource training field who has consulted on organizational change issues to scores of public, private, government, and non-profit organizations around the world.

"To compete more effectively, managers and supervisors have to become better at managing cross-functional teams," Baker said. "Conflicts often arise when people who have different approaches to solving problems work together. Knowing how to resolve those disputes not only addresses the immediate problem, but also builds a framework for tackling other situations. This enables the organization to become a stronger competitor."

According to Training Magazine, U.S. employers last year spent $52 billion on formal training for 50 million people, of which $10 billion went for seminars, computers, and packaged ^`raining programs. In addition, surveys found that 40% of all organizations are moving toward team-based structures, while 70% of all organizations are providing team-building training.

Baker noted that CD-ROM technology enhances the way training is delivered while reducing organizational costs. "While it's our belief that technology should not replace the trainer, technology does dramatically reduce the cost of implementation."

Key features of the Workshop in Conflict Solutions disc include eight interactive exercises and 12 role plays that allows the user to use the computer as an interactive "prop." The ability to print any or all sections of the disc lets users create their own custom workbook based on the disc.

Over one and one-half hours of tutorials and exercises let users pace set their own pace for learning. while the CD-ROM medium lets them work on the material when it's most convenient for them. In addition, an integrated notepad utility provides a convenient way to make and save notes for future reference, while a comprehensive conflict resolution checklist, glossary, bibliography, and a library of related Internet resources completes the disc.

Key sections of the disc include:

Background: Exploring conflict.

Setting the Scene: Sources of organizational conflict; value inventory; dyadic sharing; perception as an information process concept; conflict positions.

Strategies: Constructive/destructive conflict management; avoidance, defusion, confrontation; selecting the plan.

Tactics: Tools and tricks of the trade; power - personal, position; control/surrender techniques; six techniques for resolving conflict.

Finding the Common Ground: Integrative solutions; contentious behavior.

Interactive Role Plays: With a partner (4); solo (8); to develop a conflict procedure.

The single user price of Workshop in Conflict Solutions is $155. For information on workstation and volume prices, call CD Solutions at 508-879-0006.

BCV Associates, of Newburgh, New York, is a human resource, organizational development, and training consulting firm that helps companies and individuals develop the skills, systems, and resources needed to optimize human and business potential.

CD Solutions, Inc., an operating company of the International Data Group, publishes CDROMs for the business market to help users make the best use of their technology investment to grow their business and manage their use of information. Since 1992 the company has published more than 40 custom CD-ROMs to help businesses distribute information and market themselves.

CD Solutions Inc

111 Speen Street, Ste 202

Framingham, MA 01701-9107

508-879-0006,  fax 508-820-4396

info@cdsolutions.com


Chem USA Value-Priced Multimedia Pentiums
CHEM USA INTRODUCES NEW VALUE-PRICED MULTIMEDIA PENTIUM NOTEBOOK

New 133MHz Pentium Multimedia Notebook With 4X CD-ROM, Plug & Play BIOS Support and Pipeline Burst Mode For 256KB Cache Memory Is Price/Performance Choice for SOHO, Business Travelers and Entertainment Users

Hayward, CA -- April 8, 1996 -- CHEM USA Corp. today announced a new value-priced Pentium-based ChemBook notebook computer with features that position the Model 5580 as the best price/performance multimedia notebook computer for the small office/home office (SOHO), business traveler and entertainment user. The unit features up to 133MHz performance and full multimedia capability including support for plug and play BIOS, a pipeline burst mode to increase the efficiency of the 256KB L2 cache memory, and a removable 4X-speed CD-ROM, with a 6X-speed drive available as an option.

CHEM USA, a new notebook market star, has a full line of ChemBook (sold through distributors and retailers) and 5d-brand (available direct) high-performance, full-featured notebook computers.

The new ChemBook Model 5580 and 5d Model 4080 Value-Priced CD-ROM Pentium Notebook Computer with up to 133MHz performance and full video and sound multimedia capability, up to one GB (gigabyte) removable disk drive storage capacity, up to 32MB (megabytes) of RAM, a large color screen, built-in touch pad cursor control, is available now starting at $2,690 suggested retail price, depending on configuration.

"Fast and affordable multimedia capability is essential for both business and entertainment users," says Richard Liu, CHEM USA's vice president of sales and marketing. "With plug and play BIOS support and a highly efficient cache memory, the new Model 5580 can easily accommodate 4X and even 6X CD-ROM disks."

The ChemBook and Sd notebooks feature a Microsoft Sound System- and Sound Blaster Pro-compatible 16-bit stereo sound system, a choice of processor speeds from 75-, 90-, 100-, and 120MHz up to 133MHz, 4-, 8-, 16- or 32MB of RAM, and a removable 500-, 810MB or 1GB hard drive. A 1.44MB floppy drive is removable to accommodate an extra battery, if desired.

The ChemBook Model 5580 and Sd Model 4080 Value-Priced CD-ROM Pentium Notebook Computer can be used as a stand-alone multimedia PC or can easily function as a desktop PC with the unit's mini-docking station adapter. A high-speed serial port provides networking and modem capabilities, and a built-in Hewlett-Packard infrared IRDA interface (COM2) provides instant wireless connection to peripherals.

Support for MPEG-compatible high performance software, along with 2MB EDO Video RAM with a 32-bit PCI video bus and Windows accelerator, ensure fast display of sharp graphics on a 11.3-inch dual scan, or 11.3-12.1-inch TFT active matrix screen.

With one each Type II and Type III PC Card slots, the notebook provides additional on- or off-line data storage or access to the wealth of applications available on PC Cards such as fax/modem software downloading, communications, and other memory-intensive applications.

The notebook also includes efficient power management features, including a CPU and global standby mode, plus auto-suspend and auto-power management support. In addition, an autoswitching AC adapter, NiMH battery and two-hour fast charge capability help the user manage power when traveling.

ChemBook computers are sold nationwide through distributors and retailers, while 5d brand models are available direct from Sd Technology, a mail order division of CHEM USA. ChemBook computers can be shipped pre-loaded with software (optional) and are backed by a one year warranty, service and technical support. 5d Notebook computers are shipped pre-loaded with the Windows 95 operating system, and feature a 30-day money-back guarantee and one-year warranty. Express repair service and technical support for all products is available from CHEM USA Corp.'s Hayward facilities.

CHEM USA Corp. was established in 1991 to take advantage of the market opportunities for technically advanced, high-quality notebook computers created by the rapid shift in U.S. usage from desktop to mobile PCs. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chung-Hsin Electric & Machinery Co., Taipei, Taiwan, a $500 million, 40-year old publicly traded manufacturer of computer components and industrial equipment. CHEM USA Corp.'s administration, marketing and sales, plus service and shipping originate from operations located at 2368 W. Winton Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545, telephone 510/785-8080, Fax 510/785-1010.


Utah Tech Watch 4/13/96
UTAH TECH WATCH - - by David Politis - - 4/13-15/96 Edition

Quick, name the largest computer network in the country.

The answer, quite simply, is the telephone system.

Although most people don't think of the phone beside their bed or on their desk as a computer, most of today's phones qualify as a simple computing device.

Particularly when you consider such standard features in most telephones as touch tone dialing, automatic re-dialing, memory, and call forwarding.

More importantly, each phone at some point is connected to at least one major phone switch, which is in reality a computer, plain and simple.

And for that same reason, the copper wiring, fiber optic cabling or satellite connections that permit your call to Austin, Texas are all part of a huge computer network known as POTS, the Plain Old Telephone System.

Getting smarter

For all the technology built into the telecommunications system, however, most of today's desktop phone sets are not really that smart. Nor are they always easy to use.

Case in point, have you ever gone out of town on a business trip only to return to find your voice mail box full? (A similar analogy is finding your answering machine at home loaded with 12 messages after being gone for the evening.)

Accessing each of those messages in order is one of the biggest pains of the modern world.

Particularly if one or more calls were generated by a computer selling system. (But that's a topic for another column.)

Easily retrieving messages from voice mail systems when you want, in the order you want, and being able to archive, append or forward messages simply would be heavenly in today's information-laden environment.

These features are just some of the benefits one can gain from CTI: Computer Telephony Integration.

And one of the early leaders in CTI is a firm I met recently through my work that's based right here in Utah.

CallWare Technologies

CallWare Technologies was formed in October 1994 when it was spun off from International Voice Exchange.

At the time, six-year-old IVX was establishing voice messaging service bureaus around the U.S. Interestingly, many of its shareholders and interested parties kept telling IVX management that it should spin off its CallWare software into a separate business.

Which they did. And from a standing-start less than two years ago, CallWare has taken the CTI market by storm.

CallWare 5.1, the software product, integrates with more than 200 business phone systems on the market and Novell's NetWare operating system.

When in use, CallWare allows business people to view incoming calls and stored voice messages all from their desktop PC.

With a standard computer mouse, users can select from their computer screen which messages to listen to, in what order, which to delete outright, and which to store, append or forward.

According to Craig Hansen, CallWare chairman and CEO, most voice mail and messaging systems are hardware-based at costs ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to $100,000 and more.

Because CallWare's system is software based, its starting price is under $3,000.

"Our technology has leapfrogged the telecommunications side of the business," Hansen explained.

Although CallWare has not formally announced its sales figures, Hansen admitted that sales for the Salt Lake City-based firm in 1995 were greater than $10 million.

Part of CallWare's early success has come from its focus on training computer resellers on the benefits of CTI.

According to Hansen, the firm currently has 18 CTI training centers in the U.S., with an additional seven centers in other parts of the world. By the end of the year, CallWare plans to have a total of 35 CTI training centers worldwide.

"We want to be to the CTI industry what Novell is to the networking industry and what Microsoft is to the PC Windows industry," Hansen said.

Given the crying need for better computer telephony integration, and its early success, CallWare might just make it happen.

A marketing communications consultant that specializes in high-tech and life sciences clients, David Politis welcomes column ideas at 801-569-2592 or via the Internet at dpolitis@altatech.com.


Great Plains Dynamics C/S+ & MS SQL Server
Great Plains Software Announces Dynamics C/S+ Immediate Support for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5

San Francisco, CA, April 15, 1996--Great Plains Software announced today that Dynamics C/S+, its 32-bit suite of three-tier client/server financial applications, now supports the most recent release of Microsoft Corporation's relational database server, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5.

"Immediate support for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 along with logo compliant certification on both Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft BackOffice demonstrates that Dynamics C/S+ is the ideal solution for midrange corporate customers seeking next-generation financial applications specifically designed and optimized for Microsoft technologies," said Ray August, chief technology officer at Great Plains Software.

"Offering the total client/server solution, Great Plains combines an award-winning product line with undisputed leadership in customer service, the industry's largest and most sophisticated VAR channel, and the stability of 14 consecutive years of record revenue growth."

NEXT-GENERATION ARCHITECTURE

Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server is designed to uniquely deliver next-generation accounting and financial management functionality based on a scalable three-tier client/server architecture. Through this next-generation architecture, customers can exploit the performance of Dynamics C/S+, increasing the productivity of every user on the network and maximizing the use of all network resources.

Digital's hardware for Microsoft Windows NT on the Intel or Alpha platforms is the optimal solution for superior performance in this distributed computing model and can be deployed as database servers, application servers and even at the desktop for power users.

TIGHT INTEGRATION WITH MICROSOFT BACKOFFICE Dynamics C/S+ delivers tight integration between a corporation's financial applications and Microsoft BackOffice components. This tight integration includes:

 - Support for both Microsoft Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT

   Server 3.51.

 - Use of advanced database functionality in Microsoft SQL Server,

   such as stored procedures which optimize performance by processing

   appropriate functions on the server.

 - Implementation of transaction logging and rollback which heightens

   the security and data integrity of mission-critical financial

   data by resuming interrupted tasks, such as posting, from the

   interruption point.

 - Integration with Microsoft Mail Server, which allows reports to

   be sent through electronic mail systems, including the Internet,

   using MAPI.

 - Support for System Management Server, which eases the installation

   and upgrade process.

 - Smoother installation through a fully automated installation

   wizard.

DYNAMICS C/S+ MODULES AND AVAILABILITY

Shipping since July 1994, Dynamics C/S+ has earned the trust of more than 200 customers on Microsoft Windows NT Server, and the January issue of Personal Computer Magazine recognized Dynamics C/S+ with honors as the premier client/server financial application.

The following nine Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server modules are shipping:

 System Manager

 Report Writer

 General Ledger

 Receivables Management

 Payables Management

 Multicurrency Management

 Advanced Financial Analysis

 Frx

 Modifier

Currently in beta are four Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server modules:

 Sales Order Processing

 Inventory

 Invoicing

 US Payroll

A leading next-generation client/server financial application available at a lower true cost of ownership, Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server offers competitive application pricing and shorter installation and implementation cycles than traditional Midrange vendors. Dynamics C/S+ for Microsoft SQL Server system software pricing averages $75,000.


PowerMan - File Manipulator/Utility
P O W E R M A N -

A New And Powerfull File Manipulator/Utility Workshop

          by

Maximum Interface Software

http://junior.apk.net/~powerman

e-mail: powerman@apk.net

Description:

PowerMan is a Powerful File Manager designed to make file manipulation FAST and flexible.

Features include:

File & Directory Commands - With two working directory boxes, Copy, Move, or Copy directories back and forth. Delete, Remove Directories, Rename, and Make Directories. Will delete Hidden, System, and ReadOnly files at user's discretion.

File Selection Commands - Select the files you wish to Copy, Move, Rename etc.. in ways other File Managers don't allow. Click ALL, or NONE to select and deselect all files. Click MAXIMIZE to fit as many files onto a disk (or any destination path) that will fit. Click STAMP or STENCIL to use the second directory box to select files. Click REVERSE to toggle the current files to on or off.

Built In Applications - PowerMan features five internal applications with more on the way! Drive Search Utility to find any file in any directory. Grep Search to find any keywords in a group of text files. Text Viewer to view, copy to clipboard, and print text. File Information Application to edit file times, dates, and attribs like Hidden, Readonly, and System. Icon Browser to find and select icons for manipulation with PowerMan.

Run External Programs - PowerMan allows the user to run external programs from pre-defined buttons or by double-clicking on files with identifying extensions. (Double click on a .hlp file to load WinHelp on that file) Buttons and extensions can be edited with the PowerMan Configuration Editor (available only after registration).

PowerMan comes with 4 pre-defined external program buttons: NotePad, PaintBrush, PkZip, and PkUnzip. The user must already have the Zip Software.

Keyboard Commands - Those familiar with the commands from Norton Commander will be happy to find similar keyboard shortcuts in PowerMan plus many more.

Registration - $15.00  Those registering PowerMan will receive the PowerMan Configuration Editor, more features, and any new update information as it becomes available.  When you see all you get, you won't believe your eyes...

Windows 95 - PowerMan will run on windows 95 with the exception of manipulating long file names.  A 32-bit version is on its way...

More Info: http://junior.apk.net/~powerman

This is an informative web page with a downloadable share ware version. e-mail: powerman@apk.net


SurfWatch Stumps Government Expert
SURFWATCH STUMPS GOVERNMENT EXPERT IN INTERNET DECENCY TRIAL

Expert witness admits not being able to search Internet sex sites with SurfWatch enabled.

Philadelphia, Penn., April 15, 1996 - Under cross-examination during the legal challenge to the Communications Decency Act, Department of Justice expert witness, Howard Schmidt admitted that had SurfWatch Internet filtering software been running, he would have been unable to search for Internet sites containing sexually explicit material.

Schmidt originally testified that he had found sexually explicit Internet sites which SurfWatch did not block by searching for terms such as "sex" and "xxx" on popular Internet search engines, such as Yahoo and Lycos. During cross examination by Citizen's Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC) attorney Ann Kappler however, Schmidt revealed that he had run his initial searches WITHOUT SurfWatch running. Kappler noted that SurfWatch prevents searches for terms like "sex" or "xxx", and that had Schmidt been running the program when he conducted his initial search, he would have been unable to find any of the sites he claimed SurfWatch didn't block in the first place.

In response to relentless questioning by Kappler, Schmidt reluctantly admitted that "SurfWatch would not have allowed the [initial] search".

Throughout the course of the court proceedings, the government has sought to show that minors can inadvertently stumble upon "indecent" or "patently offensive" material in the normal course of using the Internet, and that parental control software such as SurfWatch is not effective at preventing minors from accessing such material.

"Tens of thousands of parents and teachers are using SurfWatch every day to prevent inappropriate material from reaching children," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch Software, Inc. "After my testimony two weeks ago, I hope that we have convinced the court that parental control software like SurfWatch is a much more effective and less restrictive solution than excessive government regulation"

SurfWatch's unique Dynamic Filtering Technology not only blocks sexually explicit Internet content, but it also keeps children from initially searching for material in many of the popular Internet search engines. This powerful feature has helped to make SurfWatch the market leader in Internet filtering and parental control software.

SurfWatch runs on both Macintosh and Windows-based personal computers. As a founding member of the PICS consortium, SurfWatch is also supporting the development of industry-wide Internet rating systems. The software is available directly from SurfWatch or through software distributors and retail outlets.

For more information on the CIEC challenge, including the text of the complaint and other relevant materials, contact the Center for Democracy and Technology at 202-637-9800 or via the World Wide Web at http://www.cdt.org/ciec/

SurfWatch Software, Inc. based in Los Altos, CA, is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. Founded in January 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products which have a positive impact on peoples' lives, SurfWatch Software, Inc. was the first company to ship Internet software for blocking access to inappropriate material and has licensed Internet filtering technology to the on-line services industry. SurfWatch Software can be reached at 415-948-9500, info@surfwatch.com or via the World Wide Web at http://www.surfwatch.com.

Jay Friedland                           E-mail: jay@surfwatch.com

SurfWatch Software                      Phone:  415-948-9500

175 S. San Antonio Rd, Ste 102          Fax:    415-948-9577

Los Altos, CA 94022                     http://www.surfwatch.com


Nex*Phone for FREE Internet Voice Comm.
Nex*Phone from InterNEX Technologies, Inc.

Nex*Phone for FREE voice communication over the Internet

External sound card, fully integrated with two speakers, microphone and software drivers ideal for travel and Internet Telephony.

April 15, 1996 -- A new solution for voice communication over the Internet is being offered by InterNEX Technologies. Inc. - Nex*Phone is an External SOUND Card that attaches to the parallel port of any Laptop or Desktop PC and provides the best sound quality for a miniature device (less than 13 oz.) at under $340.

InterNEX announces that effective January 1, 1996, Nex*Phone is bundled with the Internet Phone - a revolutionary program which allows normal conversation over the Internet. Existing PC users who already have a standard sound card can utilize Nex*Phone to obtain Full-Duplex capability which enhances voice communication over the Internet. When used by itself, Nex*Phone provides only a Half-Duplex capability. Full-Duplex allows two people to speak and listen simultaneously while Half-Duplex only allows one person to speak at a time.

For additional information on Full-Duplex versus Half-Duplex see the InterNEX web site: www.inext.com

Nex*Phone Play and Record functions enable users to enjoy crystal-clear sound over a wide dynamic range of 72dB, using only 480K bytes of disk space for 60 second of high quality sound recording.

This new product offers many unique features such as stereo capability using two integrated speakers; internal microphone for convenient recording; and totally integrated packaging to eliminate outside cables and wires. Nex*Phone can easily be installed in less than 20 minutes and is Windows 95 compatible as well as SoundBlaster (.wav /avi). It's pocket size dimensions of 6.25" x 3.75" x 1.35" offer convenient portability for laptop and PC users. Several desktop PC users can share Nex*Phone while working in the office; later they can carry it with them for long distance Internet calling or presentations.

Nex*Phone is available in several models:

2002 -Nex*Phone basic Play/Record model,

2003 -Nex*Phone advanced Play/Record model, (includes a 9 V Rechargeable-NiCad battery, Wall-mount Battery Charger and a secondary Volume Control),

2004 -Nex*Phone -deluxe model (identical to the 2003 and bundled with the Internet Phone).

2005, and 2006 are identical to the 2004 but are bundled with two or three Internet Phone packages respectively.

Prices range from $229 for the 2002 unit, $269 for Model 2003, $338 for Model 2004, $407 for Model 2005 and $476 for Model 2006 - which includes three (3) fully registered Internet Phone licenses.

To order contact InterNEX, one of our authorized distributors or via the Internet: www.inext.com


Artisoft Agreements with Netscape & CIS
Artisoft Announces Agreements with Netscape and CompuServe

Focus on Internet for Small Business

(TUCSON, AZ-April 2, 1996)-Artisoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASFT) announced today two technology licensing agreements, one from Netscape Communications Corp. for Netscape Navigator Internet client software, and a separate agreement with SPRY, CompuServe's Internet Division, for SPRYNET Internet access service. These technologies are expected to be incorporated together into certain future Artisoft products specifically designed to provide Internet access for small business network users.

According to a recent MCI-Gallup survey, the number of small businesses using the Internet will double this year, increasing from 21% in 1995 to 42% in 1996.

"Many of our small business networking customers recognize the growing need for Internet access that is both easy to use and affordable," said Bill Peterson, Artisoft vice president of corporate marketing. "Who better to bring small business into the cyber world? Our vast distribution channels let us offer products to the widest possible small business audience. And, by combining reliable, affordable Internet access through SPRYNET with Netscape's Internet browsing capabilities into our products, Artisoft is adding to its technology portfolio, becoming a leading provider of not only networking products but Internet technology as well. We also expect to be able to use these technologies across our entire line of communications products by year's end."

"The Internet is rapidly being adopted by small business as an efficient and cost-effective tool to help them be more productive," said Bob Lisbonne, vice president client product marketing at Netscape. "Our agreement uses Artisoft's well-established channels to give their five million customers easy access to Netscape Navigator, with its wide range of advanced features, including email and support for Java and Javascript."

Netscape Navigator 2.0 integrates a full suite of Internet applications including electronic mail, threaded discussion groups, and state-of-the-art navigation capabilities - and provides advanced features such as rich layout support, support for Java and Javascript and Live Objects , all of which give users access to a new generation of live, online applications.

"By partnering with Artisoft, which has millions of customers and 20,000 resellers worldwide, SPRY can broaden its customer base among small businesses across the globe," said Tim Oren, vice president and general manager of SPRY, CompuServe's Internet Division. "As more small businesses realize the value of Internet access, we're ideally positioned to offer them the same services and advantages of the Internet widely used by larger organizations."

SPRYNET supplies fast and reliable local dial-up access in more than 93 percent of the United States through CompuServe's global data network. SPRYNET provides an instant connection to the Internet through a World Wide Web community that features tips for exploration as well as 24-hour, online technical support on Internet software and services. CompuServe is the world's single largest Internet access and service provider.

About Artisoft

Artisoft leads the industry in providing easy-to-use, affordable networking, remote communications and computer telephony solutions for business. Chosen by nearly five million users worldwide to connect and share computer resources, Artisoft solutions include the award-winning LANtastic. family of networking products, and the INSYNC. family of remote communication products, including CoSession Remote and ModemShare. Dedicated to the development of easy-to-use tools and applications for Windows telephony, Artisoft's computer telephony solutions include Visual Voice, Visual Fax, and Otto. The company maintains nine offices outside the United States, and distributes its products in more than 100 countries.

For more information, contact Artisoft, Inc. at 2202 N. Forbes Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85745. Sales Consultation Center 800/233-5564. Corporate 520/670-7100. Fax 520/670-7101. World Wide Web home page http://www.artisoft.com. Recent Artisoft press releases are available at no charge through PR Newswire's Company News OnCall fax-on-demand system; call 800/758-5804 and enter company number 107158.

About Netscape

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of Netscape clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate users) or 415/528-3777 (individuals). About CompuServe

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) company. Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in more than 185 countries.


Artisoft 32-bit Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0
Artisoft Now Shipping 32-Bit Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0

New ActiveX Controls for Windows Telephony from Stylus Product Group

(LAS VEGAS-April 2, 1996)-Artisoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASFT) announced today the release of Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0 from its Stylus Product Group. Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0 is a 32-bit ActiveX (formerly known as OLE) control version of Stylus' award-winning Visual Voice telephony software toolkit. Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0 is designed to provide an easy-to-use interface to any TAPI-compliant telephony device, including voice/fax modems, PBXs, and voice boards. Using Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0, developers can create a variety of telephony applications including interactive voice response (e.g. touch-tone banking), fax-on-demand, and voice mail. Visual Voice for TAPI will work with any ActiveX control-compatible environment such as Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0, Microsoft Visual C++ 4.0, Borland Delphi 2.0, Powersoft PowerBuilder 5.0, and many other tools that support ActiveX controls. Available now directly from Stylus, Visual Voice for TAPI starts at $495. There are no runtime fees.

Created by Microsoft Corporation and Intel Corporation, TAPI is a component of Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA) that defines a standard for integrating the telephone with the personal computer under Microsoft Windows. "Windows is clearly a strategic telephony platform," said Mike Cassidy, general manager of the Stylus Product Group at Artisoft. "Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0 allows any Windows developer to easily build computer telephony solutions that can immediately be deployed on millions of Windows desktops." Applications developed with Visual Voice for TAPI can interact with practically every available data source and network because of the extensive third-party and built-in support available in the development environments that support ActiveX controls.

An Expanding Windows Telephony Market

"Microsoft is delighted to see Visual Voice combined with TAPI," said Charles Fitzgerald, product manager in the Telecom Products Unit at Microsoft. "This announcement brings the power and flexibility of Visual Voice to a broad range of telephony hardware." TAPI provides a standard programming interface across telephony platforms allowing developers to build hardware-independent telephony applications.

At Touch-Tone Computers in Honolulu, Hawaii, Visual Voice for TAPI is being used to provide cross-platform telephony solutions. According to Wayne Barry at Touch-Tone Computers, "Visual Voice for TAPI allows us to deploy our applications on different hardware without making changes to our code." Barry is deploying the same code on a range of TAPI-compliant hardware.

The inclusion of TAPI in Windows 95 brings telephony support to millions of desktops. With the release of Unimodem/V, Microsoft has provided a universal TAPI driver for standard voice modems. "Just as the inclusion of Windows printer drivers allowed any Windows-compatible application to print to any Windows-compatible printer, Microsoft's telephony infrastructure will allow any TAPI-compatible application to work with any TAPI-compatible telephony device," said Chris Brookins, vice president of development at Stylus. Today, Visual Voice for TAPI can be used to create sophisticated telephony applications for popular voice modems such as the Diamond Multimedia Telecommander and Creative Labs Phone Blaster.

Easy-to-Use, High-Level Telephony Development Tool

Visual Voice for TAPI 2.0 is a 32-bit ActiveX control that adds TAPI support to popular Windows development tools. With Visual Voice for TAPI, someone with no telephony experience can effortlessly develop telephony/voice and fax applications. Visual Voice for TAPI provides a high-level interface to all of the following functions:

* waiting for inbound calls and detecting ringing, connection,

  line dropping

* placing outbound calls prompting for touch-tone input once calls

  are established

* playing and recording voice files

* sending and receiving faxes

* PBX call control for transfers, conferences, and other applications

Included in the Visual Voice for TAPI toolkit is the Voice Workbench, a point-and-click graphical tool to visually define the telephony components of an application and generate the corresponding application logic. The Voice Workbench is used to create and maintain voice prompts, menus, files, and more.

Ready-to-run sample applications for voice mail, auto-attendant, fax-on-demand, and order status systems are included with Visual Voice for TAPI. Additionally, the product's unique TAPI Examiner feature makes it easy for developers to test the TAPI support provided by a specific hardware platform. The TAPI Examiner generates a complete report detailing the compatibility between a TAPI hardware platform and a Visual Voice for TAPI application.

Artisoft leads the industry in providing easy-to-use, affordable networking, communications and computer telephony solutions for business. Chosen by nearly five million users worldwide to connect and share computer resources, Artisoft solutions include the award-winning LANtastic family of networking products, and the INSYNC family of remote communication products, including CoSession Remote and ModemShare. Artisoft's computer telephony solutions include Visual Voice products, Visual Fax, and Otto. The company maintains nine offices outside the United States, and distributes its products in more than 100 countries.

For more information, contact Artisoft's Stylus Products Group at 201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139. Sales Consultation 617/621-9545. Fax 617/6217862. E-mail sales@stylus.com. World Wide Web home page http://www.artisoft.com. Recent Artisoft press releases are available at no charge through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax-on-demand system; call 800/758-5804 and enter company number 107158.


RDBMS's Supported by TSI Mercator
Industry-Standard Relational Databases Now Supported by TSI's Mercator

Tool Provides Seamless Environment for Mapping To and From SQL Databases

Wilton, CT -- April 8, 1996 Graphical data mapping support for ODBC and native Oracle databases was announced today by TSI International, a leading provider of data transformation software. Relational databases can now be both data sources and destinations when using Mercator, TSI's any-to-any mapping tool. This extends Mercator's drag-and-drop data transformation capability to applications where direct connectivity is required between SQL databases and other data formats.

Data can now be mapped directly to and from SQL databases, files, and messages using Mercator's graphical toolset. There is no need for intermediate files, separate job steps, or separate programs. Mapping rules are specified by dragging graphical objects from sources and dropping them onto destinations. No programming is required. This reduces the skill level required to access relational databases and include them in mappings.

Facilities are provided to automatically generate graphical descriptions of SQL queries and tables. Existing queries can be used without modification. Mapping inputs can include any SQL query statements supported by the database manager. Mapping outputs can include any table defined in the database. All database access is performed within the Mercator environment, providing interconnections that are seamless and highly efficient.

"The ability to map data directly to or from a database without going through intermediate files extends Mercator's range to a whole new set of applications," noted Bob Bouton, TSI vice president of marketing. "For example, data can be mapped from one database to another entirely through drag and drop. Information from multiple databases can be combined to create an EDI message stream in one step. Data from a Web site can go directly into a database without writing special programs."

The initial release of Mercator s database connectivity supports all ODBC-compliant PC databases and native SQL for Personal Oracle7. Future releases will extend ODBC support to other platforms, including Windows NT and UNIX, and will provide native SQL support for the more popular relational databases in these same environments. ODBC connectivity for the PC environment is priced at less than $2,000.

Mercator is the leading data mapping technology in the market. It is the only tool that supports any-to-any mapping without writing code, the mapping of multiple sources and destinations in single process, and seamless embedding of data transformation within applications.

Mercator is also the only tool that provides portability of maps across PC, midrange, and mainframe environments. Map execution is supported for over 14 different environments including DOS, Windows, Windows NT, OS/400, VMS, and MVS, and major UNIX platforms including HP 9000, IBM RS6000, Sun SPARC, Digital Alpha, and Stratus.

TSI International is a leading supplier of electronic commerce software. TSI products include systems for EDI translation and management, middleware for integrating electronic data with computer applications, and pre-built desktop solutions for entire trading communities. Today, TSI software is installed in over 10,000 sites worldwide by companies conducting business electronically or integrating external data with the core applications of their business.

TSI International

45 Danbury Road

Wilton, CT 06897

203-761-8600

http://www.tsisoft.com


SoftArc Developer Partnership Program
SoftArc Implements New Partnership Program for Growing Community of Third-Party Developers

MARKHAM, Ontario, March 29, 1996-SoftArc Inc., the number four vendor of LAN-based e-mail and groupware worldwide, has implemented a new partnership program for its growing base of independent software vendors.

With over 4 million users at 20,000 sites worldwide, SoftArc's FirstClass e-mail and group communication application has attracted; a great: number of third-party developers. To encourage further development while maintaining high quality standards for customers, SoftArc has introduced a complete developer support and product certification process.

"SoftArc initiated this partnership program to benefit and support not only our third-party developers, but also the sophisticated needs of the FirstClass user," stated Steven Asbury, SoftArc president. "This program will help channel the tremendous third-party momentum and development activity that cames with being one of the fastest-growing e-mail and groupware vendors in the world."

SoftArc Developer Partnership Program

Developers who enroll in the SoftArc Developer Partnership Program are entitled to priority support from SoftArc Development; FirstClass product software for development and testing; product evaluation opportunities through Softarc's Quality Assurance department; and marketing support for approved products.

Registered development partners receive SoftArc's FirstClass Gateway Toolkits, programming libraries for a number of platforms that allow developers to write add-on products for FirstClass. SoftArc also publishes FirstClass Database Toolkits that provide real-time links from FirstClass to data stored in external sources. Client Extension Toolkits (to be available in Q3; please refer to 2/20/96 release, "SoftArc Announces FirstClass 3.5") will allow developers to write realtime plug-in modules for FirstClass clients.

Developers choosing not to enroll in the formal partnership program are still able to obtain versions of SoftArc's development toolkits electronically (without technical or marketing support).

Product Certification & Cooperative Marketing Opportunities

SoftArc development partners gain access to SoftArc's quality assurance and marketing resources by submitting finished products to SoftArc for certification.

A program administered by SoftArc's Quality Assurance department certifies FirstClass add-on software as "Works With FirstClass." These products have been tested and proven to work in conjunction with FirstClass and meet SoftArc's strict quality, performance and documentation guidelines.

Development partners with "Works With FirstClass" products are offered promotional opportunities including co-exhibition at trade shows, product information in FirstClass demonstration packages and other initiatives.

Application to the SoftArc Development Partnership Program may be made by contacting SoftArc Developer Relations at 905-415-7000. A one-time application fee of $995 U.S. is charged for enrollment in the program. Existing developers partnered with SoftArc are exempt from the application fee.

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 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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INDEPENDENT SOFTWARE VENDORS' FirstClass PRODUCTS

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Products below represent a sample of the dozens of add-on solutions for SoftArc's FirstClass e-mail and group communications product. Contact the individual vendors for more information, or SoftArc Developer Relations at 905-415-7000.

GATEWAYS

TFS Gateway-the collective name of a series of sophisticated software products that connect different electronic mail and groupware systems. TFS Gateways are modular, allowing them to be adapted and configured in a variety of ways. Modules are available for FirstClass, Lotus cc:Mail, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Mail, WordPerfect Office and Novell GroupWise. In addition, there are MCI, WCP and: SMTP modules to connect to public messaging services.

By TenFour Sweden, contact TenFour USA, Voice: 703-716-8364

ExpressNet/SMTP-a full-time Internet mail connection written specifically for FirstClass that supports SMTP, NNTP and LISTSERV formats for Internet messaging. The ExpressNet/SMTP Gateway supports real-time inbound and outbound Internet e-mail for sites with direct connections to the Internet and allows users of FirstClass to participate in UseNet conferences and mail lists.

By Delphic Software, Voice: 909-792-7932

HoloGate-a modular gateway connecting FirstClass to other electronic mail systems such as the Internet, CE Software's QuickMail, Microsoft Mail for Macintosh, and Cassaday & Greene's Snap Mail. HoloGate is licensed for an unlimited number of users.

By Information Access Technologies, Inc., Voice: 510-704-0160

Gateway Pro FC.cc:Mail-a gateway that integrates SoftArc's FirstClass e-mail and group collaboration software with PC-based electronic mail product cc:Mail from Lotus Development Corp. FC.cc:Mail gateway allows for unlimited users on either mail system to exchange mail and attachments between FirstClass and cc:Mail servers.

By Softbahn Inc., Voice: 416-590-1590

Gateway Pro FC.QM-a full-featured, robust and cost-effective gateway between FirstClass and CE Software's QuickMail servers. Gateway Pro FC.QM can be used locally or remotely. FirstClass and QuickMail users exchange messages and attachments using the gateway features of their respective systems.

By Softbahn Inc., Voice: 416-590-1590

FC.Pager Gateway-a gateway that integrates SoftArc's FirstClass e-mail and group collaboration software with popular pager systems. The FC.Pager Gateway will direct mail from either a Macintosh- or Windows-based FirstClass server to the user's alphanumeric pager.

By Softbahn Inc., Voice: 416-590-1590

fcCustodian Gateway-a gateway that allows widely dispersed company personnel to be paged with critical portions of a FirstClass e-mail message. FirstClass messages are displayed on an alphanumeric pager.

By Concentrics Communications, Voice: 902-468-5397

Beehive Messaging System-a complete set of custom FirstClass forms and gateways designed for the specific needs of prepress houses or image-setters. When installed onto a FirstClass server, the Beehive System offers custom forms and pre-addressed stationery to help desktop publishers submit files by modem for output.

By Pine Island Software, Voice: 317-570-0641

Download Gateway-a gateway that monitors and extracts form data, message text and file attachments from messages in a given FirstClass mailbox. Messages can be pre-addressed to the Download Gateway using the Forms Stationery feature of FirstClass.

ByVIZ.Soft, Voice: 510-210-0600

Upload and Download Gateway-a gateway that takes a message header text file, message body text file, and attachments from an administrator-defined source folder and sends them to a given destination as a FirstClass message. Useful for creating custom receipts, delivering customer-ordered files and creating custom offline clients.

ByVIZ.Soft, Voice: 510-210-0600

EnLink/PTP-allows a server running FirstClass to provide File Transfer Protocol access to all clients through a consistent, easy-to-use, multiplatform interface. Users on both Mac and Windows platforms have the full ability to browse the seemingly infinite number of file archives available on the Internet.

By Delphic Software, Voice: 909-792-7932

EnLink/Gopher-a module that allows a server running FirstClass to provide Gopher access to all clients through a consistent, easy-to-use, multiplatform interface. Users on both Mac and Windows platforms have the full ability to browse the Internet medium referred to as "Gopherspace," a worldwide collection of free information servers covering almost every subject imaginable.

By Delphic Software, Voice: 909-792-7932

EnNet/PageNOW! -the first pager gateway application to fully utilize FirstClass gateway settings, providing greater control over external gateway scheduling. A confirmation message may be returned to FirstClass letting the user know that PageNOW! has received the page. This gateway does not require users to learn a new system or remember pager numbers-actual names are used to address the page, maintaining the simple method of communication that has become the hallmark of FirstClass.

By Delphic Software, Voice: 909-792-7932

DATABASE ACCESS

FirstConnect/DAL -a full-featured, graphical database interface that adds powerful functionality to FirstClass. Together, FirstConnect and FirstClass allow an unlimited number of users to manipulate databases remotely via LAN, modem or TCP/IP. FirstConnect supports full search, add and delete functionality. FirstConnect/DAL for Macintosh accesses all DAL-compliant databases including: Informix, Ingres, SQL/400, P.INK, Sybase, Butler, Netware SQL, Rdb,

DB2-SQL/DS and Oracle.

By TGF Technologies, Voice: 802-860-5162

FirstConnect/ODBC-database access product that boasts new features such as simple configuration and exceptional performance. FirstConnect/ODBC for Windows NT ushers in a new generation of database access for FirstClass. An unlimited number of text, numeric and graphic fields can be displayed. FirstConnect also supports searching for downloadable archive files of any type and allows users to search different database tables simultaneously. FirstConnect and the FirstClass user interface are 100% cross-platform, giving both Windows and Macintosh FirstClass client users access to database connectivity.

By TGF Technologies, Voice: 802-860-5162

FirstAccess-database access product that allows FirstClass end-users to query FileMaker Pro, 4D Server, Butler, FoxPro, Sybase and other DAL and SQL compliant databases. FirstAccess uses AppleScript (Apple's scripting language) to retrieve data stored with Macintosh applications.

By Networx, Voice: +43-1-606-9607

FirstConnect/AS-a solution for connecting smaller FileMaker Pro and 4D Server databases to a FirstClass server. Recommended for light traffic database use.

By TGF Technologies, Voice: 802-860-5162

CLIENT APPLICATIONS

WelcomeMat-an application that runs on the FirstClass server. WelcomeMat substitutes customizable color ANSI graphics for the default welcome message sent by FirstClass to users connecting through the optional Command Line Interface.

By the MoneyTracker Corporation, Voice: 706-592-5299

FirstClass Retriever+-a FirstClass client for Newton PDAs that allows users to check their mail on FirstClass servers, upload new mail composed offline and navigate FirstClass conferences using the Newton's select-and-tap interface. Offering an easy-to-use graphical interface, FirstClass Retriever+ can dial a Newton modem or connect to a FirstClass server by network, download a batch of waiting mail and/or conference postings and transmit any new messages or replies that have been composed offline.

By Black Labs Inc., Voice: 303-938-8580

Drag and Drop Forms Client-an application that allows the user to drag files over the program icon, automatically opening a message window (or a custom form). When the user finishes filling out the forms, the application will log in to the FirstClass server and deliver the message and attachments to the appropriate address. The application may also be launched by double-clicking, in which case files may be attached and deleted using attach and delete buttons.

By Pine Island Software, Voice: 317-570-0641

SERVICES

First!-one of several custom-tailored newsfeeds offered by Individual Inc. for organizations needing timely, relevant pre-filtered information. Individual scans hundreds of publications and daily news sources for information relevant to your business. This news is then delivered as abstracts or in its entirety by fax or e-mail. If these feeds are directed to FirstClass conferences, users can browse this information with full unread tracking and search capabilities.

By Individual Inc., Voice: 617-354-2230

WavePhore Newacast-a real-time news & information service linked directly to corporate FirstClass systems. WavePhore Newscast allows individuals to define an interest profile using key words. Each day, hundreds of news sources are scanned for items matching the interest profile. All relevant items are automatically "clipped" and delivered into a FirstClass conference.

By WavePhore Newscast, Voice: 801-584-2869

Newsbytes News Service-an award-winning electronic computer and telecom industry wire and digitized picture service now available in a customized format for FirstClass. Newsbytes News Network's more than 30 daily reports, summaries and digitized photos are available to FirstClass systems via gateways from Newsbytes FirstClass servers in London and Minneapolis.

By Newsbytes News Service, Voice: 612-430-1100

HARDWARE

Digi Nu/8i-eight serial port expansion for Macintosh using the NuBus slot and ocata breakout cable. For expanding the number of modems an individual FirstClass server may accommodate at any given time.

By Digi International, Voice: 716-871-6724

Digi PC/8e-eight serial port expansion for Windows using an internal card and ocata breakout cable. For expanding the number of modems an individual FirstClass server may accommodate at any given time.

By Digi International, Voice: 716-871-6724

Digi PC/8em-sixteen serial port expansion for Windows using an internal card and ocata break-out cable. The "em" family features expandable, modular, intelligent serial communications solutions with high-speed, accelerated performance.

By Digi International, Voice: 716-871-6724

Hurdler HQS-four serial port expansion using the NuBus slot on a Macintosh. The traditional Macintosh NuBus workhorse serial expansion card resold by SoftArc.

By Creative Solutions Inc., Voice: 410-766-4080

Smart Serial 6-an intelligent PCI multiport serial communications card which provides six high speed serial ports for use with modems or other serial devices.

By Keyspan, Voice: 510-221-0131

SEQS and HUSTEX External SCSI Serial Expansion-two and four Macintosh serial port expansion using the SCSI port on a Macintosh. Does not require NuBus or PCI slots. Multiple units may be chained together.

By Creative Solutions Inc., Voice: 410-766-4080

Hustler-two high-speed, accelerated serial port expansion using the NuBus expansion slot on a Macintosh. Rated for use with high speed serial devices (28.8 kbps modems or other units.)

By Creative Solutions Inc., Voice: 410-766-4080

Planet ISDN Card-a communication board which provides connection to the worldwide Integrated Services Digital Network. The Planet ISDN card is available for the NuBus and PCI architectures for Macintosh and Power Macintosh.

By Synapse, Voice: 312-871-1466

NuBus NB4 -an expansion chassis that provides additional NuBus slots for NuBus Macintoshes. Also available is the PCI-to-NuBus Bridge, which allows PCI slots to be adapted through a bridge to accept NuBus cards.

By Second Wave, Voice: 512-329-9283


Design Data Systems - Remote Time Entry Sys
Design Data Systems Announces Remote Time Entry System

New Time Entry System provides integrated time entry to users on remote laptops and non-Oracle clients

LARGO, FL (April 15, 1996) -- Design Data Systems, a provider of Client/Server Financial applications for Oracle, announced DDS Remote Time Entry as the newest addition to its Client/Server Project Management suite. The new module will be available second quarter 1996. Remote Time Entry is designed to provide users an automated way to enter time on their laptops or client workstations and transfer it - via network, diskette, e-mail or modem -- back to the central database.

"We have been getting requests for Remote Time Entry for quite some time. The growing popularity of laptops and distributed processing, though has now tripled demand," said Lars Reijer, Western Regional Sales Manager for Design Data.

The module is also ideal for professional service firms billing out for their time. Price Waterhouse's division in Argentina, one of Design Data's larger clients, is expected to use the system to support up to 650 users. Rather than speeding thousands of dollars in deploying time management sothware on each workstation, for a fraction of the price, Price Waterhouse would be able to run DDS Project Accounting on the server and install the Remote Time Entry System on each of the clients.

The new system currently supports three different toolsets -- Oracle Developer/2000, Powerbuilder and Oracle Power Objects -- to support both Oracle and non-Oracle environments. As a result, companies are not forced to purchase and install the Oracle toolset on every remote workstation unless it's necessary. That's a definite cost savings.

The new module is designed to take the place of obsolete time cards and expense reports for users that are not on a company's main accounting system. It tracks billable and non-billable hours, company expenses, borrowed labor, mileage and entertainment expenses. It also supports credit cards, advances and personal charges. This information can be allocated across projects, jobs and activities which integrates directly into DDS Project Accounting.

Data is validated upon entry into the remote system against previously setup projects, jobs and activities. All required fields must be entered to release a time record. Once time is released (i.e., end of day, end of week) for export to DDS Project Accounting, the data cannot be changed. It is subsequently sent to DDS Project Accounting via the network, diskette, e-mail or modem and imported for supervisory approval, if applicable. Any expense information is forwarded to DDS Accounts Payable for processing.

DDS Project Accounting supports time entry processing as well as cost accounting, invoicing, resource scheduling and estimating budgeting. The time and expenses entered can be allocated across several projects and work order management -- part of Design Data's new robust Order Entry/Distribution System. Systems Integrators are especially ecstatic about the Remote Time Entry System because they can now track time from the field against Orders In Process.

Reports are available within DDS Project Accounting (upon successful importation of data), detailing labor distribution, employee yields, WIP analysis, billing and profit summaries. Estimates To Complete (ETC) detail and variances are supported as well as budgetary reports, forecasts and variances. Sales Tax Summaries also are included.

Availability, Pricing and System Requirements

DDS Remote Time Entry is scheduled for release during the second quarter 1996. The base cost is about $7,500, plus between $100 and $200 per user, depending on the number of users and the platform. The application will run in all major Windows environments, including Macintosh. It requires 4-8 MB RAM and about 10-20 MB hard disk space.

About the Company

Headquartered in Tampa Bay, Fla., Design Data Systems Corp. specializes in client server business applications for Oracle. Design Data offers a full suite of applications, including Financials, Distribution, Project Management and Sales Force Automation modules. Design Data, founded in 1988, was recently recoginzed as one of the fastest growing high-tech companies in the country.

The company's product line features the latest technologies, including Workflow, OLAP, Objects and HTML support. These technologies add value by automating business processes and expanding the role of financial software from its roots in accounting to encompass literally every person and department enterprisewide, bringing together all forms and types of information and automating its movement throughout the organization.

Design Data licenses its product through its Tampa Bay headquarters and regional offices in San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago and New York. The product is also available through authorized DDS resellers.

Design Data Systems

11701 South Belcher Rd, Suite 105

Largo, FL 34643

http://www.designdatasys.com


Networking Essentials Self-Paced Training
Microsoft Announces Self-Paced Training for Supporting Local and Wide Area Networks

Microsoft Official Curriculum Provides Hands-On, Self-Paced Training and Preparation for Microsoft Certified Professional Exams

REDMOND, Wash.-April 16, 1996-Microsoft Corporation today announced the availability of NETWORKING ESSENTIALS, the Microsoft Official Curriculum self-paced training kit designed for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of networking technology. Upon completion of the coursework, users will have a broad understanding of the technical concepts and components in modern network installations. The kit also helps prepare users to take the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) exams for Networking Essentials-two of six exams required to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

With the publication of the NETWORKING ESSENTIALS kit, self-study materials are available from Microsoft Press for all of exams required for the MCP program.

Self-Paced Kit Saves Time and Money

Developed by Microsoft's Business Systems Division Training Group and distributed by Microsoft Press, this hands-on training kit makes it easy for computer professionals who are unable to attend an instructor-led training class to get the in-depth training they need to become MCPs. It's also an ideal way for advanced users and computer professionals at all levels to get detailed information about networking technology.

"The NETWORKING ESSENTIALS self-paced kit is an excellent, cost-effective opportunity for individuals to get a solid grounding in the fundamentals while preparing for the Microsoft Certified Professional exam," said Nancy Lewis, director of the Education and Certification division at Microsoft.

Quick Access to Technical Information

The NETWORKING ESSENTIALS self-paced kit includes an 896-page illustrated study guide that teaches readers to:

* Identify the components of a network and determine the type of

  network design most appropriate for a given site

* Identify the different media used in network communications,

  distinguish among them, and determine how to use them to connect

  servers and clients in a network

* Differentiate among networking standards, protocols, and access

  methods and determine which would be the most appropriate for a

  given network

* Identify the primary functions of network operating systems and

  distinguish between a centralized computing environment and a

  client/server environment

* Determine how to implement and support the major networking

  components (including the server, operating system, and clients)

* Propose a system for adequately securing data on a given network

  and protecting the system's components

* Distinguish between LANs and wide area networks (WANs) and identify

  the components used to expand a LAN into a WAN

* Determine how to implement modems in the larger LAN/WAN environment

* Identify strategic LAN support tools and resources and determine how

  to use these in troubleshooting basic network problems

The companion CD provides network simulation exercises and video demonstrations that reinforce the self-paced curriculum.

Availability and Pricing

The NETWORKING ESSENTIALS self-paced training kit (ISBN 1-55615-806-8) is available now in bookstores and software stores and directly from Microsoft Press at 1-800MSPRESS. In Canada, call 1-800-667-1115. For a limited time, the suggested retail price is $79.95 ($109.95 in Canada). After June 30, 1996, the suggested retail price will be $99.95 ($135.95 in Canada). The kit is also available from local Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs). For the nearest ATEC, call 1-800-SOL-PROV. Outside North America, contact the local Microsoft subsidiary for pricing and availability.

Microsoft Education and Certification is dedicated to providing in-depth technical training materials-for instructor-led and self-paced training-to reach a growing audience of Microsoft Certified Professionals. This training is made available through Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers worldwide.

Microsoft Press is the independent publishing division of Microsoft Corporation and the leading source of up-to-date information about Microsoft products and related technologies. More than 15 million users rely on a complete line of world-class Microsoft Press computer books and multimedia training and reference tools. Titles ranging from self-paced tutorials for first-time computer users to advanced technical references and programming guides for computer professionals are distributed through book and software retailers worldwide. Consumers in the United States can also order directly from the publisher at 1-800-MSPRESS and through the CompuServe Electronic Mall (GO MSP). Visit Microsoft Press Online on MSN, The Microsoft Network (Go To MSPRESS), and our Website at http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/ for more information and news on Microsoft Press products.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft Press, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399

206-882-8080,  800-MSPRESS


Internet-Enabled Supply Chain Planning Swr
AMERICAN SOFTWARE INTRODUCES INTERNET-ENABLED SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING

Solution allows companies to cost-effectively extend their supply chains

ATLANTA (April 16, 1996) -- American Software has integrated the capabilities of its supply chain management solutions with the Internet to enable companies to easily and cost-effectively manage their supply chain environments.

American Software's Internet-enabled solution has multiple uses across the supply chain. For example, it could be a fast, easy-to-use link between manufacturers and their local, regional and national distributors. Individual sales forecasts can be reviewed and translated into orders, allowing managers to quickly obtain sales and demand insights for individual products or across the entire enterprise.

"Deploying forecasts and suggested replenishment plans to customers over the Internet represents an innovative approach to customer-interactive demand planning," said Rich Sherman, director, supply chain management research at Boston-based Advanced Manufacturing Research. "American Software is breaking new ground by using the far-reaching, inexpensive capabilities of the Internet in conjunction with supply chain solutions. Using the American Software approach, companies can quickly and easily link departments, customers and suppliers to create interactive information-sharing to reduce cycle time and synchronize production to demand."

The Internet- and intranet-enabled solution permits the simultaneous sharing of supply chain information. Data can be incorporated from the field, distributors and other resources using the Internet in real-time. The information can then be automatically assimilated into comprehensive, accurate forecasts using one of six business models. Managers can then view the results and institute overrides to accommodate seasonality, promotions or other factors. The final results can viewed and adjusted by all levels of the supply chain via the Internet before the data is integrated with manufacturing or purchasing systems.

The benefits of such a solution include the ability for organizations to integrate as virtual organizations, regardless of differing technology architectures. Sophisticated software may also be inexpensively deployed without concerns about version control or high network costs.

"With this product, all components of the supply chain can access the functionality, power and supply chain management expertise supported by Supply Chain Planning," said Mike Edenfield, chief operating officer of American Software.

The Internet-enabled product represents the next step in a long-range strategy to extend the functionality of supply chain management to help speed information, communication and production along each component of the supply chain. American Software initiated the strategy with its January creation of a venture named Intellimedia Commerce, Inc., which focuses on the development, hosting and maintenance of Internet-based solutions for both business and consumer markets.

American Software develops, markets and supports the industry's most comprehensive offering of integrated supply chain management and financial control systems. As a leading provider of multi-platform enterprise software solutions, the Atlanta-based firm offers state-of-the-art business solutions across a wide range of industries internationally. Its product line encompasses integrated business applications such as demand forecasting, logistics planning, warehouse management, order management, manufacturing, financial control and outsourcing services. The company's common shares are listed on the NASDAQ stock market-national market under the symbol AMSWA.

For more information, contact: American Software; 470 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305. (404) 261-4381. FAX: (404) 264-5206.


IDEA Print Server for LAN Printers
IDEA Announces the IDEA Print Server

IDEA PRINT SERVER PROVIDES IBM MIDRANGE IPDS AND SCS PRINTING ON NETWORKED PRINTERS

BEDFORD, MASS., April 15th, 1996 -- IDEA's PC Communications Division, a leading provider of data access solutions, today announced IDEA Print Server, a Windows-based software solution that allows IBM midrange users to perform host printing functions using existing local area network (LAN) printers. IDEA Print Server enables high-end SNA printing capabilities, including SNA Character String (SCS) or Advanced Function Printing/Intelligent Printer Data Stream (AFP/IPDS) to be printed on up to seven LAN printers at a fraction of the cost typically required to perform this task.

"Traditionally, allowing high-level host printing on networked printers has been very costly for organizations and has involved the addition of host printers or protocol converters," said Bob Janiak, IDEA's product manager. "We are committed to offering organizations an easy-to-use cost-effective solution that offers users a high-end, stable printing platform without changing their network or host operating system."

Most IBM midrange sites, coexisting with LANs, have printers dedicated to each environment, a source of unnecessary expense. Most of the host printers are centralized near the host and far away from the end users. Functional upgrades to host printers, such as adding IPDS are expensive.

IDEA Print Server eliminates the duplication of printer resources by allowing up to seven LAN and/or direct-attached PC printers to be used for host printing, resulting in significant cost savings. By using LAN printers, IDEA Print Server is a software solution that enables host printing near the end users, eliminating the inconvenience of centralized printing and enhancing productivity. Software options are available for functional upgrades that provide investment protection, including IPDS printing and capacity enhancements that increase the number of host sessions from four to seven.

IDEA Print Server is Windows-based and connects to IBM AS/400, System/36 or Advanced 36 hosts via twinax, or to AS/400s via Token Ring or Ethernet. The product then connects to the LAN or direct-attached PC printers using any Windows-supported protocol or topology, and can be used in standard LAN environments without network modifications. When IDEA Print Server is connected to an IBM midrange host via twinax, it enables both SCS and IPDS printing. When connected to AS/400s via the Token Ring or Ethernet board in the AS/400, it enables SCS printing for up to seven hosts concurrently.

For example, IDEA Print Server can be installed in an envrionment with an AS/400 and a Novell LAN to allow the configuration of up to seven networked printers as host printers, using the Novell IPX protocol. In the same respect, in a Windows NT or Windows for Workgroups environment, IDEA Print Server could use that native network protocol, NETBUI, to print host data. Other network protocols, supported by Windows 3.X or Windows 95 include IP, IPX, NETBUI, and Vines, and can be used by IDEA Print Server to print host data using LAN printers.

When IDEA Print Server runs on Windows 3.X or aWindows95-based PC, it becomes a host printing resource that is available to any terminal or terminal emulation software, regardless of what emulation or PC operating system may be running on that PC, or how the user is connected to the host. This offloads any host printing that the user may have been running on individual PC's, adding capabilities such as IPDS.

Pricing and Availability

IDEA Print Server is available immediately and is priced from $395 to $6,995. Pricing outside the U.S. is determined on a country by country basis by IDEA's worldwide network of subsidiaries and distributors.

IDEA for Information Access

IDEA designs, manufactures and markets client/server, information access solutions that enable end-users to easily access data located on multiple hosts and servers within a corporate Intranet. With an installed base of more than 1,000,000 users worldwide, customers include all sizes of industrial and manufacturing companies, entertainment and service companies, financial and academic institutions, and federal and state agencies.


X-PORT 1.0 Xfers Info From Newton to Desktop
X-PORT 1.0 : Makes transferring information between your Newton and the desktop as easy as printing.

April 15, 1996. BUDD LAKE, NJ. LandWare announces today an agreement to publish X-Port, the Newton 2.0 connectivity utility developed by Innovative Computer Solutions.

X-Port is the easiest and fastest way to send and receive data between a Newton running the 2.0 OS and a Macintosh or Windows PC.

X-port facilities the quick and easy transfer of notes, outlines, lists, contacts, meetings, events, screen shots and packages (non copy protected) from your Newton to desktop computer.

From the desktop you can also download and convert ASCII text files into notes, outlines, lists, contacts, meetings, events and todos.

X-port will also transfer packages and graphics (which can be viewed and edited with NewtPaint).

Central to X-port's design is its tight integration with the Newton OS and simplicity of operation. X-port adds a new "X-Port" command to the routing (envelope) button's menu and works in the same manner as printing, faxing or beaming.

A sample of what can quickly be done with X-port:

 - Transfer a note, outline, or list from your Newton to

   your desktop PC

 - Send a screen shot from your Newton to your desktop

 - Download hundreds of contacts from your desktop PIM

   to our Newton

 - Backup a single Newton application to your computer

X-Port key features include:

 * Tight integration with the Newton 2.0 OS

 * Single step upload of notes, outlines, lists, screen shots

   and packages

 * Quick and easy downloading of text files, artwork and packages

 * Transfer single or multiple items to and from an ASCII text file

 * Supports any desktop application that can save or export as ASCII

   (text)

 * Ships with both a Macintosh and Windows 3.1/Windows 95 application

 * Modest Newton storage requirements (48K)

 * Developer API available for adding connectivity to applications

 * Provides Windows users reliable transfers even for large packages

A visual overview of X-Port is available at: <http:// www.landware.com/>

X-Port is expected to ship May 1, 1996 and will carry a suggested retail price of $49.95.

LandWare, Inc. is a leading publisher of quality commercial Newton software. Innovative Computer Solutions <http://www.newts.com/> are also the developers of NewtCase and numerous shareware titles.

For additional information, contact: LandWare Inc. by phone at: 201 347-0031 or by FAX at: 201 347-0340 or send email to: info@landware.com.


OMG Distributed Document Component Facility
OMG Announces Distributed Document Component Facility

March 21, 1996 -- Framingham, MA -- Object Management Group (OMG) is pleased to announce the adoption of the Distributed Document Component Facility (DDCF) as part of the Object Management Architecture known as CORBAfacilities. The adoption of the Distributed Document Component Facility will unite client and server communities through a common architecture and extend OMG's Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) to the desktop.

CORBAfacilities are high-level application services that provide uniform interfaces and semantics used to build well-formed applications in a distributed object environment and developed on a CORBA-conformant Object Request Broker (ORB). These facilities are often shared across multiple applications, and may be common to many industries or vertical domains.

The Distributed Document Component Facility will enable the creation of component software that supports shareable and customizable compound documents across heterogeneous systems. This enables repackaging of monolithic applications (in which a single software package is responsible for all of its documents' contents) into distributed application components that can plug and play together, not only on the same desktop but across heterogeneous networks.

"The DDCF unites both client and server communities through a common architecture, realized through the most efficient client/server middleware specifications available today," said Christopher Stone, President and CEO of the Object Management Group. "Now, an open, extensible component marketplace, based on industry consensus, can finally become a reality."

ABOUT THE DDCF

The complete Distributed Document Component Facility is based on OpenDoc technology and consists of a Compound Presentation Facility and a Document Interchange Facility. It is the first CORBAfacility to be adopted by the OMG. Although OpenDoc is the basis for the DDCF specification, the submitters of the specification revised the technology to include critical support for CORBAservices and the OMG Interface Definition Language -- the interface for CORBA.

"OpenDoc is an implementation (product) of what OMG has adopted as a specification," explains Chris Stone. "We expect many companies to build upon this DDCF spec as companies did in the past and continue to do with our CORBA spec."

The Distributed Document Component Facility fully extends CORBA to the desktop and adds two critical enhancements to the Object Management Architecture:

The Compound Presentation Facility will provide a framework for the sharing and subdividing of a display window into multiple parts independent of any window systems or rendering model.

The Document Interchange Facility will provide a framework for the storage and interchange of data objects, and will specifically support facilities like the Compound Presentation Facility, and CORBAservices such as Naming and Event Management.

Today, "component" buying is simply an additional distribution mechanism for vendors to move software. There are no certification processes or standard interfaces to enable the required interoperability. The Object Management Architecture with its OMG Interface Definition Language and CORBA, coupled with standard component facilities will allow the industry to build, register, and distribute Platform Independent Components for the first time.

For Additional Information and Related Press Releases:

  IBM's Club OpenDoc - http://www.software.ibm.com/clubopendoc/

  Apple's OpenDoc site - http://www.opendoc.apple.com/

  CI Labs - http://www.cilabs.org/


Shot Logger for Netwon OS 2.0 Introduced
INTRODUCING SHOT LOGGER FOR NEWTON OS 2.0 AT NAB

WIRELESS LOGGING FOR NONLINEAR EDITING!

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 15, 1996 -- At the 1996 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Conference, Production Magic, Inc. today introduced Shot Logger for Newton OS 2.0, the industry's first wireless system for logging film and video footage on a Personal Digital Assistant.

Shot Logger captures key information about each take while the shoot is happening, and allows users to determine on the set which footage to digitize with nonlinear editing systems. The result? The tedious step of reviewing raw footage prior to digitizing has been eliminated, and users can go from set to edit instantly.

Taking advantage of wireless technology, Shot Logger transmits timecodes from the source directly to a MessagePad handheld computer using Apple Computer's award winning Newton technology. In addition to accurately logging timecode "in" and "out" points for each take, Shot Logger allows users to rate each take, enter detailed scene descriptions, numbers and notes, and export a list of preferred shots for instant digitizing to nonlinear editing systems.

Walk off the set and begin editing--

"Shot Logger fills one of the biggest needs that I have as a director and producer-- saving time and money," said Michael Savino, Vice President of Production Magic. "When nonlinear editing systems came into being a few years ago they dramatically improved the post-production process, but there was still one major flaw--logging the footage to determine what should be uploaded for editing. In this industry, we're always fighting the clock. The time it takes to review raw footage is almost as long as the time it took to shoot it in the first place. With Shot Logger, I can literally walk off the set and begin digitizing the raw footage... instantly."

Filling the gap between filming and nonlinear editing--

While nonlinear editing has revolutionized the editing of film and video, the weak link in the process is the time it takes to log and prepare the footage for digitizing. Before the introduction of Shot Logger, alternatives were few.

After the shoot, logging could be done by connecting a VCR to a desktop computer and manually entering the data needed for digitizing taking almost as much time as the shoot itself and adding extra expense.

Or a notebook computer could be connected via cable to a video deck or source during shooting. This seriously limits both the movement of the camera and the person doing the logging.

Roam the set freely--

In contrast, Shot Logger makes it possible to log footage, rate each take and record production notes while the shoot is happening. Wireless transmission of timecodes gives users and cameras alike the necessary freedom of movement on the set. Combined with the price/performance and portability of the Apple MessagePad, Shot Logger significantly speeds up the post-production process and saves users both time and money.

The need for cables is eliminated by using Production Magic's beeper-size 916.5 MHz transmitter connected to the "timecode out" on the camera or recording device. Timecode is sent to Production Magic's wireless PC Card receiver that fits neatly in the MessagePad.

In addition to capturing timecodes, Shot Logger records scene names and numbers, as well as reel names and numbers. Notetaking is assisted through the help of pop-up windows, and unique pop-up pickers make it possible to view all take and scene information easily. Takes are marked automatically according to the user's preferences, with user notes attached to each take. An upload checklist makes it easy to review and override which takes to upload.

Supports Most Nonlinear Editing Systems--

The selected takes can be instantly uploaded to nonlinear editing systems using the included LoggerLink software. Shot Logger lists import to:

  * Avid-Media Composer,

  * Data Translation- Media 100,

  * Scitex-Videocube,

  * Adobe Premiere,

  * Panasonic Post Box, and

  * Fast Video Machine.

Pricing and Availability__

Shot Logger retails for $2,295 and will be available this summer. Users placing advance orders by April 30, 1996 can take advantage of an introductory offer price of $1,995 which includes free software upgrades for one year. Shot Logger includes:

  * Production Magic's Shot Logger PC Card

  * Production Magic's Wireless Transmitter

  * Production Magic's Shot Logger Software

  * Production Magics LoggerLink Software

  * Ruggedized Carrying Case

System Requirements--

System requirements for Shot Logger are an Apple Message Pad 120 and above running Newton OS 2.0. Logger Link software supports Macintosh and Windows 3.1 or later.

Coming Soon--

In addition to Shot Logger, Production Magic is bringing a suite of products to market specifically aimed at meeting the needs of the broadcast, film and video industry.

Sound Logger for Newton OS 2.0 is designed for sound recordists who need wired logging. NewsLogger for Newton OS 2.0 is designed for the news media who need the capability to do continous takes.

Production Magic, Inc.

Headquartered in Colchester Vermont, Production Magic, Inc. is a collaboration between Michael Savino, a national and international award winning producer and director, and two Vermont companies: Green Mountain Software Corporation, which specializes in the development of pen-based computing applications, and Cambridge Engineering, Inc. which specializes in wireless technologies. The privately held company was formed in 1995.

Press Contact: Ann Pettyjohn

802 864-0278

Ann@ProductionMagic.com

<http://www.ProductionMagic.com/>


Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Mac Now Avail
Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Macintosh Now Available

Free Update Adds Plug-ins, File Format Support, More Robust Support for DayStar GenesisMP

NAB, Las Vegas (April 15, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced a free update to Adobe After Effects for Macintosh and Power Macintosh, the award-winning compositing, animation and special effects software application for film, broadcast video and multi-media production. Adobe will be demonstrating After Effects this week at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in booth #M3842 at the Sands Hotel. The update is available on CD-ROM and will automatically be mailed free to all registered users of Adobe After Effects 3.0 for Macintosh. Adobe After Effects 3.1 provides more robust acceleration on the DayStar Genesis MP workstation, offers support for new file formats, adds plug-ins and finetunes functions throughout the application. Users running Adobe After Effects on a Daystar MP workstation will see even greater speed improve-ments in such areas as blending and plug-in effects.

"Adobe After Effects makes the key difference between spending hours in a $650-an-hour component digital production suite to create this motion choreography, or coming in with a finished proejct at full, uncompressed, D1 resolution that needs only to be transferred to the final videotape," said J.C. Burns, owner of John Christopher Burns Design, in Atlanta, Georgia. "After Effects 3.1's multiproces-sing capability puts all four PowerPC processors on my DayStar GenesisMP to workit simply chews through frames, creating beautiful, subtle and controllable composites. Because of its flexible, precise, well-thought-out-interface, it is my compositing system of choice. Let me be clear: It's not just that now I can do these composites on the Macintosh, it's that I prefer to do complex work in the After Effects world, where there are few limits and incredible possibilities."

New file format support for TIFF and Targa files makes it easier for users to share files with other high-end platforms and applications. New plug-ins include Unsharp Mask, Remove Color Matting and Write-on, which creates the effect of animated handwriting. The Production Bundle features the new Lightning plug-in, which uses sophisticated simulation to create lightning and spark effects.

System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for Adobe After Effects 3.1 include a Macintosh II or later computer with a Floating Point Unit (FPU); Apple System Software version 7.0 or later; 8 megabytes of applica-tion RAM, an 80-megabyte or larger hard drive, a color monitor and QuickTime 2.0 (included). Reco-mmended system requirements include a Power Macintosh computer, Apple System Software version 7.5, 32 megabytes or more of application RAM, two color monitors and a 500-megabyte hard drive.

Price and Availability

The Version 3.1 CD-ROM update will be mailed free to all registered users. New customers may purchase the standard version of Adobe After Effects 3.1 from Adobe Authorized Resellers for $995. The Adobe After Effects 3.1 Production Bundle is available through Value Added Resellers for $1,995. For more information, call 1-800-628-2320. Outside the United States and Canada, please contact the nearest Adobe distributor or representative.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and sup-ports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Adobe After Effects for Win95/NT
Adobe Systems Announces Plans for Windows95/NT Version of Adobe After Effects

NAB, Las Vegas, (April 15, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced plans to deliver Adobe After Effects, the award-winning compositing, animation and special effects software for film, broadcast video and multimedia production, on the Windows operating system. After Effects 3.1 for Windows will be a 32-bit application that runs on Intel-based Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51 or higher. The product is expected to be available later this year. Adobe will be demonstrating Adobe After Effects for Macintosh, a key component of its core suite of professional, integrated post-production tools, this week here at the National Association of Broad-casters (NAB) show, booth #M3842, the Sands Hotel.

Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Windows will have the same feature set and functionality as Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Macintosh and Power Macintosh, including tight integration with other best-of-breed Adobe applications such as Adobe Photoshop 3.0, the leading image-editing software. Using After Effects with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, the leading illustration and design program, and Adobe Premiere, the industry-leading, non-linear desktop editing application, forms the core of a powerful, professional, integrated post-production product suite for creating and delivering all levels of outputQuickTime and Video for Windows movies on CD-ROM and the Web, to D1 broadcast-quality video and film resolution.

"Adobe is committed to providing cross-platform solutions of its cutting-edge software applications," said Bryan Lamkin, Adobe's director of graphics products. "We are delighted to be able to bring the power of After Effects to a new class of video professionals running Windows, and to give them access to world-class post-production software that will increase productivity and enhance creativity."

"Adobe After Effects and Intergraph's StudioZ CGI/Video Authoring Workstation will be a powerful combination for creating elaborate special effects, including compositing and smooth animations,, and then producing D1 serial digital video -- all for the first time on the open-architecture Pentium Pro/Windows NT platform," said Jeff Edson, vice president, Digital Media Division, Intergraph Com-puter Systems, Huntsville, Alabama. "With this high-level of performance, and at affordable price points, a broader range of animators and video content creators will have creative capability that was once only possible in the costly and proprietary RISC/UNIX realm."

Price and Availability

The standard version of Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Macintosh and Power Macintosh is available from Adobe Authorized Resellers for $995. The Adobe After Effects 3.1 Production Bundle is available through Value Added Resellers for $1,995. Adobe After Effects 3.1 for Windows 95 and Windows NT is expected to be available later this year. Pricing information will be available at that time. For more information, call 1-800-628-2320. Outside the United States and Canada, please contact the nearest Adobe distributor or representative.

About Adobe

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and sup-ports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.Page 2 of 2 Adobe to Deliver After Effects for Windows95/NT


Lookout Industrial Automation Software
High-Performance Lookout Industrial Automation Software Features Native 32-Bit Windows 95 and NT Versions

AUSTIN, TEXAS -- APRIL 18, 1996 -- National Instruments announced today native, 32-bit, Windows 95 and Windows NT versions of its Lookout industrial automation software. Lookout, formerly available from Georgetown Systems as a 16-bit application for Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT-based PCs, now gives users a 32-bit, object-oriented, event-driven environment for building a wide variety of applications ranging from simple human-machine interface (HMI) to large, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) applications. With Windows 95, Lookout users are better protected from other applications -- each application has its own thread to the PC processor. Lookout, which features sophisticated I/O drivers and the powerful CITADEL historical database, has been used successfully in a wide variety of industrial applications, including chemical, petrochemical, batch processing, food processing, pharmaceutical, water and wastewater treatment, transportation, plastics/glass/metals, energy management, and manufacturing.

"We make it our priority to provide clients with comprehensive software tools that take advantage of the ever-increasing power of personal computers and Microsoft Windows," said Perry Steger, Lookout R&D Section Manager at National Instruments. "The native, 32-bit versions of Lookout for Windows 95 and Windows NT deliver on that commitment. Preliminary tests show that the data logging capabilities alone are almost twice as fast as the 16-bit version."

ABOUT NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

National Instruments, headquartered in Austin, Texas, manufactures software and hardware products for PCs and workstations that scientists and engineers worldwide use to build PC-based automation systems. These systems are used for applications such as industrial control and factory automation.

National Instruments stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol NATI. Further information on National Instruments may be obtained from the company's SEC filings or by directly contacting the company's Investor Relations Department at (512) 349-5090.

AVAILABILITY AND FOR MORE INFORMATION

Lookout software for Windows 95 and Windows NT will be available in Q2.

 National Instruments

 6504 Bridge Point Parkway

 Austin, Texas 78730-5039

 (512) 794-0100

Or call toll free in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 433-3488, fax (512) 794-8411, e-mail info@natinst.com. Readers can also access information through the company's InstrumentationWeb at http://www.natinst.com/


Adobe Press - Designing Business
Adobe Press Introduces Designing Business

Author/Designer Clement Mok Examines the Process of Doing Business on the Web

NAB, Las Vegas (April 15, 1996) (Nasdaq: ADBE) -- Adobe Press, a joint book publishing venture between Adobe Systems Incorporated and Macmillan Computer Publishing USA, today announced Designing Business, by Clement Mok, one of the premier information architects of the digital age. Designing Business is expected to be available June 1, 1996, for $60.

Clement Mok understands the computing medium as few others. With the clarity of a great designer, he enlists the tools of his tradetext, diagram, graphic and CDto overlay order upon the virtual worlds of the computer, the Internet and the hybrid medias they are creating. The computer, Mok asserts, forces us to examine the underlying structure, intent and context of our enterprises, all traits that bind design,business and technology into a single, common informational discipline. Designing Business is the most revealing of business books, the most sought after of design studies and a man-date for technologists and computer enthusiasts of every order.

"Designing Business takes the reader through the difficult business propositions of a new digital world order," said John J. Kao, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Mass. "Once you make the conceptual leap from analog to digital business models, only a book such as Designing Business can help make things tangible and real again. It is a gem of understanding, an unmatched accomplishment."

A dual-platform CD-ROM enclosed with the book exhibits interactive prototypes of multimedia brochures, interactive television and Web sites as developed by Studio Archetype (formerly Clement Mok Designs, Inc.), one of the most sought-after interactive design agencies in the world.

"Business must change its thinking when dealing with the computing medium," said Charles Geschke, Adobe System's president. "Corporations and two-person start-up companies are vying for the same customer, and corporate size is not a barrier to entry. This is where Clement's book is so vital. Those who provide value in their information, value in their visual richness and value in the business relationships they establish digitally will be the winners."

Designing Business by Clement Mok is expected to be available June 1, 1996, for $60. Books from Adobe Press examine the art and the technology of creating, displaying, printing and communicating digital documents. Adobe Press books are authored, designed and produced by Adobe Systems, then published and distributed by Macmillan Computer Publishing. Adobe Press books are available only through Macmillan Computer Publishing (1-800-428-5331) or wherever computer books are sold. Macmillan Computer Publishing USA publishes books for computer users of all experience levels and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Macmillan Computer Publishing USA is a division of Simon and Schuster, which is the publishing operation of Viacom Communications Inc.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and sup-ports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.

Additional book information:

Pub. Date: June 1, 1996 ISBN: 1-56830-282-7 272 pages; CD-ROM; softcover $60 USA, $81.95 CANADA full-color text (over 500 illustrations) 60,000 first printing; national advertising; national media coverage Published by Adobe Press/Macmillan Computer Publishing USA


Vitamin: The Game - Mac Arcade Game
Vitamin! -- Now Available!

Have you taken your Vitamin today? Pacific Media WorX is pleased to announce the release of Vitamin: The Game, for the Macintosh computer platform.

A new and original "shoot-em-up" arcade style game created by Pacific Media WorX and Playground, Vitamin is addicting, fast paced, and multi-dimensional.

Vitamin is filled with numerous colorful animated characters, who will confront and battle against you as you skillfully evade them during your journey across the planet.

You are only a small mosquito combating the ghastly vitamin filled monsters, who have entered into an alliance with the insane Baron Von Rosenkopf.  As you destroy your foes, they release their vitamins so you can eat them and grow stronger.  Only by surviving the incredible onslaught of forces waged against you, can you arrive safely at your destination and then begin a new level, more difficult and demanding then the last.

Vitamin is fun, addicting, and action packed. Play it once, and we promise that you that will be left clinging to the edge of your seat and begging for more. Don't forget to take your Vitamin today.

You can obtain a free demo copy of Vitamin, at:

http://www.pacmedia.com

When you're ready to purchase the full commercial version, for a limited time only, you can contact Educorp (800) 843-9487, for our special introductory offer, and buy this block buster game for only $23.95 (plus shipping and handling and the government's money).  That's an $11.00 savings!

For more information or dealer and distribution inquires, contact:

Pacific Media WorX

8870 Navajo Road, #131

San Diego, CA 92119-2828 USA

(619) 462-6042

(619) 465-0323 (fax)

Email: sales@pacmedia.com


Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows NAB Award
Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows 95/NT Wins PC Graphics & Video Magazine Award at NAB '96

Conference Web Site Plays Back Daily Movies Produced On-Site in Premiere in Real Time

NAB, Las Vegas (April 15, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced that Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows has won a PC Graphics & Video PRIME TIME PRODUCTS NAB '96 award here at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) annual event. In addition, Version 4.2 in being used on-site daily to produce movies for delivery over the conference Web site in conjunction with the VDOLive video streaming technology from VDOnet Corp. The movies can be viewed from NAB's Web site at http://www.nab.org/cnvntns/nab96/promos/video.htm. Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows, announced last month, is a new 32-bit version of the industry's leading non-linear desktop editing application optimized for Microsoft Windows 95 and NT 3.51. The product is being showcased here April 15-18 in Adobe's booth, #M3842, Sands Convention Center.

The Adobe Premiere 4.2 Deluxe CD-ROM includes software from VDOnet Corp. that allows users to create movies for real-time viewing over the Web without downloading the files to their desktops. This process, referred to as streaming video over the Internet, is made possible using VDOnet's VDO Live codec and VDOLive Personal Server. The software allows users to compress video clips in Adobe Premiere directly into VDOLive format for real-time playback over the Web on Windows 95/NT systems. Video shot daily at NAB is being compiled and edited with Adobe Premiere, compressed with the VDOLive codec and then streamed from NAB's Web site. To view Premiere movies streamed over the Web, users may visit the site at http://www.nab.org/cnvntns/nab96/promos/video.htm.

PC Graphics & Video Magazine named Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows one of the Top 10 innova-tive digital products at NAB '96. "PC Graphics & Video Magazine recognizes only 10 products at NAB, all chosen because of their quality," said Frank Moldstad, editor in chief and associate publisher of PC Graphics & Video, Santa Ana, Calif. "Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows is a significant upgrade with many features critical to video professionals, and we wanted to acknowledge these advances."

Summary of New Features

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows is a new 32-bit program that provides significant performance improvements, supports the look and feel of Windows 95 and NT and adds many enhancements for video professionals, including special processing features and new filters.

The combination of the 32-bit architecture of Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows and optimizations in the application set new performance standards for non-linear desktop editing software based on Microsoft's Video for Windows. Version 4.2 can perform up to2.5 times faster than Version 4.0, depending on the hardware, when running under either operating system. The 32-bit architecture enables Adobe Premiere to continue to add capabilities that video professionals require for on-line quality video on the desktop, such as capturing higher data rate video for improved image quality and faster rendering. The program's open, extensible plug-in interface enables Adobe Premiere to take advantage of new technologies, like ActiveMovie, Microsoft's upcoming version of Video for Windows, as they become available.

The enhanced interface of Version 4.2 supports the look and feel of Windows 95 and NT with:

* Long File Names

* Background Compiling

* Right-Mouse Button Control

* Tool Tips

* Uninstaller Utility

Special processing features optimize playback from CD-ROM or over the Internet and provide more control. They include:

* Keyframe control

* Indeo Interactive

* Frame cropping

* Noise reduction

* Batch movie making

New filters include:

* Camera View

* Lens Distortion

* Mosaic

* Strobe

* Audio Swap

Additional enhancements include:

* Razor at Edit Line command in the Edit Menu

* 8 kHz Audio

* Mark In and Mark Out in the Edit Menu

* 4K Output Support for output resolution of a movie up to 4096 x4096

The Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows Deluxe CD-ROM is bundled with:

* Adobe Photoshop 3.0.5 LE for Windows

* ATM 3.0.2

* Acrobat Reader 2.1

* Crystal Flying Fonts 3.0.1 LE for Windows from CrystalGraphics, Inc. * VDOnet's VDOLive codec and DOLive Personal Server software

* Adobe Premiere 4.0a for Windows 3.1

Price and Availability

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows is expected to be available later this month from Adobe Authorized Resellers at asuggested retail price of $795. In the United States, registered users of Adobe Premiere 4.0 for Windows may upgrade to the Deluxe CD-ROM for $49. Customers purchasing Adobe Premiere 4.0 on or after March 4, 1996, will receive a free Deluxe CD-ROM upgrade. Through July 31, 1996, regis-tered users of Adobe Premiere 1.x and Adobe Premiere LE may upgrade to the Deluxe CD-ROM Version 4.2 for $99. After July 31, 1996, the price will rise to $149. For more information or to order, call 1-800-642-3623 and ask for offer ID 21801.

System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows include an Intel i486 - or Pentium-based PC with 8 MB of RAM for Windows 95 and 16 MB of RAM for Windows NT 3.51; a 100-MB hard drive; an 8-bit color (256-color) display adapter and monitor, and a CD-ROM drive to use the software on the Deluxe CD-ROM. For optimal performance, Adobe recommends 16 MB or more of RAM, a 16-bit or 24-bit color display adapter and monitor; a 500-MB or larger hard drive for editing full-screen video, and a video digitizing board to produce movies in Video for Windows.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Adobe Acrobat AMBER Reader Swr Now Avail
Adobe Acrobat "Amber" Reader Software Demonstrates New Capabilities for Desktop Publishing

Demonstration Versions of Acrobat "Amber" Reader for Macintosh and Windows Now Available

Mountain View, Calif. (April 17, 1996) (Nasdaq: ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated announced today that new demonstration versions of the next release of Adobe Acrobat Reader software are now available. As examples of the upcoming release of the Acrobat product family, code named "Amber," the Acrobat "Amber" Reader illustrates how Acrobat software will integrate with the power of the World Wide Web and enable customers to easily publish a broad range of business documents on the Internet and Intranets.

As with previous versions of the "Amber" Readers, the new demonstration versions are available to download for free from Adobe's Web site at http://www.adobe.com/Amber/. To date, downloads of the Adobe Acrobat Readers have grown to average 10,000 per day or almost 300,000 per month since Adobe began tracking downloads in November 1995.

Acrobat "Amber" software will address the growing market for corporate Intranets by enabling average desktop computer users to quickly create, distribute and access business documents on the Web. Acrobat software allows customers to use existing business applications, such as word processing programs, spreadsheets and desktop publishing tools, to easily create electronic documents that maintain their exact formatting across computer platforms and printers. The Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), the file format created by Acrobat software, is a rapidly growing standard for the distribution of electronic documents via the Internet, corporate networks and CD-ROM.

Customers using the Acrobat "Amber" Reader software, will be able to preview several new features that will be available in the upcoming release, including the ability to seamlessly view PDF files directly within leading Web browsers. In addition, the new release of Acrobat will optimize PDF files for fast downloading and viewing over the Web, and will enable transparent navigation between PDF files and HTML documents. The demonstration versions of Acrobat "Amber" Reader support the plug-in architecture of Netscape Navigator 2.0 and are available for Macintosh, Windows 95, Windows NT and Windows 3.1. Further, using ActiveX controls, Adobe will enable PDF files to be rendered directly within Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3.0.

Adobe also announced a collection of free Acrobat software add-ons that enhance the ability to create and distribute electronic documents using Adobe Acrobat 2.1, the current software release. Available free from the World Wide Web at http://www.adobe.com/Acrobat/Plug-Ins/, some of the software add-ons include:

OLE Server Plug-Ins

Many corporations and systems integrators use Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology to enable different software components to work together, allowing customers to more easily access information contained in different applications. The OLE Plug-Ins enable Acrobat Exchange 2.x and Acrobat Reader 2.x to act as an OLE server so that customers can seamlessly use PDF files embedded in other OLE-enabled container applications. When Acrobat software is used with OLE, business documents can be distributed through a variety of corporate business systems without requiring the recipient to have the applications, fonts, or platform used to create the document. For example, a sales brochure created in Adobe PageMaker on a Macintosh and converted to PDF can be embedded within a Lotus Notes database or Microsoft Access form and viewed by someone on a PC running Microsoft Windows.

Monitor Setup (Device Independent Color) Plug-In

PDF language version 1.1 (the version of PDF associated with Acrobat 2.0 and 2.1 products) allows for device-independent color (DIC) specifications. This allows Acrobat customers to create electronic documents that will have consistent color reproduction across a variety of different devices, such as computer monitors or printers, which can have widely different color characteristics. This capability can be very important where maintaining absolute fidelity is a significant business issue, such as advertising agencies and professional graphic artists sharing and reviewing documents electronically with their clients.

EPS Links Files

This is not a Plug-In, but rather a recipe and set of example files to help electronic publishers quickly and easily create reusable, interactive graphics for PDF files. Through the EPS Links Files, Acrobat customers can pre- assign hypertext linking capabilities to graphic elements, such as buttons and arrows, which can link users to another page in the same PDF file, another document on the World Wide Web or refer to a multimedia element, such as a QuickTime video. EPS Links Files can be used repeatedly in a single PDF file or reused in any number of other Acrobat documents.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http:// www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


SPRYNET Group Connect Corp Billing Program
SPRYNET "GROUP CONNECT" DELIVERS FLEXIBLE AND AFFORDABLE INTERNET ACCESS SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES

CompuServe's Popular Internet Service Offers Corporate Customers Worldwide Account Creation, Home Page Hosting and Customer Care

BELLEVUE, Wash., April 17 -- SPRY, CompuServe's Internet Division, today announced the immediate availability of SPRYNET Group Connect, a corporate billing program for organizations needing to provide individual dial-up Internet access and e-mail to employees, vendors or customers. SPRYNET Group Connect gives corporations a cost-sharing option to fully or partially sponsor Internet access. The service provides several invoice options detailing account activity and charges, including departmental identification. Customers also receive value-added benefits such as worldwide account creation, personalized e-mail addresses, business and personal home page services and a comprehensive customer care package at no additional charge.

"SPRYNET Group Connect eliminates the administrative and accounting concerns for businesses connecting employees to the Internet -- whether they're in the office, traveling or telecommuting." said Tim Oren, vice president and general manager of CompuServe's Internet division. "By allowing a parent organization to provide sponsored or non-sponsored accounts, we've made it easy for businesses to provide the vast resources of the Internet to their employees or partners."

According to Diane DiCioccio, vice president of marketing for IPRO, a document imaging company and Group Connect customer, SPRYNET's flexibility and breadth of coverage were particularly attractive. "After carefully evaluating our options, we selected Group Connect because it was the only program that allowed us to provide local access to all of our offices throughout the country and receive one itemized bill," said DiCioccio.

SPRYNET Group Connect is available for customers with 25 or more accounts at $19.95/month for 25 hours; $1.50 each additional hour or $9.95/month for seven hours; $1.95 each additional hour. A registration fee applies to customers with fewer than 25 accounts.

Customer Focused

From the time of the initial customer call, a dedicated customer service representative works closely with the customer's administrator to develop the Group Connect plan that best meets their company's needs. SPRYNET Group Connect's customer care package also includes the availability of a representative toll-free, eight hours a day, five days a week to assist administrators with technical or billing questions. Customers' employees can receive Internet support 24-hours a day via real-time chat channels, forums and e-mail as well as through telephone support Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.

More Than Just Access

SPRYNET Group Connect customers with 25 to 250 users receive free home pages with 5 mb of space for both the sponsoring company and each employee. Customers with more than 250 Group Connect accounts receive a unique, personalized e-mail domain -- such as bob@companyname.com. They also receive free home pages with 15 mb of space for the company and 5 mb for each employee as well as one year of SPRYNET WebHost service at no additional charge.

To create home pages, employees can access the SPRYNET Web site where they can download SPRYNET's Home Page Wizard and Publishing Wizard to develop and publish a home page without any programming knowledge. SPRYNET also offers other leading HTML authoring tools for download, such as Microsoft's Internet Assistant and SoftQuad's HoTMetaL PRO 2.0. Any HTML file can be published on SPRY Society by using the Publishing Wizard. A wide variety of textures, colors and images are also available to make pages more interesting.

Internet access through SPRYNET also includes unlimited use of the SPRYNET Web Community -- a launching pad to the Internet that provides information, technical support, research information and business tools. From SPRYNET, customers can obtain everything from FedEx/UPS package tracking and nationwide phone directories, online travel arrangements, research services and currency converters. Upcoming SPRYNET features include community services such as banking, custom profiles, multiple e-mail accounts, on-line education forums, personalized news, and secure transactions and billing.

Fast and Reliable Network

SPRYNET is distinguished by CompuServe's extensive worldwide Internet network with more than 480 POPs and reliable local dial-up access in more than 93 percent of the United States and 185 other countries. Local-access ISDN service (without surcharge) is currently available in San Francisco; Atlanta; Seattle; Boston; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Irvine, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; Columbus, Ohio; Fairfax, Va.; London and Munich, and will expand further within the next six months. Nationwide 1-800 ISDN access is available with a $6 an hour surcharge.

For more information on SPRYNET Group Connect, customers can contact CompuServe at 1-800-447-2956 or via e-mail at sales@sprynet.com.

SPRY, CompuServe's Internet Division, is a worldwide leader of Internet access, services and software for the home and business markets. In addition to SPRYNET, WebHost and SPRYNET Group Connect services, the division's award-winning line of complete-solution software products includes Internet Office, Internet In A Box, Internet In A Box for Kids, Mosaic in A Box, SPRY Web Server, and SPRY SafetyWEB Server.

About CompuServe

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in 185 countries.


Fenestra FSSocket 2.0 VBasic Custom Control
Fenestra Software proudly announces the release of FSSocket 2.0, a "custom control" for Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows that provides connectivity over TCP/IP networks using Winsock v1.1 compliant protocol stacks. FSSocket 2.0 is available as a VBX, a 16bit OCX, and a 32bit OCX.

FSSocket provides an easy to use wrapper around the Window Sockets API. Properties and Events have been kept to a minimum while still providing the Visual Basic developer with extensive control over all aspects of TCP/IP connectivity.

Highlights:

- Addresses can be specified using either standard IP address

  format or domain name format.

- Ports can be specified using either port numbers or service

  names such as "ftp".

- FSSocket can initiate connections (Client Mode) or listen for

  connections (Server Mode).

- Send and receive are fully buffered for slow (SLIP or PPP)

  connections.

- Full asynchronous operation.

- Supports both TCP and UDP protocols.

- Server mode supports multiple client connections.

System Requirements:

- MS-DOS operating system version 3.0 or later

- Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 or later

- Microsoft Visual Basic version 1.0 or later

- A Winsock v1.1 compliant protocol stack

Availability:

A demonstration version of FSSocket is available on Compuserve in the MSBASIC or VBPJ download areas. Search for FSSock*.zip.

The demo version is also available via FTP at:

  ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/j/jcs/fssock20.zip (VBX)

  ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/j/jcs/fssock32.zip (OCX)

Pricing:

 FSSocket 16 bit VBX                 $75

 FSSocket 32 bit OCX                 $125

 FSSocket 16/32 bit OCX              $150

 Upgrade from VBX to 32 bit OCX      $50

 Upgrade from VBX to 16/32 bit OCX   $75

Technical support for FSSocket is available via e-mail to the following addresses: jcs@primenet.com or 70176,264 on CompuServe.

About Fenestra Software:

Fenestra Software is located in Phoenix Arizona and provides custom software development tools for Microsoft Windows, Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT.

Fenestra Software L.L.C.

P. O. Box 87347

Phoenix AZ 85080-7437


Frontier Technologies NFS Client for WinNT
Frontier Technologies To Ship NFS Client For Windows NT

New SuperNFS Offers Transparent, Shared File & Printer Access

Mequon, WI -- April 19, 1996 -- Frontier Technologies today announced that the company will soon ship a 32-bit VxD NFS client for Microsoft Windows NT environments. The NFS client will enable users to access virtual LAN drives on a UNIX machine or on a PC that is running compatible NFS server software.

SuperNFS is a component of Frontier Technologies' award-winning SuperTCP Suite 96. SuperNFS may be purchased along with the complete SuperTCP Suite 96 or as a separate module.

SuperTCP Suite 96 is an integrated solution that turns PCs into full members of the corporate network utilizing the TCP/IP multi-platform communications protocol. With SuperTCP Suite 96, users can access and share data anywhere on their internal network and the Internet. SuperTCP Suite 96 transparently supports both 16- and 32-bit Internet and TCP/IP applications running on Microsoft=92s array of operating systems. Offers 40+ applications on a single CD-ROM for connectivity with their internal network systems or the Internet.

Network File System (NFS), Email, terminal emulators, plus X-Windows, and comprehensive Internet access and information tools are all included. SuperTCP Suite 96 Version 2.1 is now shipping.

"Many of our customers are selecting Windows NT as their standard desktop operating system. SuperNFS Client now enables those customers to access shared files and printers across the network using the Network File System," explained Dr. Prakash Ambegaonkar, Frontier Technologies' President and CEO.

SuperNFS Ver. 5.2 and SuperTCP Suite 96 Ver. 2.2 will be available by the end of April, 1996. SuperNFS is priced at $295 and SuperTCP Suite 96 is priced at $495. Both SuperNFS and SuperTCP Suite 96 will continue to support NFS client and server for Windows 3.x and Windows 95.

SuperNFS and SuperTCP Suite 96 are available either direct from Frontier Technologies or through Frontier Technologies' worldwide Channel Partners.

About Frontier Technologies Corporation

Frontier Technologies' mission is to pioneer Internet and Intranet applications that make individuals more productive and businesses more competitive in a global market.

Frontier Technologies Corporation

http://www.frontiertech.com

E-Mail: DavidY@FrontierTech.Com

Create YOUR VERY OWN homepage and

let Frontier Technologies HOST it for FREE:

http://www.frontiertech.com/YourHome/GetAHome.htm

Frontier Technologies' Contacts:

Ann M. Krauss

Tel: 520-797-0583

Fax: 520-797-0583

Email: Ann@FrontierTech.com

Nicole E. Rogers

Tel: 414-241-4555 ext.293

Fax: 414-241-7084

Email: NicoleR@FrontierTech.com


Establishing BBSs on Internet Now Easier
ESTABLISHING BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEMS ON THE INTERNET IS EASIER WITH NEW PACKAGE

MurkWorks, Inc. and NuIQ Join Forces To Create A Software Package That Bridges A Technological Gap

New York - April, 1996 - MurkWorks, Inc. and NuIQ Software, Inc. have announced the release of 'Net BBS, a complete package that enables users to establish Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) on the Internet quickly and easily.

"Until now," said Scott Brown, President and CEO of NuIQ, "Bulletin Board Systems and Web sites have existed in two almost entirely seprate cyberworlds. Now, with this new package, that gap will be closed. A BBS can now be put on the Internet and can be accessed just as easily as a web site."

There are currently more than 10 million world wide web (WWW) sites, where users can post literature - such as brochures and magazines - in online form. Bulletin Board Systems provide an alternative to web sites, offering features such as message conferencing, real-time chat, file management and exchange services.

MurkWorks is the leading developer of Internet applications for the BBS industry. NuIQ has been publishing the popular Powerboard BBS software package since 1991. The package that "marries" the BBS and Internet industries is a combination of MurkWorks' BBSNet for NetWare(tm) software and NuIQ's Powerboard BBS software, together with several significant enhancements.

The two companies believe that the successful introduction of their joint product will have profound implications for both serious hobbyists and small business operators. "Internet-accessible BBSes will provide more interactive and varied content than any World Wide Web site can offer today," said MurkWorks President Brad Clements.

The new package allows the user to accomplish the same goals that the two underlying products were able to achieve separately, but it installs much faster. Because the BBSNet and BBS software have been combined, the user no longer has to deal with the complicated options and setups that were previously required in order to link the two technologies. A BBS can now be connected to the Internet in a half hour or less. Maintenance of a system based on this software is automatic; little operator intervention is required.

"Once a system based on 'Net BBS has been set up," said Douglas B. Vermes, Vice President of Software Development for NuIQ, "people anywhere in the world can access it. It's as easy as accessing a Web site, which is accomplished by entering the command 'http://' followed by the name of a Web site. The only difference is that in order to enter a 'Net BBS site, the user enters the command 'telnet://' instead. In fact, a 'Net BBS site can be linked to a Web page so that when a user clicks on a particular button on a Web site, he or she will be connected automatically to the 'Net BBS site. This means that the two technologies can be linked to create a site that offers the best of both worlds."

Until now, the majority of Bulletin Boards were primarily local in nature. "We feel taht the release of 'Net BBS will significantly increase the number of globally-oriented, Internet-based BBS'es." said Mr. Brown.

In addition to providing services that cannot be accomplished with Web sites, this software offers direct access to the Internet. With just a standard modem and a telephone line, a user can dial into a system running 'Net BBS and gain immediate access to e-mail, usenet newsgroups, FTP, gopher, outgoing Telnet and other services.

The 'Net BBS package retails for [395]. It includes complete documentation and step-by-step instructions for setting up the system and connecting it to the Internet. More information, free literature and an interactive slideshow entitled "The 'Net BBS Tour" are available by calling a toll-free number: 1-800-844-6526.

NuIQ Software, Inc., corporate offices are at 415-A Richbell Road, Larchmont, NY 10538. NuIQ can be reached at 1-914-833-3479; fax 1-914-833-3623; bbs 1-914-833-1479; www http://www.nuiq.com.

MurkWorks, Inc., corporate offices are at 304 Peyton Hall, Potsdam, NY 13676. 1-315-268-1000; fax 1-315-268-9812; www http://www.murkworks.com.


Web Review I/PRO Analysis of Web Advertising
WEB REVIEW ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF COMPREHENSIVE I/PRO ANALYSIS OF WEB ADVERTISING RESPONSE RATES

SEBASTOPOL, CA--Songline Studios' Web Review online magazine and I/PRO (Internet Profiles Corp.), in partnership with Nielsen Media Research, announced today the results of a comprehensive audit of Web Review's response rates for all fifteen of the publication's advertisers. This announcement, made at a press conference at the Interactive Marketing Expo in New York City, marks the first time complete, comparative data has been made available for a group of advertisers on one publication.

I/PRO analyzed two types of response rates--ad click and page click rates--for all Web Review advertisers during the week of February 9-15, 1996. Ad click rate is the percentage of ad clicks (number of times people actually click on an advertiser's ad) to ad views (number of times an ad is fully downloaded). Page click rate is the percentage of ad clicks to total Page views (the number of times the page containing the ad was downloaded-doesn't note whether or not the ad itself was downloaded). Web Review's average ad click rate was 7.9%. The highest ad click rate was 17.9% and the lowest was 2.4%.

"Ads on the Web are best viewed as signposts that point consumers to the advertiser's own Web site. We welcomed this chance to work with Web Review to track ad click rates in detail, comparing and averaging fifteen advertisers' results," stated Robert Ivins, Vice President of Market Research, I/PRO. "This project has furthered our mission to develop and deliver standards that help people decide what media to buy. We believe it's an important step in the maturation of Web advertising."

According to Web Review advertiser Bill Rollinson, Co-founder and Vice President of Marketing, Internet Shopping Network, "It's not enough any more for a Web site that sells advertising to tell me how many people will see the page my ad's on. Sites need to be accountable to their customers by taking a proactive approach that offers us more information, like ad click rates. The Web is a new medium, and sites can't use old models to justify their ad rates. The technology is there to track results, and both advertisers and the sites that host their ads need to take advantage of it."

Erik Lundberg, Director of Advertising, Songline Studios, stated, "The results of I/PRO's study confirm our belief that the Web can be a powerful means of reaching specific demographic and psychographic target markets. The ads in Web Review are targeted to our core readership of Web enthusiasts and Web workers, and we always look for synergy between the ads and the editorial content. Our high ad click rate shows that our readers respond to these very targeted ads. In many cases, advertisers pay less to get one of our readers to click through to their Web site than they would pay if they bought an ad at a lower cost per thousand on a high-volume site with a lower ad click rate."

For more information on Web Review advertising, contact Erik Lundberg at 707-829-6540 or erik@songline.com. For more information about I/PRO, contact Kathleen Burke at 415-975-5510 or kburke@ipro.com.

SONGLINE STUDIOS

Songline Studios specializes in developing innovative, interactive content for online audiences. The company was founded in June 1995 by Dale Dougherty, developer of the Global Network Navigator (GNN). Songlines' first product, the online magazine Web Review (http://www.webreview.com), was launched in September 1995. Other current projects include the interactive multimedia soap opera Ferndale (http://www.ferndale.com) and Songline Guides, a series of books that address different communities of interest on the Internet. Songline Studios is affiliated with O'Reilly & Associates and America Online.


HTML:THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE

By Chuck Musciano & Bill Kennedy

410 pages, ISBN: 1-56592-175-5, $27.95

HTML, the markup language used to create Web pages, was a simple, straightforward language that did a few things very well when it was created in 1993. By adding a handful of HTML tags to a document, you could define the layout of a Web page (both text and images) and create links to other documents on Web servers around the world. HTML fueled the growth of the Web, for it allowed ordinary people to create Web pages--you didn't need to be a programmer to use it.

Three years later, HTML isn't so simple. Frames, tables, forms, audio, and animation are now part of the HTML author's toolkit. You've got to get the HTML syntax correct, or it just won't work. For those who want to master the language's new complexity, we've just released "HTML: The Definitive Guide." This is the one book you need to become fluent in HTML, fully versed in the language's syntax, semantics, and elements of style. It covers the most up-to-date version of the HTML standard, plus all the common extensions and, in particular, Netscape 2.0 extensions. The authors cover each and every element of the currently accepted version of the language in detail, explaining how each element works and how it interacts with all the other elements. They've also included a style guide to help the reader decide how to best use HTML to accomplish a variety of tasks, from simple online documentation to complex marketing and sales presentations.

With a practical, hands-on style, "HTML: The Definitive Guide" helps you to create truly effective Web pages and to master advanced features, such as tables and equations. The book shows you how to:

  > insert images and other multimedia elements

  > create links and searchable documents

  > develop effective forms with basic forms elements such as buttons,

    checkboxes, and radio buttons

  > use Netscape 2.0 extensions, including improved horizontal rules,

    image layout, indexed documents, line breaking, and font handling

  > create Netscape tables

  > create dynamic documents with Server Push and Client Pull

This book and other O'Reilly products are available in the Americas, Japan, Oceania, and Eastern Europe through bookstores, or directly from the publisher (credit card orders 800-889-8969 in the US & Canada; Email order@ora.com).  GSA # GS-02F-6095A. For a list of our international distributors, access the Web and gopher servers listed below.

O'Reilly's Catalog and Resource Center can be accessed on the Web at http://www.ora.com/ or through gopher or telnet to gopher.ora.com (telnet login: gopher)

For Information: Phone 707-829-0515 (800-998-9938 in US & Canada); Fax 707-829-0104; Email info@ora.com; or write O'Reilly & Associates, 103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA, 95472, USA.


PDQComm Rel 3.1 Custom Control Library
Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, April 17, 1996 -- The Crescent Division of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) today announced the immediate availability of PDQComm Release 3.1, the most complete library of custom controls, subroutines and functions for serial communications within the Visual Basic programming environment. PDQComm 3.1, incorporating both 16- and 32-bit ActiveX support, is the only Visual Basic serial communication package to support the Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI) which enables developers to seamlessly add telephony support to VB applications.

PDQComm extends and enhances Visual Basic's "in-box" MSComm control, and provides both low- and high-level serial communications services. Developers use PDQComm to build more robust applications and to support more users within their organizations without taking the time to recode for file transfers.

With the new TAPI support, PDQComm 3.1 offers developers modem setup and configuration through the operating system, rather than within the application. The product now offers call location support, allowing application developers to avoid complicated address books and device sharing among concurrently-running TAPI applications.

"Setting up TAPI was easy because PDQComm provided a very good object model. We were able to upgrade our Work Force Automation application in Visual Basic 4.0 in record time," said Mario Coelho, a Microsoft certified trainer and freelance consultant in Visual Basic, Access and SQL Server. "Before we transitioned our applications to VB4 we used to spend months trying to update the communication modules between the client and server, but with PDQComm and VB4 we are able to update our information in less than two weeks."

PDQComm also supports Visual Basic's unique multiple serial port operation. All serial communications are handled through the Windows Application Programming Interface (API) and take advantage of the native Windows communications facilities. With the ModemWare software included in the package, PDQComm is flexible enough to support modems from a wide variety of manufacturers.

Developers can use PDQComm for support of low-level serial communications, event-driven data transmission and error handling, and built-in handshaking protocols. These features dramatically reduce coding time and effort for applications requiring file transfers and other serial data transmissions.

Terminal emulations are created through a built-in terminal emulation window that supports ANSI, TTY, VT220, VT100 and VT52 emulation. PDQComm also provides a Windows clipboard for cutting and pasting to and from the terminal window and supports an adjustable scroll-back buffer of up to 32K of received data. This allows simple construction of mixed-mode (terminal and GUI) applications in Visual Basic.

PDQComm further allows developers to transfer a file using a single line of code, by simply setting the transfer protocol and specifying the filename. An optional file transfer status dialog box informs the user of file transfer progress, completion status and bytes transferred. PDQComm also supports automated Zmodem download and Zmodem resume functions for failed file transfers. Background transfers can also be performed by using XModem-Checksum, XModem-CRC, XModem-1K, YModem-G, YModem-Batch, Zmodem, Kermit and CompuServe B+ protocols.

PDQComm Release 3.1 is available at the suggested U.S. retail price of $199.00. Registered users of PDQComm Release 3.0X will automatically receive a free upgrade to Release 3.1. Registered users of PDQComm Release 2.X and earlier can upgrade at the suggested U.S. retail price of $99.00. PDQComm can be purchased through Crescent resellers worldwide, by secure purchase through the Crescent Code Depoton-line storefront (http://crescent.progress.com), and directly from Crescent at 800-352-2742; outside the United States, users can dial 01-617-280-3000. Crescent is also accessible through e-mail at crescent@progress.com.

Crescent, headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, is dedicated to enhancing the success of Visual Basic developers by delivering tools and services that heighten their productivity and provide the foundation for creating reliable, scalable, business-critical applications. By leveraging a 10-year track record of developing successful tools and components for the BASIC and Windows/Visual Basic environments, Crescent provides components and corporate and client/server solutions to its customers worldwide. Through constant interaction with application developers, Crescent develops and markets a broad array of products, services and support options uniquely suited to the corporate Visual Basic market.


Latin America Swr Sales Top $158 Million
Latin America Software Sales Top $158 Million During 1995

Software Sales in Brazil Jump 58 Percent Since 1994

April 18, 1996, (Washington, D.C.) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today that U.S. publishers' sales of personal computer application software reached $158.9 million in Latin America in 1995, an increase of 11 percent over 1994. Unit sales in the Latin American market increased 52 percent for the full year and 41 percent for the fourth quarter (Q4 95).

Sales performance in Latin America increased by 41 percent for unit sales during the fourth quarter but decreased in overall revenue based on Q4 94 vs. Q4 95 data. This can be accounted for by price erosion. Performance varied by country. Revenues in Brazil increased by 1 percent for the quarter to $16.6 million, while Mexico decreased by 20 percent to $9.9 million. For the year, revenues increased 58 percent and dropped 37 percent for Brazil and Mexico, respectively.

Windows Applications Continue to Dominate Latin American Market

In 1995, Windows application sales continued to maintain a commanding share of the Latin American market. Windows' market share reached 96 percent in the fourth quarter of 1995. In addition, Windows software was the only major platform reporting growth during the year, with revenues up 20 percent. DOS sales account for 3 percent of total revenues, and Macintosh, which has consistently had little presence in Latin America, dropped to less than 1 percent.

"Latin America continues the long-term trend as a high-growth market for applications software," said Jim Sanders, SPA research director. "There are many signs of a high-growth market: large increases in unit volume, price erosion and explosive growth in key countries where software distribution is more developed."

 [ data available via SPA web site at: http://www.spa.org ]

Sales data reported are from SPA's International Data Program and represent total revenues in these regions of 40 primarily U.S.-based software firms participating in the program. The companies submit their confidential sales data to the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, which prepares the report for SPA. Among the participants are Adobe, Borland, Claris, Lotus, Microsoft Corp., Software Publishing, Symantec and the WordPerfect Division of Novell. Although U.S. companies have the dominant market share in most of these regions, the figures reported should not be taken as an estimate of the total market size. Rather, they represent total sales of the reporting companies.

SPA's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 on SPA's Web site at http://www.spa.org or through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823 for U.S. calls, (908) 885-6255 for international calls.


XSoft & Infoseek Internet Search Partnership
XSoft and Infoseek Partner to Provide More Powerful, Accurate Internet Searching

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 16, 1996 -- XSoft, the document management arm of Xerox Corporation, and Santa Clara, Calif.-based Infoseek Corporation, provider of the most popular Internet search service, today announced a partnership calling for Infoseek to incorporate XSoft's Xerox Lexical Technology (XLT) into its new Ultraseek Internet search software, which is expected to be generally available in June. As a result of the partnership, Infoseek users will obtain faster and more accurate search results than previously available.

With XLT, a search for "mouse" would also find "mice," and a search for "swim" would also find "swam" and "swum." Thus, Ultraseek users will be able to perform more precise searches and have a higher probability of locating the exact information they need. XLT accomplishes this with its high-speed stemming capability, which finds the linguistically accurate root for each word in a document. Also, by indexing only the word roots in its database, as opposed to each individual word, XLT allows better, faster search results while dramatically reducing indexing overhead.

As part of the agreement between the two companies, every Ultraseek results page will provide a reference to the XLT technology with an associated hyperlink to the XSoft Web home page. Users who link to the XSoft home page will find more information on XLT and other XSoft technologies and products.

Steve Kirsch, chairman of Infoseek, stated, "Infoseek ran a comprehensive survey of the lexical technology available today, and XSoft's XLT quickly emerged as the most advanced, powerful solution of its kind. No other organization has mastered the word root/indexing capability in such an elegant and sophisticated way as Xerox. With XLT, Ultraseek strengthens our position in providing the easiest way to find information on the Internet."

Steve Kiser, president of XSoft, said, "Infoseek is one of the most popular sites on the entire Internet. The integration of XLT into Ultraseek will benefit an extremely large group of Internet users in an immediate and powerful way. We are pleased to be aligned with such a clear market leader, and we look forward to an ongoing partnership that continues to bring the most advanced information access capabilities to Internet users everywhere."

The two companies also announced their intentions to cooperate in future product development and marketing arrangements.

Ultraseek is Infoseek's new search technology intended to be faster, more comprehensive and more current than any other Internet search service available. Ultraseek has the capability to handle up to 1000 queries per second*1*, and is intended to have the largest, and the first virtually real-time index of the Internet available.

Xerox Lexical technology, originally developed at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), is marketed by XSoft in the form of a technology product for OEMs. In addition to the capabilities described earlier, XLT's underlying architecture can support a variety of linguistic analysis techniques for international languages with a single application programming interface (API) and a single body of code. Languages currently available are English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese. XLT is part of XSoft's OEM Portfolio of intelligent information access and management technology products.

Infoseek

Infoseek Corporation, a privately-held company in Santa Clara, Calif., provides a leading Internet navigation service. Infoseek Guide was recently named the number one site in advertising revenue by SIMBA Information. Infoseek also received the 1996 PC World Pro/E award for Best Internet Search Engine. Additional information on Infoseek is available by accessing URL http://www.infoseek.com.

XSoft

XSoft is the document management arm of Xerox Corporation. Headquartered on a campus with PARC, the renowned Xerox research center in Palo Alto, Calif., XSoft provides software products and technologies that enhance knowledge by making information more useful and business processes more efficient.

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

Note to Editors:

For additional information about XSoft and its products and services, customers may call 800-428-2995 or 415-813-6920. They may also visit the XSoft home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.xsoft.com.

XSoft news releases and other marketing materials are available via fax retrieval by calling 415-813-7181 or by e-mail (info@xsoft.xerox.com).


Acer Aspire on Cover of PC Magazine
ACER ASPIRE ON COVER OF PC MAGAZINE -- WINS PRESTIGIOUS EDITORS' CHOICE AWARD

POPULAR ASPIRE SCORES A+ FOR SET-UP, A FOR PRODUCTIVITY &AMP; HIGHEST RATING AS BEST HOME COMPUTER FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

SAN JOSE, CA, APRIL 12, 1996 -- Since its debut, the Acer Aspire has received much acclaim for innovation in bringing design and technology together into the first personal computer developed specifically for the home PC market. Now, PC Magazine, the leading computer industry publication for technology buyers, has honored Aspire above competitors as the best home computer for first time buyers in its Home PC roundup issue dated April 23, 1996 and on newsstands now.

"Aspire is leading a home PC revolution. From its curvy, nonconformist design to its competitive performance and effortless setup, the 133-MHz Pentium-based minitower is a standout in a world of beige boxes," stated PC Magazine.

PC Magazine's round-up consisted of eleven home PCs from the nation's top PC vendors. Each system was reviewed based on the following criteria: easy system setup; overall system performance as measured by Ziff Davis' Winstone 96 and CD-ROM WinMark 96 tests; sound quality; edutainment (which examines how well a PC meets educational and entertainment needs); productivity (which focuses on bundled software suites); communications hardware and software; and performance. Based on the results of these tests, the Acer Aspire Pentium 133 outranked major competitors Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Dell, and IBM, to take PC Magazine's top honor Editors' Choice Award.

Acer has long been a proponent of making PCs easier to use. With a quick and easy Out-Of-Box-Experience (OOBE) and The Acer Computer Explorer (ACE) intuitive user interface, Aspire users are up in running in less than five minutes. PC Magazine recognized Acer for its effortless PC set-up. "Aspire offers the best array of features for novice users. With color coded cables, a set-up poster, and the Acer Computer Explorer (A.C.E.) Windows front end to guide you through Windows 95 and the other included software, Acer helps take the anxiety out of buying a new PC. This machine received a grade of A+ for setup, a score matched by no other PC in this roundup."

In addition to its award-winning consumer electronics design, Aspire multimedia PCs offer the latest technology including six- and eight- speed CD ROM drives, 28.8Kbps fax/data modems, MPEG for full-motion video playback, a wide array of software titles, and an affordable price. PC Magazine notes the Aspire posted an above-average Disk WinMark 96 score compared with the other Pentium 133 PCs reviewed.

Aspire has been honored by other leading industry experts including: the Innovations '96 award from the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in the category of computers and multimedia; Best Desktop from Computer Retail Week; Andy Pargh, Gadget Guru syndicated columnist and NBC TV/Today Show computer expert, featured Aspire as the best PC for first time users and the hot computer for Christmas; and Aspire was a finalist in the PC Magazine 1995 Awards for Technical Excellence in the Design category.

ASPIRE AVAILABILITY

Acer's Aspire family PCs and the recently introduced Aspire home office solution for the small office/home office user, are available through Acer's expansive network of retailers including Best Buy, Incredible Universe, Sam's Club, CompUSA, and Office Depot. For additional product and pricing information, customers can call 800- SEE-ACER.

ACER AMERICA CORPORATION

Acer America Corporation (http://www.acer.com/aac/), headquartered in San Jose, Calif., designs and manufactures a broad range of computer systems and peripherals.

Award-winning product offerings include AcerNote notebooks, AcerPower and AcerEntra desktop computers for the commercial market, the AcerAltos line of open servers, AcerView monitors, and the Acer Aspire PC for the home. The Acer Computer Explorer and Out of Box Experience demonstrate Acer's commitment to make PCs as easy to use as other consumer products. Acer America, a member of the Acer Group, posted revenues of $1.44 billion in 1995.


Adaptec Closes Deal with Western Digital
Adaptec Closes Agreement with Western Digital

MILPITAS, CALIF, - April 14, 1996 - Adaptec, Inc. announced the closing of an agreement with Western Digital Corporation today. Under terms of this agreement, Adaptec purchased certain assets and the ongoing business of Western Digital's Connectivity Solutions Group. Adaptec was also assigned semiconductor foundry capacity. Financial terms consisted of approximately $33 million in cash and a royalty agreement.

Grant Saviers, Adaptec's president and CEO, characterized the agreement as a "significant business opportunity for both companies." "From Adaptec's standpoint," Saviers continued, "we expand our drive controller business. We'll be supplying silicon solutions to Western Digital's high-capacity drive business, supporting their entry into the multi-gigabyte SCSI drive market."

This acquisition will be accounted for under the purchase accounting method. Adaptec will evaluate the allocation of the purchase price to assets acquired, which include in-process technology that will be written off, and goodwill which will be amortized over the benefit period.

Adaptec provides bandwidth management technologies for organizations building the global information infrastructure. Its high performance I/O, connectivity, and network products are incorporated into the systems and products of major computer and peripheral manufacturers. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Adaptec (NASDAQ: ADPT) employs 2500 people worldwide in design, manufacturing, sales, service and distribution. Adaptec's home page address is http://www.adaptec.com.


Aladdin to Acquire FAST Software Security
Aladdin Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire FAST Software Security AG

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, NYC, USA, APRIL 16 , 1996 -- Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ/NMS: ALDNF) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire FAST Software Security AG, a leading provider of software protection products. The consideration will consist of 3.15 million Aladdin shares. The transaction is accounted for as a pooling of interests.

FAST, a privately held company with headquarters in Munich, Germany, is one of the three largest firms in the international software security market, with 1995 revenues of approximately $13.5 million and operating income of approximately $6 million. FAST's Hardlock products, which are marketed in 20 countries, combine hardware and software to prevent unauthorized use of computer programs.

"The merger positions the joint company as the industry leader in technology, product quality, growth and profitability, and as the leading supplier in Europe of software security products," said Yanki Margalit, Aladdin's Chairman and President. "In addition, the move adds considerable critical mass to Aladdin in terms of global market presence, financial strength and technological capabilities. These factors will be a solid platform on which to build our success in the future. Our increased resources will enable us to accelerate investments in the marketing and development of new and existing products." Margalit added that the company expects the deal to be accretive to its EPS.

"Aladdin now becomes the clear choice for all software developers in need of software security", said Margalit. "We will continue to develop, promote and support both the Hardlock and HASP product lines. We have a lot of appreciation for FAST and we intend to keep FAST as an independent German company. FAST customers will continue to enjoy the quality service & support they are accustomed to, with the added benefit of the strong financial backing of a US public- traded company, with increased resources for R&D and marketing. Our Synergy with FAST will improve our technology and support, worldwide," Margalit added.

The transaction is subject to the completion of a due diligence process, shareholders' approval and other customary approvals and arrangements. Robertson Stephens & Co. represented Aladdin in the transaction.

Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. is a leading supplier of advanced solutions for software developers. Aladdin develops, manufactures and markets proprietary software security and development systems, including HASP (Hardware Against Software Piracy), which combines hardware and software to prevent unauthorized use of computer programs, ASE (The Aladdin Smartcard Environment), an integrated toolkit for developing PC-based smartcard applications, and HOPE (The Human-Oriented Programming Environment), a revolutionary object-oriented team development environment. Aladdin, a public company traded on NASDAQ, currently has 5 international offices, distributors in 26 countries, and 10,000 clients in over 60 countries.


ALR FIRST TO SHIP QUAD PENTIUM PRO SERVERS

ROLLS OUT 200-MHZ MODEL

Irvine, CA, April 16,1996-- Advanced Logic Research, Inc. (NASDAQ:AALR) announced that it will begin shipping the industry's first 200-MHz, quad processing Pentium Pro servers later this week. The ALR Revolution Quad6 200/256 can be configured with up to four of Intel's fastest processors, making it an ideal platform for high-traffic, enterprise-wide, server applications. The 200-MHz model, announced today, joins 166-MHz models of the ALR Revolution Quad6, announced March 5, 1996. Both 166- and 200-MHz models are available immediately.

The ALR Revolution Quad6 is engineered, designed and manufactured by ALR. With the addition of the new model, customers can choose the processor standard that best suits their environment. Its large 512-KB cache, the 166-MHz Pentium Pro chip delivers enhanced scalability in the most demanding multiprocessor applications. The 200-MHz chip, with its standard 256-KB cache, is well-suited for those applications where internal processor speed is at a premium. Both configurations offer high-level performance and run best in 32-bit multiprocessing operating environments such as Microsoft Windows NT (SMP), SCO UNIX (MPX/SMP), Novell NetWare SMP, Sun Solaris (SMP), and IBM OS/2 (SMP).

Genny Ortegon, vice president of marketing for ALR states, "As an industry leader in the super server market, we are very pleased with the positive response received from both the press and our customers. Our decision to design and manufacture our own system board has given ALR the opportunity to be a first-to-market player with powerful enterprise computing solutions."

Ortegon also calls attention to a recent PC Week review that christened the ALR Revolution Quad6 "... a new standard in high-end server design."

The Revolution Quad6 offers several advanced features including support for four-way memory interleaving, integrated hardware management, and extensive expandability. These features make it a natural choice for mission critical database and transaction processing applications, as well as an internet/intranet server applications.

NEW 200-MHZ MODELS

The Revolution Quad6 200/256 incorporates Intel's fastest Pentium Pro (the 200-MHz Pentium Pro chip with 256-KB of integrated L2 cache), SMP support for 1 to 4 Pentium Pro chips, 64-MB of ECC (error checking and correcting) RAM expandable to 2-GB, a 1-MB PCI graphics adapter, EISA bus technology and an innovative dual PCI bus. Additionally, the system is available in both a tower and a rack-mountable form factor.

FLOOR-STANDING TOWER CONFIGURATION

The floor-standing Revolution Quad6 offers 7 PCI slots, 7 EISA slots, and 1 shared PCI/EISA slot for a total of 15 usable expansion slots. The double wide chassis provides thirteen externally accessible storage bays. ALR InforManager, a built-in hardware management product, safeguards system operation by monitoring and reporting key operational data (including processor temperature, fan operation, system voltage, memory faults, and chassis security). This information can be accessed through both OS applets and a unique LCD touchscreen control panel conveniently located on the front of the system chassis.

RACK-MOUNTABLE SERVER

For ease of service and centralized management, the ALR Revolution Quad6 is available in rackmount form factor. This system drawer includes 2 PCI slots, 1 EISA slot, the flexibility of 5 shared PCI/EISA slots, redundant power supplies, and twelve drive bays including 6 half- height hot swap bays. Also included is ALR InforManager which can be accessed through operating system applets.

SUPPORTING OPTIONS

Various factory options are available including RAID controllers, fast/wide SCSI drives, hot swappable storage options, memory, ethernet adapters, and tape backups.

SERVICE AND SUPPORT

The ALR Revolution Quad6 includes the industry's most aggressive warranty, the ALR 5/36 year warranty.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The ALR Revolution Quad6 and Rack-Mountable Quad6 are available immediately. Pricing is listed in U.S. dollars, reseller pricing will vary.

Revolution Quad6 Tower Suggested Retail Price

200/256 Model 1-64      $14,495

166/512 Model 1-64      $14,995

Rack-Mountable Quad6

6-200 SD256             $16,495

6-166 SD512             $16,995

Advanced Logic Research Inc. is an industry leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and support of computer systems targeted at the client/server and desktop markets. ALR's comprehensive portfolio of upgradeable and affordably-priced products includes sophisticated multiprocessor network servers, high-performance workstations, PC desktops, Pentium processor add-on products and multimedia options kits. Founded in 1984, the Irvine, Calif.-based company has shipped over 700,000 PCs and employs approximately 475 people worldwide. Advanced Logic Research Inc.'s common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "AALR".

ALR serves its worldwide markets through export sales from the U.S. and subsidiaries in Singapore (ALR International), Frankfurt and London. ALR International also maintains branch sales and support offices in Hong Kong and Malaysia.


New Apple Education Series Solutions
Apple Introduces Two New Apple Education Series Solutions

CUPERTINO, California--April 15, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today added two new solutions to its "Apple Education Series," a suite of 20 products designed to help educators effectively integrate technology into the learning process. The two new titles, "Writing and Publishing Tools" and "Elementary Curriculum Connections," incorporate best-of-class software, curriculum projects and support. Solutions can be purchased with any Power Macintosh 5260/100, Power Macintosh 5400/120 or Macintosh LC 580, and staff training is available as an option.

"Educator involvement is the single greatest key to the success of our Apple Education Series products," said Dr. Terry Crane, Apple Americas' senior vice president of education. "From concept through software selection, testing and marketing, we listen carefully to our customers. Our goal is to gather together the right selection of hardware, software and services, and make sure they all work in a way that allows teachers to spend their time teaching rather than struggling with the technology."

WRITING AND PUBLISHING TOOLS

"Writing and Publishing Tools" provides a collection of 15 software titles that facilitate the development of writing, publishing and presentation skills for students from upper elementary through high school. This solution is designed to encourage the development of critical thinking, analytical and communications skills which become increasingly important as students prepare for the workplace.

The "Writing and Publishing Tools" solution spans every stage of the writing process, from generating ideas to publishing a finished piece. It also encourages students to move beyond traditional report writing and into collaborative writing, oral presentation and multimedia-based projects.

"Technology can help writers of all ages illustrate, animate, collect, and connect our thoughts," said Stephen Marcus, Ph.D., National Writing Project, University of California, Santa Barbara. "'Writing and Publishing Tools' includes a comprehensive collection of software that gives writers at all grade levels a way to communicate ideas more clearly."

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

"Elementary Curriculum Connections" provides a collection of 13 cross-curriculum software titles for students in grades 3-6. The product includes 27 classroom projects designed to make it easy for teachers to integrate computing into the curriculum, and adapt activities to different learning styles. These projects provide an integrated curriculum approach to the use of computers in the classroom and cover subject areas such as social studies, math, language arts, science, art and music.

"Apple's new product provides teachers with a tool they can use to help students learn and apply concepts across a range of subjects," said Barbara Thorp, technology coordinator for Union School District in San Jose, California. "The activities ask students to observe and analyze relationships, think critically and communicate their ideas."

PRICING AND AVALIABILITY

The two new "Apple Education Series" products are available for education customers only at U.S. $300 each when purchased with a Power Macintosh 5260/100, Power Macintosh 5400/120 or Macintosh LC 580.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/

For information on education products, programs and services visit:

http://www. education.apple.com/


CONNECTIX SHIPS COLOR QUICKCAM FOR MACINTOSH

Color digital video camera provides easy to use video solution for under $200

SAN MATEO, CA, APRIL 16, 1996- Connectix Corporation announced it is shipping Connectix Color QuickCam for Macintosh, a 24-bit color digital video camera that plugs right into a Macintosh serial port, requiring no additional hardware. With an expected retail price of US$199 (after a $30 manufacturer's rebate, offer expires July 31, 1996), Color QuickCam is the most affordable color digital video camera available today. Its release builds on the success of the original Connectix QuickCam, the leading digital video camera for computer users.

Color QuickCam retains the award-winning design of the original grayscale QuickCam and is just as easy to use. In less than five minutes, users can install Color QuickCam and start taking brilliant color images at 640 x 480 pixels in 24-bit color (millions of colors). Color QuickCam incorporates several new features including a manually adjustable focus lens, Auto-Capture for live Web images, a self-timer mode, and proprietary compression technology that expand its usefulness on the Internet, at work and at home. Color QuickCam also uses a pass-through Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connector for power, providing portability and international compatibility.

"We're seeing an explosion in the number of computer users adding still image and video capability to their systems, and Connectix QuickCam has been by far the most popular device to do that," said Alexis Gerard, President of Future Image in Burlingame, CA. "Connectix has used its leadership position to acquire a superior knowledge of users1 needs, and that's enabled them to respond with a second generation product which should vastly expand the market."

VIDEC Means Faster Frame Rates

Using Connectix' proprietary, VIDEC Video Digitally Enhanced Compression (patent pending) compression technology, Color QuickCam compresses the video data at a 4:1 ratio with virtually no loss of picture quality. As a result, users get faster frame rates, larger frame sizes and significantly smaller files to store on their hard drives. In fact, frame rates are even faster than the original grayscale QuickCam. Typical Color QuickCam frame rates at thousands of colors are:

   * Power Macintosh (160 x 120): over 24 fps

   * Power Macintosh (320 x 240): over 10 fps

Sharp Images From Under One Inch To Infinity Color QuickCam uses a fast, f/1.6, 5.7 mm wide-angle, manual focus lens that can record close-ups of objects as small as the serial numbers on a dollar bill or as large as a conference room full of people. Color QuickCam1s 48-degree angle of view is especially well-suited for videoconferencing.

Excellent Images In Virtually All Indoor Lighting Conditions Combining its fast lens with sophisticated software, Color QuickCam adapts to virtually any indoor lighting conditions at home or at work. The new Auto Hue feature automatically adjusts Color QuickCam to get the most natural colors possible in incandescent, fluorescent or natural lighting. Auto Brightness adjusts for different amounts of light, but all camera controls remain accessible to the user. Digital special effects for mirroring, flip and landscape/portrait make Color QuickCam versatile for any application.

Thousands of Uses On the Net, At Home and At Work

A complete digital video solution, Color QuickCam includes all of the software a user needs to get started. Included in every Color QuickCam package are: QuickPICT, an application for capturing color still images; QuickMovie, an application for recording color digital video movies, and Apple Computer1s QuickTime multimedia extension.

Connectix QuickCam is already the most popular camera on the Web, and now includes a new Auto-Capture feature to enable automatic updating of live images to Web pages. Auto-Capture can even be set to take pictures only at certain times of day and days of the week. Home users trying to photograph a child will appreciate the new Self Timer feature, which counts down a few extra seconds to allow him or her to pose for the picture. Home computer users can also create multimedia greeting cards to send to friends and relatives on disk or via email using the free version of Connectix QuickCards Limited included with Color QuickCam. "I had the Color QuickCam installed in seconds and up and running in a few minutes," said Brian Chiko, a Color QuickCam beta tester from Saratoga, CA. "It's intuitive, supports all the key video and image standards, and integrates without a hitch with applications like Adobe Photoshop."

Additional Software Applications for QuickCam Available Separately Businesses and home office users alike can use Color QuickCam to video conference using Connectix VideoPhone (ESP US$59-software only). "We built VIDEC compression into QuickCam so videoconferencing software wouldn't have to impose further demands on the computer to compress data, making it easier to run Connectix Videophone on more computers," said Roy McDonald, CEO of Connectix.

Since its introduction in 1994, Connectix QuickCam has become the most popular digital video camera. The grayscale QuickCam has already:

 * Sold over 250,000 units

 * Attracted over 1,000 developers building QuickCam-based solutions

US Pricing and Availability

Connectix Color QuickCam for Macintosh is available now at many popular retail and mail order outlets throughout North America. Color QuickCam carries a suggested retail price of $299 (US). Connectix estimates a US street price of $229 and offers a $30 direct rebate to all purchasers through July 31, 1996. Color QuickCam comes with a one year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Connectix Color QuickCam for Windows has entered the beta testing phase, and is expected to be available for North America in May with the same pricing and similar features. More information will be available at that time.

Founded in 1988 and based in San Mateo, CA, Connectix Corporation designs, manufactures, distributes and publishes award-winning personal computer enhancement products. The company's flagship products include QuickCam, RAM Doubler, Speed Doubler, and Connectix VideoPhone. For more information, contact Connectix at 800.950.5880, 415.571.5100 or fax 415.571.5195. The company can be contacted at http://www.connectix.com


New QUALCOMM Eudora Pro Dist Agreements
QUALCOMM Eudora Pro Software Continues Global Expansion with Three Key International Distribution Agreements

AGREEMENTS IN ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS AND AUSTRALIA STRENGTHEN EUDORA PRO SOFTWARE'S LEADING POSITION IN THE INTERNET E-MAIL MARKET

SAN DIEGO - April 15, 1996 - QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), a leader in wireless communications and advanced electronic messaging solutions for the Internet, announced today that it has signed distributorship agreements for Eudora Pro software with Systems Comunicazioni srl of Italy, Landis BV of The Netherlands, and Lidcam Technology of Australia. These three distributors are aggressively negotiating contracts with leading resellers, VARs and retailers.

"These agreements are further evidence that Eudora Pro software is rapidly expanding its worldwide presence," said Ann Schrader, worldwide sales manager for QUALCOMM Enterprise Software Technologies (QUEST). "As use of the Internet grows in the Italian, Dutch and Australian markets, so will the necessity for a powerful user friendly e-mail application. Eudora Pro software will fill that need by providing users the features they require."

"Eudora Pro software is the standard for Internet e-mail communication," said Anthony Daniel, product manager for Systems Comunicazioni. "The Internet is no longer for the exclusive use of scientists and computer enthusiasts, it is a necessary communications tool for every successful business. We are proud to offer our clients an affordable e-mail system that will allow them to better compete in the global economic community."

Systems Comunicazioni's goal is to establish Eudora Pro software as the primary electronic mail product in the Italian market by working closely with the country's largest channel distributors. The company has agreements with IBM owned distributors, InfoBlueMark and PCD, to offer Eudora Pro software to all Italian IBM resellers, agents and preferred business partners in Italy. Systems Comunicazioni is increasing Eudora Pro software's presence in the retail market by working with leading distributors such as Ingram Micro, CDC and CELO, and retail chain Computer Discount.

"As a leading distributor of Internet products in the Dutch market we recognize Eudora Pro software to be the number one Internet e- mail package on the market," said Paul E Kuiken, president and CEO of Landis BV. "The 6,000 resellers, dealers and systems integrators we serve have come to expect only the best from us, and offering Eudora Pro software is another step toward maintaining our leadership position in this category."

"Use of Internet e-mail as a global communications tool is exploding," said Andrew Susa, sales and marketing director for Lidcam Technology. "Lidcam is experiencing phenomenal customer demand in the Internet market. In order to stay on top of our competition, we must provide our customers superior solutions. Eudora Pro software fits this criteria as the leading Internet e-mail application."

In 1995, QUALCOMM announced worldwide distribution agreements with Ingram Micro, the world's largest wholesale distributor of microcomputer products, and Kuni Research International of Osaka, Japan. The Ingram Micro agreement has allowed QUALCOMM to expand its presence in major US retail chains, including: Egghead Software, Comp USA, Best Buys, MicroCenter and Fry's. Ingram Micro distributes through 70,000 reseller customers in 120 countries, including Stream International, Software Spectrum and Softmart. Kuni Research has localized Eudora Pro software for Macintosh and Windows for the Japanese retail market and also serves as the master re-publisher for Eudora to distributors such as Softbank Corporation. Kuni Research is a leading Japanese provider of localization and development project services.

QUALCOMM will continue to promote Eudora Pro software in distribution channels to corporate resellers, value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators and Internet service providers. In addition, Eudora Pro software is available through mail order catalogs, such as Mac Warehouse, Multiple Zones International (MAC Zone and PC Zone) and PC Connection, Inc. (MAC Connection and PC Connection).

ABOUT THE EUDORA FAMILY

QUALCOMM's award-winning Eudora Pro and Eudora Light software are Internet-based e-mail packages that deliver exceptional levels of functionality, ease-of-use and flexibility. Originally introduced in 1988, Eudora is the world's most popular Internet e-mail software with an estimated 10 million users worldwide. Available for the Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and Newton platforms, the Eudora family of software products delivers best-of-breed Internet e-mail capabilities. Eudora Pro software offers a wide range of features including, built-in spell checking, user-definable message filtering, native 32-bit support for the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems, support for long file names, MAPI support, color-coded message labeling and hot link web page capabilities allowing users to navigate the World Wide Web. For more information regarding the Eudora family of products, visit QUALCOMM on the World Wide Web at http://www.qualcomm.com/quest/.

ABOUT SYSTEMS COMUNICAZIONI

Systems Comunicazioni srl of Milano Italy, has been publishing and distributing software since 1982. The company places a strong emphasis on value added distribution for affordable high quality software. Systems Comunicazioni serves national distributors, consultants, ISPs, government and consumer markets. Systems Comunicazioni can be reached at 39-2-908-41-814.

ABOUT LANDIS BV

Landis BV, founded in 1990 by a team of young IT professionals, offers value added distribution to partners in IT projects. The leading product family of logistics services and pre and post sales support have annually increased the number of partners in the Benelux and Germany. Landis can be reached at 31-3-024-89-477.

ABOUT LIDCAM TECHNOLOGY

Lidcam Technology is a leading distributor of computer networking, communications and Internet products in Australia representing such leading brands as Farallon Computing, Dantz Development Corporation, Compatible Systems Corporation, Livingston Enterprises, Global Village, Softarc, and Networth. Lidcam distributes its products through a network or resellers, VARs and ISPs throughout Australia. Lidcam can be reached at 61-3-982-09-077.

ABOUT QUALCOMM

Headquartered in San Diego, QUALCOMM develops, manufactures, markets, licenses and operates advanced communications systems and products based on its proprietary digital wireless technologies. The Company's primary product areas are the OmniTRACS system (a geostationary satellite-based, mobile communications system providing two-way data and position reporting services), CDMA wireless communications systems and products and, in conjunction with others, the development of the Globalstar low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications system. Other company products include the Eudora Pro electronic mail software, VLSI components, and communications equipment and systems for government and commercial customers worldwide.


New Power Macintoshs Designed for Education
Apple Introduces Two New Power Macintosh Computers Designed for Education

New All-In-One Macintosh Models Deliver Multimedia Performance and Easy Internet Access at Affordable Prices

CUPERTINO, California--April 15, 1996--Reaffirming its commitment to deliver powerful technology at affordable prices for the education market, Apple Computer, Inc. today announced two new Power Macintosh computers. Both models, the Power Macintosh 5260/100 and Power Macintosh 5400/120, have been designed specifically for use in schools, keeping in mind the growing demand for multimedia-rich solutions, easy Internet access and expandability for future growth. Both systems feature Apple's popular all-in-one design, which includes computer, monitor and stereo speakers in one durable casing, and ship with the Apple Internet Connection Kit.

"For nearly two decades, Apple has played a unique role in the education marketplace, providing an extensive line of products, solutions and services designed specifically for use in schools," said Terry Crane, Apple Americas' senior vice president of education. "Our new Power Macintosh models continue that tradition by combining the leading- edge technologies that educators value most, with the ease-of-use students and teachers have come to expect from Apple."

Power Macintosh 5260/100

The Power Macintosh 5260/100 has been designed as Apple's mainstream all-in-one product for schools, featuring a rich set of features and aggressive pricing. Because the system utilizes a 100 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, it runs calculation-intensive applications in ways that only workstations costing thousands of dollars more could process in the past.

This new system has been designed to handle the most demanding multimedia applications, with standard features that include an internal quad-speed CD-ROM drive and 16-bit CD-quality stereo speakers. An integrated 3.5 inch 800MB IDE hard disk drive and 16MB of DRAM (expandable to 64MB) come standard. In addition, customers have expansion capabilities for adding a video input card, a video-out connector or a TV tuner.

The Power Macintosh 5260/100 system includes a built-in 14 inch (viewable area 12.3 inches) color monitor capable of displaying 32,000 colors, with a built-in microphone, AppleDesign Keyboard and a mouse. It is available immediately for education customers only at U.S. $1699. Through June 1996, education customers who buy a Power Macintosh 5260/100 will also receive a pre-selected set of seven software titles, including a grammar and spelling checker and a multimedia encyclopedia of science and technology.

Power Macintosh 5400/120

The Power Macintosh 5400/120 is Apple's most advanced multimedia workstation for education customers, offering an ideal solution for multimedia authoring and high-speed Internet access. This system features the 120 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, and comes standard with 16MB of DRAM (expandable to 136MB), an internal 1.6 GB hard disk drive and an Ethernet connection for high-speed networking.

This new Power Macintosh system features the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion bus architecture. Apple's commitment to this emerging standard means its customers can easily and affordably expand and customize their systems in the future as more PCI cards become available. The system comes equipped with a video input card and video-out connector, as well as an expansion bay for an optional TV tuner. Also included as standard features of the system are an internal, tray-loading quad-speed CD-ROM drive, stereo speakers and a microphone.

The Power Macintosh 5400/120 includes a built-in 15 inch (viewable area 12.8 inches) color monitor capable of displaying more than 32, 000 colors, an AppleDesign keyboard and a mouse. It is priced at U.S. $2,299, for education customers only, and is anticipated to be available in mid-May 1996. While supplies last, education customers who buy a Power Macintosh 5400/120 will also receive an Apple Presentation System, which will enable them to connect to a TV for viewing, or to a VCR for recording.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/

For information on education products, programs and services visit:

http://www. education.apple.com/


Apple Demos Mac Script to Screen Solutions
Apple Demonstrates Macintosh Solutions From "Script to Screen" at NAB 1996

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--April 15, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today reaffirms its commitment to the professional broadcast, television, multimedia, and Internet industries by demonstrating its full Macintosh platform production solutions at the NAB convention (National Association of Broadcasters) in Las Vegas.

Apple's leading digital media technologies, coupled with cost- effective solutions from third-party developers, provide customers with a complete authoring to playback solution--from script to screen. The Macintosh platform enables customers to develop demanding, complex projects and be assured of consistent and cross-platform delivery to output in all media, from broadcast to Web, from CD to print; in other words, develop once, deliver everywhere.

QUICKTIME ENHANCEMENTS

Apple today announced further enhancements to its popular QuickTime architecture that will be part of version 2.5, expected to ship later this Spring. As part of these enhancements, Apple and leading digital video solution vendors have agreed to a fully interchangeable M-JPEG file format. Apple has implemented this new format in QuickTime, allowing video professionals and editors to work with M-JPEG files independent of the hardware solution originally used to capture the media. Other new QuickTime enhancements also include support for multiprocessing hardware, providing fast compression for real-time editing. Video editors can now blast through frames with the speed and results which until now, were only associated with proprietary systems. Apple has also enhanced QuickTime to use Apple's QuickDraw 3D engine for rendering 3D objects in real-time within a QuickTime movie. Now video professionals can synchronize workstation-class 3D objects with other media types such as video, audio and music.

APPLE HELPS BRING THE TOWER RECORDS WEB SITE TO LIFE

Apple and Tower Records have joined forces to develop Tower's new Web site. Merging technology and music, the new Tower Web site (http://towerrecords.com) will be launched May 1, 1996. The magic behind the virtual reality experience of the site is Apple's QuickTime VR technology. The visual experience of virtual reality is accomplished through a seamless computer "stitching" of more than a dozen photographs taken from a central focal point--such as the middle of a Tower store. The images are then color matched and perfectly overlapped to create a 360-degree finished effect that appears to have been captured through video. Web surfers will have the opportunity to visit Tower locations via the Internet in Tokyo and Sacramento, and experience a panoramic view of the stores.

While QuickTime VR provides the magic within the site, the Apple Network Server provides the power to run the site. Designed to deliver new levels of performance and reliability, the AIX-based operating system of the Network Servers 500/132 and 700/150, provide the power and scalability required to manage the distribution of large files across networks seven days a week.

APPLE AND CINEBASE TO COLLABORATE ON FILM & VIDEO CONTENT MANAGEMENT

Apple and Cinebase Software, Inc. announced their intention to bring the Cinebase asset-management technology system to the Macintosh platform. Asset-management involves the production, archival, and distribution of image and audio content. Cinebase ushers content through each phase of the creation process, and allows users from multiple locations and workstations to access and modify content. Cinebase asset-management software addresses the complexities of dealing with large amounts of digital media. The collaboration between Apple and Cinebase combines the ease-of- use inherent in the Macintosh platform and the ease-of-access provided by the Cinebase technology. The two companies plan to provide studios with a more intuitive and easy-to-use method for managing film and video content.

Apple and AP to Develop Next-Generation Newsroom Computer Systems Apple and AP (Associated Press) have made public their intent to develop integrated solutions to target next-generation newsroom automation solutions in the broadcast news market. The agreement between Apple and AP involves joint technology initiatives, as AP develops Mac OS-based products to target this emerging market. The first AP Mac OS-based products are expected to be available later this year and are currently being trialed at BBC (British Broadcast Corporation) in London, England.

APPLE AND RAZZA: DIGITAL MEDIA SYMPOSIUM 1996

Apple and Razza announced that they will host the third-annual Digital Media Symposium in seven key cities across North America. The seven-city tour is designed to provide digital media producers, interactive authors, video professionals, and resellers with timely and comprehensive information on creative development techniques and tools. Apple, along with over 22 leading technology companies, will illustrate solutions through seminars, hands-on training, and product demonstrations. The 1996 Digital Media Symposium will address the increasing use of the Internet and Web sites in the area of communication, and will provide sessions in the areas of Internet and interactive authoring.

APPLE'S BOOTH

The Apple booth will showcase both Apple and third-party developer solutions through the creation of an environment that reflects a complete broadcast production facility--from script to screen. The booth will feature stations that highlight five production areas: audio recording, broadcast design, independent production, Internet, and pre-visualization. Apple will also demonstrate solutions for webcasters, webmasters, and websurfers, illustrating the convergence of the broadcasting and computer markets.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800- 538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


QuickTime Arch Enhanced for Video Production
Apple's QuickTime Architecture Enhanced for Professional Video Production

Apple's QuickTime to Support Common M-JPEG File Format; Multiprocessor Systems; 3D Graphics

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--April 15, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced enhancements to QuickTime that provide significant benefits to the professional video production process. These enhancements will be part of QuickTime, version 2.5, which is expected to ship later this Spring.

QuickTime is the multi-platform standard architecture used by multimedia software tool vendors, content creators, and production professionals to store, edit and play synchronized video, sound, graphics, text and music through not only traditional broadcasting means, but a wide range of media such as CD-ROM and the Internet.

"As creative professionals continue to move toward desktop technology in the video production process, Apple is committed to providing the very best enabling-software technology and hardware platforms to our digital video solution partners," said Dr. David Nagel, senior vice president of Apple's worldwide research and development. "Today's announcement is another example of Apple's commitment to migrate QuickTime into the professional video and broadcast industry."

"The demands of video professionals consistently out pace the curve that drives traditional computing technology," said Randy Ubillos, vice president of video products at Macromedia. "By enhancing QuickTime specifically for the video professional, Apple is delivering an outstanding enabling technology that allows Macromedia to build truly professional video solutions."

"We have seen QuickTime deliver 15MB/s data throughput," said Lou Doctor, president and CEO of Truevision. "This enhancement in QuickTime 2.5 is crucial for us to be able to develop products such as the Targa 2000 RTX which delivers in real-time, multiple streams of high-data rate video to meet the demands for our broadcast video customers using off-the-shelf software applications."

INTERCHANGEABLE M-JPEG FILE FORMAT

Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) is a compression standard for video professionals that is implemented in a distinct way by each different video capture product. Files created in one system typically cannot be played back or edited by another system. Through a QuickTime Open Forum working group, Apple and leading digital video solution vendors including Adobe Systems, Inc.; Avid Technology, Inc.; Data Translation, Inc.; Radius, Inc.; Truevision, and others have agreed to a fully interchangeable M-JPEG file format. Apple has implemented this new format in QuickTime 2.5, allowing video professionals and editors to work with M-JPEG files independent of the hardware solution originally used to capture the media. QuickTime will also include a software interchangeable M-JPEG codec, allowing editors, and others involved in the creative process to view M-JPEG compressed files on any Power Macintosh with no additional hardware required.

"Enhancing QuickTime with a standard M-JPEG format allows easy exchange of files between different M-JPEG boards on any Macintosh system," said John Kunze, Adobe's vice president of graphics and publishing. "This gives video professionals using Premiere and After Effects the flexibility to take full advantage of the open systems approach to computing."

MULTIPROCESSOR SUPPORT

For power-hungry video professionals needing real-time editing capabilities and requiring faster media compression, Apple has also enhanced QuickTime to support multiprocessing hardware such as the Genesis MP from DayStar Digital.

"With the release of this version of QuickTime and the multiprocessing power from DayStar's Genesis MP, video professionals have a powerful new video editing platform," said Andrew Lewis, president and CEO of DayStar Digital. "Now they can blast through frames with the speed and results normally associated with proprietary systems costing tens-of-thousands of dollars more."

QUICKTIME TO SUPPORT 3D OBJECTS

Apple has enhanced QuickTime to use Apple's QuickDraw 3D engine for rendering 3D objects in real time within a QuickTime movie. Now video professionals can synchronize, composite, and animate workstation-class 3D objects with other media types such as video, audio and music.

"By integrating support for 3D Animations within QuickTime, Apple has created a compelling bridge between the worlds of 3D production and video production. Using Infini-D, Specular's award- winning 3D modeling, animation, and rendering product, customers will soon be able to take advantage of the integration of QuickDraw 3D and QuickTime, " said Chris Johnston, director of product management at Specular. "The feedback loop for professionals who combine 3D rendered animations with digital video will now be significantly shortened, thereby enabling greater creative freedom and flexibility throughout the entire production process."

"We are excited about the possibilities opened up by QuickTime's support for QuickDraw 3D. StudioPro has always been able to render high-quality 3D animations into QuickTime format and already supports 3DMF," said Heidi Rosnberg, Strata, Inc. product marketing manager. Now with the ability to include 3D objects directly into QuickTime movies and even texture map QuickTime movies onto existing 3D objects, working with 3D and QuickTime becomes highly interactive and productive. This is exciting news for 3D and video professionals."

AVAILABILITY/PRICING

All of the features mentioned above are a subset of QuickTime 2.5, which is expected to be available in Spring 1996. Developer seeding is already in progress. Developers can license QuickTime software free of charge for redistribution with applications, multimedia titles and media clip libraries through Apple Software Licensing. QuickTime 2.5 is expected to be free of charge to customers through Apple's home page on the World Wide Web and various online services.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800- 538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Cinebase Asset-Mgmt System to Mac Platform
Apple Taps Cinebase Software as Key Partner in Building Digital Studios

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--April 15, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. and Cinebase Software, Inc. today announced their intention to bring the Cinebase asset-management system to the Apple Macintosh platform. The Cinebase product is the market leading asset-management application for motion picture studios and post- production facilities. By bringing the Cinebase application to the Macintosh platform, Apple and Cinebase Software intend to provide studios with a more intuitive and easy-to-use method for managing film and video content from the initial concept stage, through production and distribution, and finally, archival and reuse. Major firms including Warner Brothers Animation, Discovery Online and several others have begun to implement Cinebase.

"The Apple-Cinebase announcement comes at a time of significant change in 'digital Hollywood' as studios seek to implement digital technologies," said Dr. David Nagel, Apple senior vice president for worldwide research and development. "Asset-management, and specifically Cinebase, is a cornerstone of our digital studio solution, and Apple and Cinebase have already begun to work directly with film studios and post production facilities to help them implement this transition."

Enabling customers to manage assets in multiplatform environments, Cinebase fulfills a key requirement of digital studio production. "Our clients simply demanded that we support the Macintosh because of its dominant position as the desktop platform in the creative markets," said Alan Brown, president of Cinebase Software. "Together, it is our experience, Apple and Silicon Graphics control over 90% of the relevant markets."

Today's announcement builds on Apple's and Silicon Graphics' stated intention to accelerate the development of digital studios for feature film, animation and broadcast video through the support of Apple's QuickTime and other technologies. These efforts aim to enable customers to more easily create integrated digital studios using a combination of technologies from Apple, Cinebase Software, Silicon Graphics and other software and hardware developers.

"Products that increase work flow and enhance the production process between platforms are key to digital asset-management," said Tim Sarnoff, senior vice president of Warner Digital Studios. "As Warner Digital expands, we are demanding connectivity across all platforms."

The Cinebase Macintosh asset-management system is expected to reach beyond the film industry, design firms and advertising agencies that are racing to embrace new multimedia and Internet technologies. As an example, Cinebase software can maintain a dynamic Web site that currently would overwhelm most systems.

Asset-management involves the production, archival, and distribution of image and audio content. Cinebase ushers content through the various phases of studio production. Along the way, the content is often modified by geographically dispersed artists each using different software applications running on different kinds of computers. Cinebase provides each artist with access to the content in an application that is useful for their specific task.

What is Cinebase?

Cinebase asset-management helps film studios deal with large amounts of digital imagery and audio, using proprietary media processing engines which recognize and convert file types and resolutions, Cinebase categorizes and organizes content, film and video clips that can then be retrieved via numerous search criteria and sent out to video decks or other computers on the Net.

Cinebase distributes digital media over high-speed networks, including the "next-generation" Intranet, which run over private fiber optic infrastructures and cable modem-enabled networks. These networks provide a significant increase in bandwidth which allows communication and collaboration between physically- dispersed studio facilities and the wide area distribution of broadcast quality film and video.

The new collaboration between Apple and Cinebase will involve cooperation efforts to develop and implement new technologies, including optimizing digital video for studio, Internet and Intranet environments. The Macintosh version of Cinebase, which is expected to be released in the third quarter of 1996, will support all of the Macintosh's advanced features.

Cinebase Software, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based developer of software applications and consulting services for the entertainment industry. Cinebase Software, Inc. is the producer of Cinebase, the entertainment industry's leading asset-management system, as well as Integrated Video and Harmony Video Production Software.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800- 538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Next-Generation Newsroom Computer Systems
Apple Computer and Associated Press Broadcast Services to Develop Next-Generation Newsroom Computer Systems

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--April 15, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. is working with Associated Press (AP) to develop integrated solutions to target next-generation newsroom automation solutions in the broadcast news market. The agreement between Apple and Associated Press involves joint technology initiatives, as AP develops Mac OS-based products to target this emerging market.

Apple currently has a significant market presence in the film and television industries. With digital media technologies such as Apple's QuickTime, the de facto cross-platform digital video industry standard, coupled with third-party video solutions for production and post-production, the Apple Macintosh has become the best integrated platform for graphics, audio and video. The first AP Mac OS-based products are expected to be available later this year and are currently being trialed at BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in London, England.

"AP, with Apple's help, is taking a lead in shaping the future of newsroom computer systems for broadcast stations and networks around the world," said to Lee Perryman, deputy director of AP's broadcast division, who heads the technology development group in Washington, D.C. "These next-generation solutions will give journalists easy-to-use, integrated access to news text, video, audio and graphics."

"Apple is targeting information-age enterprises that best exploit Macintosh differentiation to deliver value-added solutions for the customer," said Satjiv S. Chahil, Apple's senior vice president of corporate marketing. "With partners such as AP, Apple will be an integral part of the newsrooms of the future. The presence Apple currently has in the broadcast and entertainment markets not only give us a great opportunity to become a market leader in the newsroom systems market, but also allow us to pioneer media-rich information systems of the future."

Next-Generation Newsroom Automation Solutions

Newsroom automation solutions put the news-gathering process in the hands of reporters and editors, delivering interactive media and news reports to their desktop personal computer. Newswire reports, archives of video and audio footage, even reports from the Internet can be used by the reporter to collate a news story to be aired on TV or radio. The interactive nature of these systems allows news editors to build entire news shows on their desktop personal computers, including scripts, running times of individual news items, running orders and story approvals. The system also gives news editors the flexibility to change news reports on the fly as new information comes to light, and change the running order of stories while the news program is on the air.

As the news market becomes more and more competitive, these next-generation solutions are expected to become a major source of competitive advantage for news-gathering organizations.

Associated Press provides news, audio, graphics, video and software services to more than 15,000 television stations, radio stations, networks and newspapers in 112 countries. Founded in 1848, the Associated Press is a member-owned cooperative, with 3,421 staffers in 236 bureaus worldwide. Its broadcast division is based in Washington, D.C.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering, and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800- 538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Unisys ClearPath Transform Enterprise Server
UNISYS TRANSFORMS THE ENTERPRISE SERVER

ClearPath Family Represents a New Computing Paradigm: The Integration of Open and Traditional Systems on One Platform

APRIL 15, 1996, BLUE BELL, PA --- Unisys Corporation today announced a revolutionary new computing architecture called heterogeneous multiprocessing (HMP), which allows software integration between traditional and open computing environments packaged within a single platform.

Leveraging the HMP technology, Unisys introduced a family of enterprise servers called ClearPath, thus positioning itself as the leader in second generation client/server computing.

Second generation client server makes it easy to integrate departmental to enterprise systems, modernizes legacy applications, provides Intranet applications, reduces the high cost of first generation client/server, and provides scalable secure applications.

The ClearPath HMP fully integrates UNIX, Windows NT, and enterprise operating system environments into one platform, and, as such, is the ideal foundation for enterprise Intranet solutions.

"The ClearPath Server family sets the stage for a new computing paradigm that allows clients to take full advantage of the attributes of traditional enterprise computing, while enjoying the wide range of applications now offered by the industry," said Leo Daiuto, group vice president and general manager, Unisys Computer Systems Group. "These systems greatly reduce the difficulty of integrating disparate environments."

The new server line enables clients to enjoy the benefits of client/server computing while protecting existing investments.

Paul R. Woitzel, Director of Networking and Technical Support for BlueCross/BlueShield of North Dakota, said: "It is my personal belief that the ClearPath software will cause what has historically been referred to as mainframes to be viewed as open enterprise servers." Bruce Wilkinson, Vice President of ESi Corporation in Tallahassee, Florida, another ClearPath client, said: "Unisys ClearPath provides a Client/Server environment that in our opinion is unsurpassed in the market. The flexibility to run Windows NT applications with industrial strength enterprise applications gives our customers a competitive advantage."

Client endorsements are echoed by industry experts. David Floyer, Research Director at International Data Corporation (IDC) said: "ClearPath definitely makes sense for IT users trying to keep up with the latest technology." Bob Sakakeeny, Director of Field Research at Aberdeen Group, said that ClearPath displays "a wealth of new hardware and software (that) ensures minimum disruptions in transitioning to robust, scalable client/server, Internet/Intranet, and decision support applications."

CLEARPATH SALES STRATEGY

In conjunction with its sweeping introduction of open enterprise servers, Unisys has considerably altered its selling approach to the market. Augmenting its worldwide direct sales force, the company has placed an increased emphasis on using indirect sales channels to reach new markets.

"The increased focus on the use of indirect sales channels and industry alliances is key to expanding sales to our existing accounts and providing the reach into new accounts and markets," said Len Bizzarro, Marketing Vice President. "The expansiveness and openness afforded by these new servers makes them a natural fit for our partners."

The ClearPath Server family establishes a logical and complementary positioning of three disparate computing environments -- UNIX, Windows NT and enterprise-class, traditional systems -- to meet the demands of a diverse range of users. The new approach ensures maximum flexibility and choice in meeting enterprise computing requirements. It leverages Unisys integration skills, building into systems the software needed to allow disparate systems to work together seamlessly, saving users the time, expense and expertise of achieving such integration on their own.

Unisys partners in the industry have reacted favorably. "With the ClearPath HMP series, Unisys has taken an innovative approach to solving the complexities of client/server integration," said Rich Tong, division marketing manager for the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft Corp. "We are very pleased with the selection of Windows NT as a cornerstone technology for ClearPath. This provides further evidence of the acceptance of Windows NT in the large server market and its increasing role in the enterprise."

THE CLEARPATH SERVER FAMILY

The ClearPath Server family leverages Pentium and PentiumPro processors, as well as the most advanced CMOS technology available. This spectrum of processing options, coupled with Unisys creative design technology, enables a wide range of performance and exceptional economics.

Of equal importance are the interoperability and integration innovations. New ClearPath Server technology simplifies the task of unifying information and computing resources across the enterprise.

The ClearPath Server family comprises several Server series. Very large scale requirements are typically addressed through the enterprise server offerings. Open operating system needs are addressed via the ClearPath SMP Series. The ClearPath HMP series addresses integrated enterprise processing requirements, through the new heterogeneous multiprocessing paradigm.

CLEARPATH HMP -- The first of a new line of open enterprise servers, these unique systems seamlessly integrate --in a single server -- the properties of open and enterprise operating environments. The importance of this new paradigm lies in the general industry requirement to achieve seamless integration across multiple operating environments. The new HMP technology provides a predefined, preintegrated environment, simplifying the process of establishing a fully integrated environment.

Applications and tools functional under Windows NT and Unisys UNIX (SVR4 and UnixWare) are supported in their native form by the ClearPath HMP Series. "Value Added Resellers and Independent System Vendors will find this platform to be very accommodating," said Len Bizzarro. "Many have already qualified their products on this new product line." Applications developed under Unisys enterprise server operating systems, MCP/AS and OS2200, will also function without change on the ClearPath HMP Series.

CLEARPATH SMP -- Multi-OS open server that is the industry's first symmetric multiprocessor system in the industry built for the PentiumPro processor. This powerful open server family supports UNIX (SVR4, UnixWare and SCO ClearView) as well as Microsoft Windows NT. It offers scalability currently unmatched in the industry, supporting up to ten Pentium or PentiumPro processors. In addition, the new Synchronous Coherent Memory bus, designed by Unisys, is the industry's only bus capable of supporting the increased speed of the PentiumPro processor. The immediate result will be the most powerful PentiumPro server in the industry.

CLEARPATH 2200/3800  This high-performance CMOS-based enterprise server offers a cost-effective growth path for current 2200 installations, as well as a powerful platform for a variety of new enterprise applications. The use of 0.5 micron CMOS processor technology has enabled Unisys to implement the entire instruction processor on two chips. Advanced multiprocessor technology supports a complex of up to eight instruction processors. The optional eXtended Processing Complex (XPC) uses parallel processing technology to support configurations of up to 64 processors, which can meet the requirements of the largest organizations worldwide.

CLEARPATH A2400 AND A2800 -- These servers offer an upgrade path for existing A Series installations. Based on powerful 0.5 micron CMOS circuit technology, the A2800 is the first very-large-scale enterprise server to implement a single-chip processor design. The entry-level and midrange A Series servers have used a single chip processor design for several years, but very large scale performance was not achievable due to technology limitations.

The I/O capacities have been increased to meet expanding information demands and new Asynchronous Transmission Mode (ATM) networking technology has been added. These enhancements allow the increased processing resource to be delivered faster, across the entire enterprise.

CLEARPATH A2100 -- This entry-level server introduces a new profile for the A Series family. It uses novel emulation techniques to support the entire MCP/AS operating environment on a Unisys Pentium or PentiumPro mother board. This permits the A Series to leverage low-cost commodity technology for the platform, while providing a complete enterprise server operating environment. Since complete object-level compatibility with the A Series is achieved, the A2100 can be used for distributed processing, low cost development, smaller applications and as an upgrade for other small A Series Platforms. The attractive price/performance of the platform is expected to be well received by the VAR community, particularly those who have applications requiring very high levels of system availability.

THE UNISYS COMPUTER SYSTEMS GROUP

The Computer Systems Group (CSG) is the Unisys technology business. The people of CSG design, develop, produce and sell the advanced hardware, middleware and system software that serve as the building blocks for traditional and advanced information management solutions. CSG works with clients, with Unisys services groups, and with outside integrators and consultants, independent software developers, distributors and resellers in providing these technology building blocks to help them better serve their customers. Few other companies have the breadth of experience of the Computer Systems Group -- from enterprise servers to parallel processing to PCs, with all the software and peripherals in between.

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Unisys is one of a select group of companies with the portfolio of services, technologies and third party alliances needed to deliver the benefits of information management -- helping clients use their information asset to enhance their competitiveness and responsiveness to customers. Our expertise in information management is founded on the strengths of our three global businesses: consulting, solutions and systems integration; industry-leading technologies; and comprehensive services and products supporting distributed computing environments. Access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com -- for further information.


Attachmate & Cisco NCIA Support in EXTRA!
ATTACHMATE AND CISCO ANNOUNCE NCIA SUPPORT IN INDUSTRY-LEADING EXTRA! PERSONAL CLIENT

EXTRA! Personal Client support for Cisco's NCIA gives customers a high-quality, end-to-end, desktop-to-host TCP/IP connectivity solution

BELLEVUE, WASH. -- Attachmate - The Intranet Company - today announced support of Cisco Systems' Native Client Interface Architecture (NCIA) in EXTRA! Personal Client 6.1. EXTRA! Personal Client is Attachmate's industry-leading SNA, TCP/IP, and Internet connectivity product and NCIA is Cisco's desktop-to-mainframe TCP/IP access solution.

EXTRA! Personal Client is the industry's leading Intranet desktop client software. It provides the most powerful Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT access technology to mainframes, AS/400's, Digital and HP systems; and includes high-performance TCP/IP applications, Internet browsing with Netscape Navigator, remote access with RLN, Intranet conferencing with OpenMind and software management with NetWizard  all in one package. This announcement allows companies to leverage their investments in SNA by routing it over TCP/IP via the innovative NCIA protocol.

When using EXTRA! Personal Client to access SNA mainframes, for example, NCIA support prevents the loss of application functionality common to other TCP/IP implementations such as TN3270, which places an extraordinary cost and performance hit on companies because expensive TCP/IP interface software must be installed on the mainframe.

"Attachmate's addition of NCIA support to EXTRA! Personal Client exemplifies Cisco's commitment to defining new access technologies," said to Nick Francis, director of marketing for Cisco Systems' Interworks Business Unit. "By working with leading partners like Attachmate, Cisco can significantly increase its penetration into the 3270 desktop market."

"NCIA support extends the degree of control and performance available to companies using EXTRA! Personal Client," said Todd Mavis, vice president of worldwide business development at Attachmate. "NCIA's capabilities extend the SNA architecture within the framework of an IP-based network. It allows companies to use the Intranet paradigm to deliver host data at the desktop through EPC with no decrease in functionality. Companies now realize all the benefits of EXTRA! Personal Client as if connected via an SNA network. The net result is a decreased cost of network ownership and increased manageability."

As TCP/IP-based networks become the de facto standard within corporations, EXTRA! Personal Client support for NCIA will significantly aid corporations seeking to migrate to an Intranet information systems structure. NCIA's encapsulation of SNA traffic inside an IP packet provides a secure and manageable infrastructure that allows access from any point in the network. Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) further enhances NCIA by cost-effectively managing network resources, allowing priority to be given to mission-critical SNA traffic in an NCIA packet.

In creating NCIA, Cisco Systems combined the full functionality of native SNA interfaces at the host and client while leveraging the functionality of the TCP/IP backbones found in today's corporate Intranets. EXTRA! Personal Client allows customers to seamlessly access, manage, and share information across the Intranet. The consolidation of SNA networks and non-SNA networks into an IP-based multi-protocol Intranet, accessed through EXTRA! Personal Client 6.1, gives corporations significant cost savings through elimination of redundant and expensive wide-area communications links and reduction of personnel costs through simplified management of multi-protocol environments.

In addition to user-transparent NCIA support, EXTRA! Personal Client 6.1 also supports IBM's CICS Server, as well as other host access options. The product also includes a 32-bit version of Attachmate's award winning NetWizard software management program and integration of Wollongong's TCP/IP technology, including the stack and a high-performance NFS client.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

EXTRA! Personal Client 6.1 with NCIA support is available now at a suggested retail price of U.S. $425. EXTRA! Personal Client 6.1 is available to the channel through major distributors including Merisel, Ingram Micro, and TechData. Localized German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese versions will be available in the second quarter of 1996.

ATTACHMATE - THE INTRANET COMPANY

Attachmate is a leading provider of high quality universal information access software and services that help organizations build secure Intranets. The company's object-oriented client, server, authoring tool and management software safely link enterprise systems, Internet systems and people. These solutions allow desktop and mobile users to transparently access, manage and share any business information inside or outside the organization. The Company leverages its 14 years of corporate expertise in enterprise and Internet technologies by providing comprehensive and knowledgeable customer consulting and support services in more than 30 countries to help organizations build high-performance and secure Intranet client/server systems. Attachmate is ranked as the sixth largest PC software company in the world according to Softletter. The company employs over 2,000 people worldwide.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Wash. at (206) 644-4010 or toll free (800) 426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com.

ABOUT CISCO SYSTEMS

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the leading global supplier of internetworking solutions, including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software. These products, integrated by the Cisco IOSSM software, link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs and IBM networks. Cisco SystemsSM news and product service information are available at World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco Systems is headquartered in San Jose, California.


CCH 1996 IRS Hot Buttons for Tax Audits
CCH INTRODUCES 1996 IRS HOT BUTTONS

Multi-Media Approach to Tax Audit Issues Combines Valuable Information with Practical Experience

(RIVERWOODS, IL., April 10, 1996) - CCH INCORPORATED (CCH) has introduced IRS Hot Buttons, a Windows-based multi-media resource for accounting and legal practitioners concerned about audits of federal tax returns. It is among the first "electronic books" published by CCH, a leading provider of tax and business law information, software and services to accounting and legal professionals and their clients.

Offering a new way to do tax research, IRS Hot Buttons combines text and eye-catching graphics to outline the industry-specific audit materials that IRS agents use in examining returns; audio interviews with professionals who have successfully guided their clients through the audit experience; and a video introduction to the product and IRS audits in general.

CCH 1996 IRS Hot Buttons places nearly 3,000 pages of IRS internal documents - including audit guides from the IRS Market Segment Specialization Program (MSSP), issue papers developed through the service's Industry Specialization Program (ISP), and audit procedure material from the Internal Revenue Manual - on a single CD-ROM.

This makes it possible for practitioners to determine just what agents will be looking for when examining a specific type of individual or business - the IRS' own "hot buttons" that will trigger an audit or become the focus of one.

"This kind of in-depth information is vital to tax practitioners both before and after an audit of their clients has been opened," said Larry Britten, assistant product manager, CCH. "If you have a new client in an industry you aren't familiar with - anything from commercial fishing to a funeral home - you want to know where the potential audit triggers are. Then you can help ensure the client's chances of being audited are minimized, and there will be few surprises if an audit does take place."

The 1996 IRS Hot Buttons disc provides inside IRS information on 42 specific industries, professions and topics, from air charters to wineries, architects to taxi drivers, as well as general audit guidance on all business and individual returns. Of special interest to some professionals may be the extensive coverage of the health care industry. Six topics of procedure complement industry-specific material, so practitioners can trace the steps of an audit - from the selection of the return to the selection of the auditor.

The graphic icons on the screen guide users to Specialty Lists or initiate keyword searches. Many have hypertext links that make it easy to navigate from one document to another. Also, every document can be printed out or copied into a Windows-based word processor.

In addition, users may annotate or add their own information to a topic they are researching, creating a personalized file that can easily be shared with colleagues. A paperclip icon appears at the top of the topic to mark the annotated material.

Expert Input

Of special value to the practitioner in CCH's 1996 IRS Hot Buttons are "Pro Talks," featured in many of the specialty areas. In these audio segments (which also appear simultaneously on the screen in text form), experienced practitioners from around the U.S. offer their own tips on what the IRS has looked for on their clients' returns and the actions they took on behalf of those clients.

"There's nothing like hearing fellow professionals recount their experiences in their own words," said Britten. "These are insights from practitioners who've been in the trenches on behalf of their clients, and trying to keep their clients out of trouble with the IRS in the first place."

CCH IRS Hot Buttons also includes "Trends," a library containing two years of CCH news stories on the changing field of IRS audits. In addition to the CD-ROM disc, CCH IRS Hot Buttons includes a booklet with over 300 pages of exhibits and charts from the IRS, such as the actual checklists and flowcharts used in auditing taxpayers as diverse as foreign athletes and bed-and-breakfast owners.

System Requirements

For best performance, CCH suggests that CCH IRS Hot Buttons be run on a 486 or better processor with 8 MB of RAM. A 386 processor and 4 MB of RAM is the minimum configuration. Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher, an SVGA display capable of 256 colors and a double-speed CD-ROM reader are also required. Not required, but highly recommended, is an 8 or 16 bit Sound Blaster" or compatible sound card, with speakers, for playing the "Pro Talks" audio clips, and a quad-speed CD-ROM drive.

Pricing and Availability

The price for CCH IRS Hot Buttons is $199 and includes the disc, Charts and Exhibits book and User Guide. For more information or to order CCH IRS Hot Buttons call 1 800 TELL CCH, Department 2091.

About CCH

Headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill., CCH INCORPORATED is a leading provider of tax and business law information, software and services. CCH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer USA.


CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Co's
CCH EXPANDS POPULAR PRACTICE SYSTEMS SOFTWARE LINE WITH TAX ASSISTANT FOR LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES

(RIVERWOODS, IL, April 10, 1996) - CCH INCORPORATED (CCH) announced today it is adding CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies to its line of WindowsR-based practice system software. CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies combines research, planning, analysis and compliance features that guide the tax professional through tax issues for limited liability companies (LLC), from formation and conversion, to accounting methods and estate planning.

CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies delivers fast, accurate and comprehensive federal and multi-state research and analysis, automates work flow and identifies key issues for this newer form of tax entity.

Primary topics covered in CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies include: when the limited liability company status should be used, LLC formation, LLC conversion, accounting methods, self- employment tax, estate planning and state law.

CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies accurately calculates complex computations to produce worksheets and documents relating to a wide range of topics and issues, such as profit and loss interest and capital account statements, members' interests in an LLC versus predecessor partnerships, tax savings, conversion gain and gift tracking worksheets. In addition, the software creates more than 20 client-specific documents, including sample operating agreements, state law summaries and survey results, memoranda discussing valuation and transfer of LLCs, and IRS forms.

"Limited liability companies are new for many tax professionals, with most states authorizing LLCs only in recent years," said Geoff Huckleberry, CCH product manager. "CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies ensures a sound knowledge of the entity and efficiently supports the related research and planning activities and client communications."

As with all CCH practice systems, CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies allows for seamless integration with CCH's federal tax publications on CD-ROM and online service, enabling the professional to quickly conduct additional tax research with just a few keystrokes. It has "Smart Links" to relevant state laws, federal regulations and annotations on CCHR Entity PlusTM, Standard Federal Tax Reports, CCHR Smart TaxTM, CCHR FTG EdgeTM and CCH Pension and Welfare Benefits Library.

Specifications

CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies is available in Windows format on computer disks. All CCH Tax Assistant software in Windows require an IBM compatible PC, 386 or higher microprocessor, Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher and four MB of RAM. An HP Laserjetc or equivalent printer is recommended.

Pricing

Updated quarterly or more frequently if needed, CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies is available through April 30, 1996 for an introductory price of $545 for a one year subscription and $445 per year for a two year subscription. Regular subscription price is $595 and $495 per year for one and two year subscriptions, respectively.

CCH Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies joins the company's practice system series, a new generation of accounting and compliance products introduced by the company in 1994. Other Tax Assistant products for Windows and DOS include Tax Assistant for S Corporations, Tax Assistant for Partnerships, Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations (Windows only), Tax Assistant for IRS Collections, Tax Assistant for Business Deductions, Tax Assistant for Federal Elections and Tax Assistant for Multi-State Corporate Income Tax.

Headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill., CCH is a leading provider of tax and business law information, software and services. The company offers more than 600 CD-ROM, print and electronic products for accounting, legal, securities, human resources and health care professionals. CCH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer USA.


CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corps
CCH OFFERS TAX ASSISTANT FOR CLOSELY HELD CORPORATIONS

(RIVERWOODS, IL, April 10, 1996) - CCH INCORPORATED (CCH) said today it will offer CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations, a new addition to its popular line of Windows-based practice system software. CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations combines powerful research, planning, analysis and compliance tools to guide the tax professional through a broad range of federal and state tax issues spanning the life cycle of a closely held company, from formation to liquidation.

As is the hallmark of CCH practice system software, CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations delivers comprehensive research and analysis while it automates work flow with checklists, worksheets, client memos, research documents, and question and answer sessions that identify key issues of importance to the closely-held corporation.

Primary topics covered in CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations include: when the closely held corporation should be used, incorporation, accounting periods and methods, alternative minimum tax, penalty taxes, corporation and shareholder transactions, fringe benefits, distributions, liquidations and state laws on closely held corporations.

CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations accurately performs complex computations to produce documents such as intra-period estimated tax worksheets, accumulated earning worksheets and related party attribution schedules. In addition, the software creates more than 60 client-specific, billable documents, including IRS forms, election statements and research memos.

"Professionals save time and ensure the accuracy of their results by researching and automating document preparation with Tax Assistant software," said Geoff Huckleberry, CCH product manager. "Accounting practitioners who tested the software estimated time-consuming processes relating to closely held corporations could be reduced by up to 50 percent."

As with all CCH practice systems, Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations provides "Smart Links" that allow for seamless integration between CCH's other electronic products. Users may link to relevant Code and Regulations in CCH's CD-ROM publications and CCH online service, including Standard Federal Tax Reports, CCHR Smart TaxR, CCHR FTG EdgeR and CCH Pension and Welfare Benefits Library.

Specifications

Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations is available in Windows format on computer disks. All CCH Tax Assistant software in Windows require an IBM compatible PC, 386 or higher microprocessor, Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher and four MB of RAM. HP Laserjetc or equivalent printer is recommended.

Updated quarterly or more frequently if needed, CCH Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations is available through April 30, 1996 for an introductory price of $545 for a one year subscription and $445 per year for a two year subscription. Regular subscription price is $595 and $495 per year for one and two year subscriptions, respectively.

Tax Assistant for Closely Held Corporations joins CCH's practice system series, a new generation of accounting and compliance products introduced by the company in 1994. Other Tax Assistant products, available in both DOS and Windows, include Tax Assistant for S Corporations, Tax Assistant for Partnerships, Tax Assistant for Limited Liability Companies (Windows only), Tax Assistant for IRS Collections, Tax Assistant for Business Deductions, Tax Assistant for Federal Elections and Tax Assistant for Multi-State Corporate Income Tax.

About CCH INCORPORATED

Headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill., CCH is a leading provider of tax and business law information, software and services. The company offers more than 600 CD-ROM, print and electronic products for accounting, legal, securities, human resources and health care professionals. CCH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer USA.


Softimage Video/Audio Editing Breakthrough
Softimage Announces Breakthrough Integrated Video and Audio Editing, Compositing, Paint and Project Management Environment

Redefines Film, Video and Interactive Game Development by Providing Single Application Across All Aspects of Media Production; Automatically Scales Content to Any Media Resolution

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 15, 1996 - Softimage Inc., the world's leading high-end 3-D animation software company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp., today previewed a revolutionary new integrated digital-media creation, editing and management environment, code-named "Digital Studio." This new platform, which handles digital media ranging from compressed video streams to full-resolution film images, is a technology breakthrough because it provides a single consistent application for professional nonlinear video editing and compositing, 2-D and 3-D painting, audio editing, titling, special effects and project management. By integrating all major production elements into a single, seamless application, Digital Studio significantly streamlines and speeds the process of creating videos, films and interactive games.

Built from the ground up as an integrated set of tools, Digital Studio is scheduled for release by the end of 1996 on the Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 4.0. Digital Studio is a fully multithreaded application based on an open architecture extensible through both hardware and software.

Softimage is also teaming with Play Inc. of Rancho Cordova, Calif., to offer Digital Studio with Play's high-performance Trinity video and audio production hardware. This software and hardware combination, which enables customers to create and edit media in real time on multiple compressed or uncompressed D1 video streams, provides performance and functionality found in systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Digital Studio redefines production by synthesizing complete tool sets for video and audio into a single creative environment," said Daniel Langlois, founder of Softimage and senior director at Microsoft. "The integration of all these digital-media production tools under a common user interface provides content creators with an environment that significantly increases their level of creative freedom and productivity. By taking advantage of Play's Trinity system, customers can have extremely high performance at a fraction of the price."

INTEGRATED FEATURES, CUTTING-EDGE INTERFACE DESIGN

Digital Studio features are accessed through an elegant, customizable graphical user interface that transforms automatically depending on the task being performed. The power of Digital Studio is in the integration of these production components:

* NONLINEAR EDITING (NLE). Digital Studio offers best-of-breed nonlinear editing tools. It provides all of the high-end features needed to complete complex professional editing projects. Digital Studio enables editing from an unlimited number of audio and video tracks. Time-line markers synchronize audio and video events, as well as providing looping capabilities. Video and audio clips can be dragged-and-dropped anywhere on the time line. "Activeness" of video tracks allows media to be viewed on the time line even when it does not contribute to the final edit. Digital Studio supports multiple resolutions of media within a single project so customers can work at real time in D1 resolution and output at a specified project resolution. Nested transitions allow customers to go beyond standard wipes and transitions by making dynamic combinations possible. The D1 trim window allows customers to trim, slip and roll media in full D1 resolution in real time.

* COMPOSITING. Digital Studio delivers compositing of unlimited audio and video layers using various Boolean and compositing operators, in addition to traditional compositing. Layers are modified in place or painted on layers at any time during the editing process. Layers are composited through existing alpha channels, via chroma, luma or difference keying. Multiple alpha channels can be applied to each video layer. Digital Studio can stabilize and motion track video with one-point tracking or four-point corner pinning to compensate for incorrect camera movements, as well as realistically merging physical and synthetic elements.

* 2-D AND 3-D PAINTING. Digital Studio includes an extensive vector- based, resolution-independent 2-D and 3-D paint package. Because paint functions are vector-based rather than pixel-based, they can be animated. Paint effects are nondestructive and resolution- independent, which allows retouching without loss of original content. Paint functions are extensible with developer-created custom effects.

* AUDIO. Digital Studio includes a highly integrated eight-channel audio editing environment. All eight uncompressed digital audio streams can be played back at once, with real-time audio effects and mixing. Real-time audio effects can be applied directly to the audio mixer or on the time line. A fully automated virtual audio mixer can animate any audio attribute during playback. Nondestructive waveform editing permits the highest level of creative control without the concern of losing original data. The digital audio tool set allows sample-accurate editing, as well as construction of audio effects such as equalization, reverb, delay and chorus.

* SPECIAL EFFECTS. Digital Studio provides a professional special- effects library for video production, including the full range of sweeps, wipes and fades. Developers can also take advantage of an open architecture to create custom special effects.

* INTEGRATION WITH SOFTIMAGE 3D. Digital Studio will provide seamless integration with SoftimageR 3D, the world's most powerful high-end 3-D animation system. This includes all models, animation sequences and rendering output.

* TITLING. Digital Studio provides free-form, anti-aliased titling capabilities. Text is generated as a character, so it can be animated, painted or edited. Any WindowsR operating system- based TrueTypeR font may be used for titles. Free-form text placement tools allow desktop publishing-style freedom in titling layout.

* OUTPUT. Digital Studio is resolution-independent, so it can be used in projects from feature films to interactive games to live broadcast. All effects, including video, audio, paint and titling, will automatically adapt to the desired output resolution.

* CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS). Digital Studio includes its own revision management and archive system. This is particularly important for large projects and for reusing existing content. Multiple resolutions of digitized video clips can be treated as one item, allowing for easy reassembly of the time line at various resolutions. A search engine allows customers to locate material quickly based on any number of attributes.

* OPEN ARCHITECTURE. Digital Studio is extensible through both hardware and software. Over time, third parties will be able to create plug-in tools for video, audio, special effects, painting and other major components of Digital Studio.

BRINGING CREATIVE GROUPS TOGETHER

By providing a single, seamless production environment, Digital Studio helps bring together traditionally separate disciplines. For example, a director, video editor and audio engineer can sit down at the nearest computer console to review part of an elaborate video production they are currently working on. From any PC on the network, they can work together to view, edit or add any type of image or audio effects, 3-D animation, wipes, fades, live feed composites, 2-D or 3-D paint, or other effects. Even though they have different responsibilities on this project and each is an expert in his or her field, they can all communicate and share ideas more easily because they are all working with the same consistent production environment. Using the same software application gives them much more flexibility and helps them achieve better integration between the different media usually involved in their productions.

RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAY INC.

Softimage has teamed with Play to offer Digital Studio on Play's award-winning Trinity video and audio production hardware and storage systems. "The Trinity System is state-of-the-art when it comes to PC-based media creation and editing," said Moshe Lichtman, general manager of Softimage.

DIGITAL STUDIO PART OF LONG-TERM STRATEGY

Softimage sees Digital Studio as the cornerstone of an evolving Softimage solution. "Digital Studio is a creative platform, not just an application," Langlois said. "Additional software components - 3-D modeling and animation, 2-D cel animation and asset management - will be available both from Softimage and third parties. Our objective is to make Digital Studio the best possible digital production environment today, and to make sure it can evolve with the future demands of digital media producers and technological advances we haven't even begun to imagine."

PRICING, AVAILABILITY, DISTRIBUTION AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The first release of Digital Studio is expected to ship before the end of 1996. In its first release, Digital Studio will require a fast PentiumR system running the Windows NT operating system and Play's Trinity platform. Future versions of Digital Studio will be available for other Windows NT-based platforms, including MIPSR and Alpha systems. Pricing for Digital Studio will be announced later in 1996. It will be distributed through a network of joint Softimage and Play authorized resellers.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Founded in 1986, Softimage develops software for media-rich applications including video, film, interactive games and CD-ROM applications. Products include Softimage 3D (high-end animation), Softimage Eddie (compositing) and Softimage Toonz (2D cel animation). The company was acquired in 1994 by Microsoft Corp. Additional information about Softimage and Microsoft can be found via the Internet at HTTP://WWW.SOFTIMAGE.COM/ and http://www.microsoft.com/, respectively.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Softimage general information, (800) 576-3846; Internet: HTTP://WWW.SOFTIMAGE.COM/


Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools
Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools Gives Developers Path To Microsoft SQL Server 6.5

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 15, 1996 - Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools for the Windows 95 operating system, an update to the popular tool originally released in January 1995, is now available at no charge to developers working with Microsoft Access. With Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools, developers can create solutions in Microsoft Access and then upsize them by moving their database to Microsoft SQL Server. This capability lets developers combine the strengths of both Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server. Microsoft Access is an ideal tool for creating easy-to-use database solutions quickly, while Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful and secure database server that is scalable to many hardware platforms.

Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools automatically converts Microsoft Access validation rules and defaults to Microsoft SQL Server equivalents. It maintains table relationships and referential integrity after upsizing. In addition, developers will be able to preserve their database structure, including data, indexes, defaults and counters. Upsizing from Microsoft Access 95 to Microsoft SQL Server version 4.21, version 6.0 and the newly released Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 are all supported options.

"The success of Microsoft Access means there are a variety of Microsoft Access-based solutions out there that are candidates for upsizing," said Tod Nielsen, Microsoft Access business unit manager at Microsoft Corp. "Solutions in which the number of users has grown or security requirements have become more stringent would benefit from moving to the client-server model. Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools provides developers with a scalable solution that lets them deploy solutions in Microsoft Access rapidly and inexpensively; then, as requirements change, they can move easily to Microsoft SQL Server."

With Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools, developers will be able to work with Microsoft SQL Server objects directly from Microsoft Access. By using the Microsoft SQL Server Browser, developers can control Microsoft SQL Server from Microsoft Access, which allows them to create new Microsoft SQL Server tables and redesign existing ones from Microsoft Access. Developers will also be able to perform ad-hoc SQL queries and view the results in Microsoft Access.

Microsoft Access for Windows 95, designed to take advantage of both Windows 95 and the Windows NT network operating system, delivers significant innovations to help make databases easier to use, more powerful and more flexible for all levels of users, from novices to database developers.

Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5 is a scalable, high-performance database management system designed specifically for distributed client-server computing. Its built-in data replication, powerful management tools and open system architecture provide a superior platform for delivering cost-effective information solutions for organizations of all sizes.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools for Windows 95 is available at no charge and can be downloaded from the World Wide Web (HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/MSACCESS/) and other online locations. Microsoft Access Upsizing Tools is scheduled be added to the Microsoft Developer Network Library CD in mid-1996.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Softimage Dev Kits for Real-Time 3D Apps
DreamWorks Interactive, Evans & Sutherland, Others to Use Softimage Software Development Kit to Build Real-Time 3-D Applications

Companies Will Build Virtual Sets and Other Real-Time 3-D Applications Using Softimage Technology; Next Version of Softimage to Include Real-Time 3-D Viewer

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 15, 1996 - Softimage Inc., the world's leading high-end 3-D animation software company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp., today announced that several companies, including Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp. and DreamWorks Interactive, will use the recently introduced Softimage Software Development Kit (SDK) to develop real-time 3-D applications, including virtual sets. Softimage also announced plans to include its own real-time 3-D viewer technology, called Softimage-Live, in the next version of Softimage 3D for the Microsoft Windows NT operating system and Silicon Graphics IRIS. Many of these applications are being demonstrated this week at the National Association of Broadcasters conference (NAB '96) in Las Vegas, Nev.

This announcement marks the first milestone in establishing the Softimage SDK as a standard development platform for high-end 3-D animation tools. During the next year, Softimage expects many more software developers, systems integrators and hardware companies to begin incorporating its Softimage-Live real-time 3-D technology and using the Softimage SDK. Softimage first publicly demonstrated real-time 3-D animation technology in its Virtual Theater presentation last year at NAB '95.

"By providing components of our real-time 3-D viewing technology and incorporating Softimage-Live into the next version of Softimage 3D, we'll help enable both users and systems integrators to develop real-time applications and content for a wide array of new markets, including virtual sets," said David Morin, director of special projects for Softimage.

The following companies are demonstrating or announcing applications based on Softimage technology:

* BRAINSTORM ESTUDIO (Madrid, Spain) will use the Softimage SDK to develop a turnkey virtual set implementation that is capable of displaying up to 60 video frames per second with an unlimited number of cameras. This product is expected to be completed in mid-1996 and will be marketed and distributed by Digimedia (Madrid, Spain).

* DREAMWORKS INTERACTIVE (Universal City, Calif.) will use the Softimage SDK to develop Directors' Chair, an in-house product that allows creative professionals with little or no computer-animation experience to control feature-film-quality virtual scenes in much the same way they control live action scenes. With joysticks, tablets and an easy-to-use graphical user interface, creative professionals can immerse themselves in the digital scene and in real time control lighting effects, camera angles, zooms, focus and other scene elements.

* EVANS & SUTHERLAND COMPUTER CORP. (E&S, Salt Lake City, Utah) is developing an interface that allows Softimage 3D-generated models and animation sequences to be used with E&S' real-time image-generation products and databases. The move supports E&S' stated plan to move its products to an open environment and expand into new markets. The collaboration will also broaden Softimage's customer base to include real-time broadcast media and video production applications. Evans & Sutherland manufactures hardware and software that produce realistic, interactive 3-D graphics and synthetic environments.

* IMAGICA'S IMAGE SYSTEMS DIVISION (Tokyo) will use Softimage technology to develop its own turnkey virtual set implementation, including an enhanced version of its Perspective Match camera-tracking technology. Founded in 1935, IMAGICA is the oldest and largest film lab, video post-production and computer graphics production company in Japan.

* LIGHTSCAPE TECHNOLOGIES INC. (San Jose, Calif.) will be demonstrating the integration of the Lightscape Radiosity Server and Softimage 3D using the Softimage SDK. A viewer linked to the server will provide real-time display and navigation of the radiosity solution from within Softimage. Lightscape Technologies develops visual reality software products for the design and entertainment markets.

* ORAD HI-TEC SYSTEMS (Kfar Saba, Israel) will incorporate Softimage- Live real-time 3-D technology and use the Softimage SDK in its CyberSet virtual studio. Unlike most virtual sets that require special cameras and stationary mounts, CyberSet is the only virtual set environment that allows for the free motion of cameras, including shoulder mounts. Producers can also use any type of studio camera rather than more expensive, specially made virtual set cameras. Orad Hi-Tec Systems provides a range of video processing products aimed at the broadcasting, sports and advertising markets.

* PLAY INC. (Rancho Cordova, Calif.) is using the Softimage SDK to develop synthetic set tools, which allow live actors to be placed into and interact with virtual environments in real time. These efforts merge Softimage's real-time 3-D technology with Trinity's real-time video processing abilities to create computer-generated sets for video production.

* RT-SET (Herzelia, Israel) is using the Softimage SDK to develop a Softimage scene loader to RT-SET's Virtual Studio System (VSS) that requires no intermediate conversions or preparations. This allows designers, animators and directors to build almost the entire virtual studio show on Softimage and then load it directly into RT-SET's VSS.  RT-SET (Real Time Synthesized Entertainment Technology) Ltd., a developer and marketer of fully integrated 3-D computerized broadcasting systems, was established in early 1994 by BVR Technologies, a world leader in the development of highly sophisticated simulation and training systems.

NEXT VERSION OF SOFTIMAGE 3D TO INCLUDE REAL-TIME 3-D CAPABILITIES

Softimage also plans to incorporate real-time 3-D viewing technology in the next version of Softimage 3D, which is scheduled for delivery in mid-1996. Called Softimage-Live, this technology will allow customers to generate real-time 3-D animations on their desktops using a variety of motion-capture and control devices. Softimage plans to include this technology in both Softimage 3D for Windows NT and for Silicon Graphics IRIS.

Founded in 1986, Softimage develops software for media-rich applications including video, film, interactive games and CD-ROM applications. Products include Softimage 3D (high-end animation), Softimage Eddie (compositing) and Softimage Toonz (2-D cel animation). The company was acquired in 1994 by Microsoft Corp. Additional information about Softimage and Microsoft can be found via the Internet at HTTP://WWW.SOFTIMAGE.COM/ and http://www.microsoft.com/ respectively.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Softimage general information, (800) 576-3846; Internet: HTTP://WWW.SOFTIMAGE.COM/

---------------------------------------------------------------------

* WHAT IS A VIRTUAL SET? A virtual set allows producers to blend live action with computer-generated images and animations in real time. Animations can include background scenes (such as a tropical island or New York City subway tunnel), objects (e.g., clouds, trains) and real-time animated characters generated through motion-capture devices on a person or object. The key to a true virtual set is that live action and animation can be combined in real time to produce extraordinary interactions between real and imaginary objects. One of the most basic virtual set applications is live television-news weather reports, which integrate a weather person with computer-generated maps.


Apple Enhances Developer Relations Charter
Apple Broadens and Enhances Developer Relations Charter

CUPERTINO, California--April 12, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced enhancements to its developer relations organization, affirming the strategic role developers play in the company's success. Apple is expanding the overall scope of its developer relations group to provide the comprehensive range of technical and business resources developers require. Also, effective immediately, Apple Developer Relations (ADR), headed by vice president Heidi Roizen, will report to Apple's chief administrative officer, George Scalise.

Under Scalise, ADR plans to consolidate multiple developer activities from across Apple into one coherent, highly-leveraged developer program suite. The group will build on its tradition of strong technical support, established under the direction of Dr. David Nagel, senior vice president, Worldwide Research and Development. To address its expanded responsibilities, ADR will be organized into five primary units:

EVANGELISM

Conducts day-to-day management of developer accounts, and spearheads evangelism efforts for Apple technologies and products.

DEVELOPER MARKETING

Defines and promotes Apple's developer proposition, initiates co-marketing and other programs to help Apple developers reach current and future customers, and builds programs to retain and recruit developers.

DEVELOPER TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Meets the technical needs of the developer community with training, technical services and specialized support programs.

DEVELOPER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Identifies strategic partnership opportunities and drives the process for licensing technology to and from Apple.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPER RELATIONS

Adapts and delivers ADR programs and opportunities for developers worldwide.

"Developers are the lifeblood of the Macintosh," said Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Apple's chairman and chief executive officer. "Apple must deeply integrate the development community into its global mission, and this new reporting structure is a logical step in that direction. We want to foster an environment where Apple Developer Relations can more efficiently and effectively work across all functional areas, for the mutual benefit of Apple and the vendors who support our products."

By using its corporate agenda to span Apple's organizational boundaries, ADR can more creatively and productively help developers deliver solutions that meet existing customer needs and generate new market opportunities.

The group's expanded responsibilities are a direct result of developer requests to provide a fuller complement of marketing, business development, and relationship management support. "In recent months, we've seen a visible improvement in the way Apple regards the developer community," said Duane Schulz, president, Now Software. "Apple has actively sought our input, and these organizational changes show the company is serious about integrating developer issues into its business strategy."

Developers in key growth segments have endorsed the new structure. "We are very pleased to see Apple increase its focus on developers' business and co-marketing needs on a worldwide basis," said Alan Lefkof, president and CEO of Farallon. "I expect this will help Farallon and Apple do great work together on a variety of compelling Internet and Intranet applications."

"Our developers face many challenges and opportunities in today's volatile technology marketplace. Their support of the Macintosh platform is dependent upon our ability to provide not only a rich technical opportunity, but also a healthy business proposition," said Heidi Roizen, ADR vice president. "We aim to deliver on both counts."

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

DEVELOPER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information about becoming an Apple developer, visit the Apple Developer World Wide Web site at: http://dev.info.apple.com/ or contact the Apple Developer Hotline by telephone in the U.S. and Canada at (408) 974-4897. In other countries, contact your local Apple representative. To learn more about Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, May 13-17, in San Jose, call the fax-on-demand service at 1-800-510-4529 in the U.S. or (415) 637-2609 outside the U.S. The WWDC World Wide Web site is located at: http://www.info.wwdc.carlson.com/

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


NeTpower Inks Contract with Hollywood Studio
NETPOWER INKS CONTRACT WITH LEADING HOLLYWOOD STUDIO

First Windows NT Systems Sold into Traditional Silicon Graphics Site

LAS VEGAS, NAB, APRIL 15, 1996 -- In a major coup for the Pentium Pro processor/Windows NT platform in the 3D animation and film industry, NeTpower today announced a contract with Digital Domain, Inc. for its Calisto Windows NT workstations.

Digital Domain, the largest digital studio in Los Angeles, well-known for its special effects and commercial film production, formerly used only Silicon Graphics, Inc. UNIX-based systems in its three divisions -- feature films, commercial film and new media. The company recently purchased NeTpower's Calisto Windows NT/Pentium Pro processor-based systems for its New Media division which develops interactive games.

Digital Domain Selects NeTpower

Scott Ross, Digital Domain's CEO and founder said, "This relationship with NeTpower allows high-end digital production studios, like Digital Domain, access to lower cost platforms that produce higher quality imagery. We're looking forward to the next generation of computing platforms for the digital studio, and we believe that NeTpower will help catapult us into offering lower cost, high-quality solutions for our customers."

The Calisto workstations, running Softimage 3D for Windows NT, will initially be used to develop a new interactive game - "Ted Shred," a "twitch" game - that will be shown at the upcoming E3 entertainment show in May.

"In the New Media division, we have typically used several systems that cost as much as $30,000 each to create the elements needed for an interactive project," said Steve Schklair, Digital Domain vice president of New Media. "NeTpower's Calisto offers the performance we need for approximately $12,000 per system allowing us to maintain superior quality at a reduced price point, which is key, since game budgets are considerably less than a typical feature or commercial budget. NeTpower allows us to dramatically lower our cost of production and, more importantly, allows us to maintain the same level of quality that our feature and commercial divisions have built their reputations on."

NeTpower's Calisto workstation family is targeted at high-performance applications and offers comparable performance to RISC workstations at a fraction of the cost. The product family bundles Windows NT, high-performance graphics, software and UNIX integration tools and services. Prices start at $5,295.

"Just one month after its introduction, Calisto has been quickly embraced as a cost- effective, open platform for the digital film studio -- the first serious alternative in a market that has been dominated by Silicon Graphics," said Bob Miller, CEO of NeTpower. "Our contract with Digital Domain gives us the opportunity to work closely with a leading edge production company and this experience is crucial to our long-term open video platform strategy."

"We are very pleased that Digital Domain has chosen NeTpower's Pentium Pro processor-based system to develop state-of-the-art interactive content," said Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Content Group. "The Pentium Pro processor is really making headway into the high-performance workstation arena such as digital content authoring."

Digital Domain, Inc.

Digital Domain was founded in 1993 by writer/director/producer James Cameron, four- time Academy Award-winning character and creature creator Stan Winston, and former Industrial Light and Magic general manager and LucasFilm vice president Scott Ross. Digital Domain's feature division was recently honored with an Academy Award-nomination for its stellar visual effects work on "Apollo 13."

Digital Domain is committed to creating an environment that empowers directors and producers -- matching their imaginative prowess with the right tools.

NeTpower, Inc.

NeTpower, Inc., founded in 1993, is the only workstation company exclusively focused on offering, supporting and optimizing the Microsoft Windows NT environment as a cost- effective, high-performance alternative to UNIX. The company's Pentium Pro processor-based workstations and servers -- designed for video, MCAD, database/infoserver and Internet applications -- offer the power of UNIX machines at a fraction of the price while providing the ease-of-use capabilities of a personal computer. NeTpower's management team consists of some of the foremost experts in the systems industry. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has offices worldwide.

Press Contacts

Bob Hoffman (bhoffman@d2.com)

Digital Domain, Inc.

310/314-2800

Melanie Laurence/Sandra McBride (SMcGarryPR@aol.com)

Simon/McGarry Public Relations

408/746-0911

Patti Kunsman (patti_kunsman@netpower.com)

NeTpower, Inc.

408/522-5109


NETSCAPE SHIPS COLLABRA SHARE 2.2

LEADING GROUP CONFERENCING PRODUCT NOW PROVIDES OFFLINE REMOTE CAPABILITIES FOR MOBILE USERS

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 11, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation today announced Collabra Share 2.2, a new version of the award-winning information sharing and group conferencing software. Collabra Share 2.2 delivers broad support for offline use of Collabra Share. The new Personal Replication feature allows mobile workers to easily collaborate with others from anywhere, at any time, without requiring a live connection to a network.

"Collabra Share 2.2 delivers remote support to provide today's increasing number of mobile professionals with access to real-time information," said Eric Hahn, vice president of enterprise technologies at Netscape. "Collabra Share 2.2 also exemplifies Netscape's ongoing commitment to providing world-class collaboration capabilities to our customers."

With Collabra Share 2.2, forums can be easily copied from a server to a laptop computer and then synchronized using Collabra's robust replication technology. Users can choose to carry one or more forums on their laptop, either temporarily or permanently, and when working offline they can read and post new documents.

The Personal Replication feature includes advanced capabilities for optimal performance and control, such as

* Determining the maximum document size for a personal copy of

  a forum. Larger documents are automatically truncated so that

  there are no missing documents from a discussion.

* Synchronizing all personal forums with a single operation.

* Optional full-text indexing of personal forums.

* Determining which forums can be replicated as personal copies.

* Stopping and then resuming synchronization without requiring a

  re-start of the entire synchronization process.

Additional features simplify forum maintenance for moderators and administrators and further reduce Collabra Share's total cost of ownership. In addition to the capabilities already available in Collabra Share, the new features introduced in Collabra Share 2.2 are scheduled to be available in future versions of Netscape Navigator.

Collabra Share 2.2 is available as a free upgrade to Collabra customers with current support contracts. Collabra Share 2.2 is now available at a price of $49 per user. For more information on Collabra Share 2.2, please consult the Collabra Web site at http://www.collabra.com.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals). Additional information on Collabra software is available on the Internet at http://www.collabra.com.

Corporate Sales: 415/937-2555

Personal Sales: 415/937-3777

Federal Sales: 415/937-3678


Win Flier Miles from Quarterdeck Promo
REGISTER TO WIN ONE MILLION FREQUENT FLIER MILES FROM QUARTERDECK WEBCOMPASS PERSONAL EDITION PROMOTION

Most Innovative Use of WebCompass Personal Edition will Earn Miles Worth 40 Domestic Round-Trip Flights

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF., APRIL 10, 1996 --- QUARTERDECK CORP. (NASDAQ: QDEK) TODAY ANNOUNCED THE "YOU FOUND WHAT? ON THE INTERNET" PROMOTION TO LAUNCH THE WEBCOMPASS PERSONAL EDITION INTERNET METASEARCH TOOL. THE WEBCOMPASS PERSONAL EDITION USER WHO SUBMITS THE MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF WEBCOMPASS PERSONAL EDITION FOR FINDING INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET WILL WIN ONE MILLION FREQUENT FLYER MILES ON DELTA AIRLINES, WORTH 40 DOMESTIC ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS. NO PURCHASE IS REQUIRED. USERS CAN DOWNLOAD A FREE BETA VERSION OF WEBCOMPASS PERSONAL EDITION FROM THE QUARTERDECK HOME PAGE (HTTP://WWW.QUARTERDECK.COM) TO PERFORM THE SEARCH.

The contest began last week and runs through May 15. User stories are limited to 200 words, and can be submitted to Quarterdeck via e-mail at millmile@quarterdeck.com, through an entry form on the home page, or via standard Postal mail. Quarterdeck is looking for unique stories on how WebCompass Personal Edition was used to locate information on the Web. Criteria for determining the winner include: best use of WebCompass Personal Edition, best use of the Internet, originality, creativity, and writing skill.

"The Internet has something for everybody. We want people to show us how they learned something that fundamentally changed their business or lifestyle," said Koen Bouwers, vice president of marketing for Quarterdeck. "At the same time, we want to educate people on the use of WebCompass Personal Edition as an effective and efficient meta search tool for the Internet."

WebCompass Personal Edition is a mass market version of Quarterdeck's award-winning WebCompass metasearch tool for the Internet. It performs a simultaneous search of multiple Web search engines, such as WebCrawler, Yahoo, and Lycos, and prepares an abstract of the query results, all through a point-and-click interface. WebCompass Personal Edition works with all major browsers and makes searching on the World Wide Web exciting and efficient.

The winner and runners up will be announced on May 22. The winning story and the author's picture will be posted on Quarterdeck's home page. In addition, there will be ten runner-up prizes of 25,000 miles on Delta, and 25 third-place prizes, a limited edition Quarterdeck sweatshirt.

About Quarterdeck

Quarterdeck Corporation is a pioneer in the development of software products in four strategic business areas: Utilities, Internet Solutions, Internet Services, and Communications. The company has led the industry in bringing utilities solutions to the Windows and DOS environments with its award-winning QEMM memory management software. The company also offers an entire line of powerful, next-generation Internet tools for corporate, small business and individual users, including the award-winning WebCompass, and the company's first product in the Communications market, WebTalk.

Quarterdeck Corporation's headquarters are located at 13160 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

The Dublin, Ireland office serves as its European headquarters, with offices in England, France, Germany, and Australia. Further product availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (310) 309-3700, by accessing Quarterdeck's Internet Web site at http://www.quarterdeck.com/, or by sending an e-mail request to info@quarterdeck.com.


PeopleSoft Selects Arbor Essbase for OLAP
PEOPLESOFT SELECTS ARBOR'S ESSBASE AS MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATABASE FOR ITS COMPREHENSIVE OLAP STRATEGY

COMPANIES TEAM TO DELIVER INTEGRATED OPERATIONAL OLAP SOLUTION

SUNNYVALE, CALIF., APRIL 15, 1996 -- Arbor Software (Nasdaq:ARSW), a leading provider of client/server software for planning, analysis and management reporting, announced today that PeopleSoft has selected Arbor's Essbase multidimensional database server as the data mart for its comprehensive OLAP strategy.

The companies will integrate Essbase with the PeopleSoft application suite by enabling customers to combine the metadata of PeopleSoft applications, including trees, effective dating and security features, with Essbase's robust analytical capabilities. Metadata stored in PeopleSoft's applications will automatically be synchronized with the contents of an Essbase data mart to accurately and easily reflect changing data structures. This combination will offer users a true Operational OLAP solution by integrating "what happened?", "what-if?" and "what next?" analysis and planning capabilities with enterprise client/server applications.

Essbase provides a strategic platform to perform a variety of enterprise applications such as budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, management reporting, sales analysis and marketing analysis. PeopleSoft plans to develop and market a series of OLAP application templates to enable customers to immediately use Essbase with PeopleSoft applications.

"In the highly competitive applications market, we are pleased that PeopleSoft has selected Essbase as the data mart in its OLAP strategy," said Jim Dorrian, Arbor Software's president and CEO. "Essbase offers users robust analytical power, speed of thought response times, full read/write access and open support for a broad range of tools, making Essbase an ideal component in PeopleSoft's enterprise application suite."

"Arbor is a market leader in the multidimensional database server market," said Jim Hopp, PeopleSoft's manager of technology strategy. "By integrating the powerful OLAP capabilities of Arbor's Essbase with PeopleSoft applications, we will be able to deliver analytical data mart capabilities to our mutual customers."

OPEN ARCHITECTURE

Business Objects and Cognos, two of Arbor Software's Alliance Partners, were also named as part of PeopleSoft's OLAP strategy. Cognos' PowerPlay is one of the many popular front end tools which seemlessly connects to Essbase. In addition, Business Objects and Arbor recently announced a marketing and development agreement to deliver an interface between BusinessObjects 4.0 and Essbase.  Arbor's alliance with Cognos and Business Objects delivers an integrated client/server solution for multidimensional planning, analysis, and reporting. As part of PeopleSoft's OLAP strategy, joint customers can now leverage Essbase's strengths for applications which require multi-user access, large data capacity and powerful analytics with popular desktop query, reporting, and analysis tools.

ABOUT ESSBASE

Essbase is a multidimensional database optimized for business planning, analysis and management reporting applications such as profitability analysis, budgeting, forecasting, planning, financial consolidations, sales analysis and EIS. Based upon a true, client/server architecture, Essbase supports multi-user read and write access, large-scale data capacity, robust analytical calculations, flexible data navigation and consistent, speed of thought response times. The Essbase server's open architecture supports direct data access using standard spreadsheets or leading third-party query, reporting and EIS tools.

Essbase scales from a single-user solution to enterprise OLAP (on- line analytical processing) server within a data warehousing strategy. Essbase operates on servers running Windows NT, OS/2 and UNIX across all major networks connected to Windows, Macintosh and UNIX clients.

ABOUT ARBOR SOFTWARE

Arbor Software Corporation (Nasdaq:ARSW) develops and markets client/server software for business planning, analysis and management reporting. Arbor's products are used by more than 650 corporations spanning a broad range of industries and business applications including Bank of Boston, Emery Worldwide, Fidelity, Los Angeles Times, Neutrogena, Pennzoil, PEPSICO, Prudential and Sears. Arbor has over 100 application, services, tools and platform partners, including Comshare, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Microsoft. Arbor's products are sold direct, as well as through system integrators and VARs worldwide. Arbor's offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale, Washington D.C., London and Paris. More information on Arbor products and services can be found on Arbor's World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.arborsoft.com.

For Arbor Software product information, please call 1-800-858-1666.


SourceCraft ISV Agreement With Oracle
SOURCECRAFT NAMED TO ORACLE'S BUSINESS ALLIANCE PROGRAM

SourceCraft products will include interface to Oracle databases

BURLINGTON, MA., APRIL 15, 1996-- SourceCraft, Inc., today announced it has signed an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) agreement with Oracle Corporation to develop the interface for its robust Intranet and World Wide Web development tools for corporate developers to Oracle products. The agreement enters SourceCraft and Oracle in a marketing relationship and allows for tighter integration between the companies products. SourceCraft products are aimed at developers building both client and Web server applications, by utilizing reusable components such as HTML documents, OLE content, Java applets, new and legacy databases, as well as sound and video clips.

"SourceCraft products allow developers to develop, assemble, simulate and deploy Intranet and World Wide Web applications," said William Blundon, president and chief operating officer, SourceCraft, Inc. "Interfaces to databases like Oracle are key to this strategy. Through our relationship with Oracle, we are continuously working to strengthen our position as leaders in the growing corporate market for Intranet development products."

"We are pleased that SourceCraft will interface their products to ours through our Business Alliance Programme," said Polly Sumner, Vice President of Oracle's Worldwide Business Alliances. "We view them as a leader in delivering new tools to the Internet and Web marketplace."

SourceCraft Announces Business Alliance with Oracle Corporation

SourceCraft's products include ObjectCraft, a visual development environment for generating C++ client applications, ObjectCraft for Servers, a visual development environment for generating web server applications, and NetCraft, a visual development environment for generating Java client applications. SourceCraft plans to add direct connections to Oracle databases to all of these products over the course of 1996.

About SourceCraft

SourceCraft, Inc., provides easy to use tools that enable corporations to develop, assemble and deploy reusable applications for Intranets and the World Wide Web. The company provides a complete line of products, training and consulting services for corporations worldwide. SourceCraft's corporate headquarters are located in Burlington, Massachusetts. It can be reached at 1-800-4OBJECT, by fax at 617-221-5668, via the Internet at info@sourcecraft.com or through the World Wide Web at http://www.sourcecraft.com


Spyglass Web Technology Kit
Spyglasss Announces Device-Independent Web Technology Kit

Component Technologies Allow Commercial / Corporate Software Developers, Consumer Device Manufacturers and Systems Integrators to Put the Power of the WWW Inside Their Products and Services.

Naperville, Ill. -- Monday, April 15, 1996 -- Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) announced today the Spyglass Web Technology Kit (WTK), which breaks out its client technology into components for easier integration of World-Wide Web technologies to Web-enable applications, services or devices. The WTK is the most comprehensive Web technology offering available today, covering multiple platforms and offering a complete, high quality set of premium Web technologies that developers can "mix and match" for their solution. The WTK will ship to customers late in the second quarter 1996.

The announcement represents a major step in the evolution of Spyglass technology and service offerings that began with Mosaic, the Web browser that established the standard by which Web client technology would be developed. The WTK is designed to better meet the needs of the embedded Web technology marketplace. Earlier this year, the company announced the same strategy for its Web server technology. Now, with this announcement, two WTKs exist -- one for the client and one for the server.

"On the surface, this may appear to be a completely new strategy for Spyglass," said Marc Miller, Spyglass' executive vice president of marketing. "In reality, we've always been in the embedded marketplace. With this announcement, we're more clearly defining our strategy and making it easier for new classes of developers to embed our technology using the Spyglass WTK. We've evolved to offer superior technology so any application, service or device can leverage the Web, including world-class browsers such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer."

Targeted at commercial software developers, corporate software developers, consumer device manufacturers and systems integrators, the WTK is a collection of technologies with superior advantages:

* Offers the easiest integration into products, services and devices.

* Eliminates dependence on any one operating system or vendor because

  the WTK is technology and platform neutral.

* Customers can choose technology-rich components for their specific

  solution.

OFFERS THE EASIEST INTEGRATION INTO PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND DEVICES.

The WTK breaks the traditional Web client into functionally independent technology components with a variety of ways for working together or interfacing with a company's existing technologies.

INTEGRATION OPTIONS: Drop-ins, a cross-platform Spyglass API; JAVA, ActiveX (Windows), OpenDoc (Macintosh) and Netscape Plugins.

ELIMINATE DEPENDENCE ON ANY ONE OPERATING SYSTEM OR VENDOR

Because the WTK is multi-platform and it supports all leading programming languages required for the Web, customers don't have to worry whether or not support for their environment will be available.

SCRIPTING LANGUAGE SUPPORT: JAVA Script and Visual Basic Script

MULTI-PLATFORM SUPPORT: Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, Macintosh and the most popular versions of UNIX and device independent technologies (QNX, kiosk, smart phone, others).

CUSTOMERS CAN CHOOSE TECHNOLOGY-RICH COMPONENTS NEEDED FOR THEIR SOLUTION

Any of the components can be used standalone or a number of them can be used together to build a solution, such as a Web browser, or Web-enable an existing application such as a CAD/CAM software package. Spyglass offers the widest variety and highest quality Web technology available:

HTML SUPPORT: HTML 2.0+, Frames tag, tables tag, insert tag, style sheets (including support for BitstreamR TrueDocR imaging technology), SGML and SGML/HTML editing.

MULTIMEDIA SUPPORT: Images (GIF, JPEG), audio (AU, AIFF).

PROTOCOL SUPPORT: HTTP, FTP, Gopher, SMTP, NNTP, POP and Local file.

AUTHENTICATION AND SECURITY SUPPORT: Authentication (Basic and Digest), Bulk encryption (SSL, PCT) and payment (SET).

USER INTERFACE: Fully customizable (menu bar, progress indicator, splash, etc.), dynamic kiosk mode option.

INTERNATIONALIZATION: Localized versions (German, French, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese) and supports language negotiation.

OTHER FEATURES: Cookies support, high-performance HTTP engine, single-connection, keep-alive option, text conferencing, content filtering, stack and dialer (optional) and search engine (optional)

BEST ANSWER FOR WEB-ENABLING APPLICATIONS

According to Miller, the evolving uses of the Web create a space that only Spyglass can fill. "Companies need to control their own destiny on the Web," he said. "We're the best solution for Web-enabling applications, services and devices because our offerings are easiest to embed, feature rich, technology-neutral, multi-platform and device independent. From a business standpoint, companies can cut time to market, save development dollars, leverage their own brand name as part of their product or service while providing universal customer access. It's a partnership that can't be beaten."

NEW PACKAGING ALLOWS MORE DEVELOPERS TO WEB-ENABLE APPLICATIONS

Spyglass has lowered the entry point with the WTK to attract many new customers. "We were finding that many integrators and IS departments wanted our technology, but could not take on the responsibility of several thousand licenses," Miller said. "This lower entry point will be appealing to emerging application providers where enormous opportunities are available to us."

The Spyglass WTK for the client starts at $25,000, which includes 1,000 licenses and a one-year support and maintenance contract. The Spyglass WTK for the server (announced on January 16, 1996) starts at $25,000, which includes 100 licenses, and a one-year support and maintenance contract.

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 60 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 150 Internet-based products and services.

Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. (Headquarters: telephone -- 708.505.1010; fax: 708.245.6693; press email inquiries: Randy Pitzer; Web server, Internet: www.spyglass.com).


Spyglass Developer Services Group
Spyglass Announces New Developer Services Group

Development and Consulting Services Offered to Assist in Web-Enabling New Applications, Services and Devices

Naperville, Ill. -- Monday, April 15, 1996 -- Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) announced the formation of a new Developer Services Group to provide consulting and development services to companies wanting to create branded products and services that take advantage of the benefits offered by the World-Wide Web. The new Group was announced at the same time the company announced the Spyglass Web Technology Kit (WTK), which allows companies to more easily integrate World-Wide Web capabilities into their applications, services and devices.

The Developer Services Group will work with companies to provide the consulting and technical expertise needed to enable Web technology integration in as timely and efficient a manner as possible. The new group is particularly important given that the WTK is targeting integrators and in-house development organizations that may require additional outside development expertise, beyond Spyglass' basic support contract.

"If Developer Services is used in conjunction with licensing our Web technologies, we can provide companies with a complete solution to Web-enabling applications," said Tim Krauskopf, vice president of research and technology for Spyglass. The Developer Services Group is designed to provide assistance to companies which may lack the software development capabilities of Spyglass customers such as Microsoft, Oracle and IBM. "We are now structured to provide an even higher level of support to the marketplace and deliver on the promise that Spyglass offers the best technology and support today," said Krauskopf.

The new Spyglass group is led by Paul Steimle, Director of Developer Services, former V.P. PeopleSoft Consulting Group. According to Steimle, the Developer Services group is focused on helping financial institutions, software producers, and other companies embed Web technologies into their products and services for their customers.

Steimle cited a number of benefits companies can realize by using the group's services:

 Reduce the time it takes to bring Web-enabled products to market

 Add in-house Web technology and expertise quickly with minimum

 expense

 Control overhead costs while introducing new Web-enabled products

 and services

The Developer Services Group will provide the following services that commercial software and in-house developers need:

 Project Coordination/Consultation

 Project Analysis and Review

 Requirements Definition

 Custom Development

Spyglass is the undisputed market leader in embedded technology. It has agreements with more than 60 customer/partners, including Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and others, which use Spyglass technology in more than 150 different products. Spyglass licenses its technology to its client/partners and typically receives revenue based on the number of products deployed by its client/partners. Spyglass technology, for example, is the underlying element for Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser.

Now, the company has taken the next logical step in offering a group that will provide its customers with consulting and development services to customize Spyglass's Web client and server technology for a host of end-user applications.

"Spyglass has always been the leader in providing embedded Web technology to software developers, Internet device manufacturers, integrators and corporations wanting to take advantage of the benefits offered by the Web," said Krauskopf. "Now we are making it even easier and faster to integrate our technology through the formation of this new service group and the development of our Web Technology Kit."

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 60 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 150 Internet-based products and services.

Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. (Headquarters: telephone -- 708.505.1010; fax: 708.245.6693; press email inquiries: Randy Pitzer; Web server, Internet: www.spyglass.com.


Bentley Internet-Enable MicroStation Prods
Spyglass and Bentley Agreement Establishes a Strong Partnership to Address the Needs of the Emerging Market for Web-Enabled Engineering and CAD/CAM/GIS

Newly Announced Spyglass WTK to be Used to Internet-Enable Bentley's MicroStation Product Line

Naperville, Ill. - April 15, 1996 - Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) and Bentley Systems, Inc. of Exton, Penn., announced today that they have signed an agreement whereby Bentley has licensed the Spyglass Web Technology Kit (WTK) to build Web-enabled products for the engineering and CAD/CAM/GIS marketplace. In a related announcement today, Spyglass announced the WTK, a complete technology offering which breaks out Spyglass' client technologies into components to Web-enable applications, such as those Bentley offers. The WTK is the most comprehensive Web technology offering available to software developers today, covering multiple platforms and offering a complete, high quality set of premium Web Technologies that developers can "mix and match" for their solution.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but Bentley said it will use the WTK to Web-enable its popular MicroStation line of engineering software products. The companies said the partnership they've established provides the first seamless integration of Web-technology within engineering software products that they expect will give them a strong presence in the emerging market of Web-enabled engineering and CAD/CAM/GIS. The WTK allows Bentley to directly build in Web access capability so users don't have to "fire up" a standalone browser to access engineering content on the Web. In addition, MicroStation will later offer real-time sharing of information and collaborative engineering over the Internet.

Bentley will use its innovative MicroStation Development Language (MDL) to integrate the Spyglass technology seamlessly into its range of products. MDL's modular architecture will allow users to incrementally add this functionality to existing MicroStation installations. Users enrolled in the Bentley SELECT business program will automatically receive this functionality later this year.

Marc Miller, Spyglass' executive vice president of marketing, sees the new partnership as very important for Spyglass technology and Bentley's leadership position in the marketplace. "Bentley is a recognized market and technological leader in engineering software. This agreement will put the power of the World-Wide Web inside of its MicroStation products and will offer seamless Web access to its 200,000 users," Miller said. "This first application of Spyglass technology for engineering and CAD/CAM/GIS is a part of the general expansion and standardization made possible by our easy-to-implement Web Technology kit. This is significant proof that our embedded, component technology approach is catching the attention of commercial and in-house software developers."

According to Yoav Etiel, Bentley vice president of product marketing, Bentley chose the Spyglass technology for a number of reasons. Central to the decision were the ability of the WTK to integrate Web access directly into the MicroStation products, the growing standardization of the technology and the kit's support of a wide range of user platforms, including Windows, the Macintosh and Power Macintosh, and several Unix computers.

"Clearly, the Internet and Intranets will have a dramatic effect on the way that large-scale engineering is done," Etiel said. "This new way holds the potential of vastly improving collaborative engineering and the sharing of information among large teams. We share a common vision with Spyglass that the biggest steps will be taken when applications are empowered to directly converse with the Web. This agreement between Bentley and Spyglass begins the process of bringing Web-enabled engineering to users."

Engineering software and CAD/CAM/GIS is a market that is particularly suited to the Internet. The market is characterized by a high degree of computerization, an increasing need to share and access information, and a clear trend towards automation that supports collaborative engineering. Bentley participates in the geographics information system (GIS), mechanical engineering, and architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) segments of CAD/CAM/GIS. Since initiating independent sales and marketing operations last year, and with annual revenues of over $95 million in 1995, Bentley has risen to number three in the AEC software segment.

About Bentley Systems Inc.

Bentley Systems Inc. is a worldwide leader in engineering software products and user services. The company now serves over 200,000 professionals in building/plant engineering, GeoEngineering and mechanical engineering. Its MicroStation products are proven at over 70% of the largest U.S. engineering firms and are the software foundation behind the engineering of well-known buildings, airports, hospitals, highways, machines, bridges and industrial plants throughout the world. MicroStation 95, the newest version of the flagship MicroStation product, has been shipped to over 80,000 users in its first five months of release. Founded in 1984, Bentley has now become one of the world's fastest growing software companies.

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 60 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 150 Internet-based products and services.

Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. (Headquarters: telephone -- 708.505.1010; fax: 708.245.6693; press email inquiries: Randy Pitzer; Web server, Internet: www.spyglass.com).


XSoft/Infoseek Partner for Accurate Searches
Xerox Lexical Technology Partnering with Infoseek

XSoft and Infoseek Partner to Provide More Powerful, Accurate Internet Searching

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 16, 1996 - XSoft, the document management arm of Xerox Corporation, and Santa Clara, Calif.-based Infoseek Corporation, provider of the most popular Internet search service, today announced a partnership calling for Infoseek to incorporate XSoft's Xerox Lexical Technology (XLT) into its new Ultraseek Internet search software, which is expected to be generally available in June. As a result of the partnership, Infoseek users will obtain faster and more accurate search results than previously available.

With XLT, a search for "mouse" would also find "mice," and a search for "swim" would also find "swam" and "swum." Thus, Ultraseek users will be able to perform more precise searches and have a higher probability of locating the exact information they need.

XLT accomplishes this with its high-speed stemming capability, which finds the linguistically accurate root for each word in a document. Also, by indexing only the word roots in its database, as opposed to each individual word, XLT allows better, faster search results while dramatically reducing indexing overhead.

As part of the agreement between the two companies, every Ultraseek results page will provide a reference to the XLT technology with an associated hyperlink to the XSoft Web home page. Users who link to the XSoft home page will find more information on XLT and other XSoft technologies and products.

Steve Kirsch, chairman of Infoseek, stated, "Infoseek ran a comprehensive survey of the lexical technology available today, and XSoft's XLT quickly emerged as the most advanced, powerful solution of its kind. No other organization has mastered the word root/indexing capability in such an elegant and sophisticated way as Xerox. With XLT, Ultraseek strengthens our position in providing the easiest way to find information on the Internet."

Steve Kiser, president of XSoft, said, "Infoseek is one of the most popular sites on the entire Internet. The integration of XLT into Ultraseek will benefit an extremely large group of Internet users in an immediate and powerful way. We are pleased to be aligned with such a clear market leader, and we look forward to an ongoing partnership that continues to bring the most advanced information access capabilities to Internet users everywhere."

The two companies also announced their intentions to cooperate in future product development and marketing arrangements.

Ultraseek is Infoseek's new search technology intended to be faster, more comprehensive and more current than any other Internet search service available. Ultraseek has the capability to handle up to 1,000 queries per second&#185; and is intended to have the largest, and the first virtually real-time index of the Internet available.

Xerox Lexical technology, originally developed at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), is marketed by XSoft in the form of a technology product for OEMs. In addition to the capabilities described earlier, XLT's underlying architecture can support a variety of linguistic analysis techniques for international languages with a single application programming interface (API) and a single body of code. Languages currently available are English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese. XLT is part of XSoft's OEM Portfolio of intelligent information access and management technology products.

INFOSEEK

Infoseek Corporation, a privately-held company in Santa Clara, Calif., provides a leading Internet navigation service. Infoseek Guide was recently named the number one site in advertising revenue by SIMBA Information. Infoseek also received the 1996 PC World Pro/E award for Best Internet Search Engine. Additional information on Infoseek is available by accessing URL http://www.infoseek.com.

XSOFT

XSoft is the document management arm of Xerox Corporation. Headquartered on a campus with PARC, the renowned Xerox research center in Palo Alto, Calif., XSoft provides software products and technologies that enhance knowledge by making information more useful and business processes more efficient.

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

NOTE TO EDITORS:

For additional information about XSoft and its products and services, customers may call 800-428-2995 or 415-813-6920. They may also visit the XSoft home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.xsoft.com.

XSoft news releases and other marketing materials are available via fax retrieval by calling 415-813-7181 or by e-mail (info@xsoft.xerox.com).


Arbor Software Links Essbase to WWW
ARBOR SOFTWARE LINKS ESSBASE TO THE WORLD WIDE WEB

ESSBASE WEB GATEWAY DELIVERS OPERATIONAL OLAP TO WEB BROWSERS

SUNNYVALE, CALIF., APRIL 15, 1996 Arbor Software Corporation today announced the Essbase Web Gateway, a multi-threaded, server application that enables high-speed, interactive, read and write access to the Essbase multidimensional database server for operational OLAP (on-line analytical processing) over the World Wide Web. The Essbase Web Gateway delivers essential Essbase features including data drill-down/up/across, pivot, slice and dice and interactive on-line update to corporate users through forms-compatible Web browsers and Web servers.

The Essbase Web Gateway operates as a translation layer between the Web Server and Essbase. The gateway rapidly converts Essbase query results into standard HTML pages for live, interactive data delivery over the World Wide Web.

"The Essbase Web Gateway delivers the analytical power of Essbase to anyone with a Web browser." said Jim Dorrian, president and CEO of Arbor Software. "With the Essbase Web Gateway, corporations can quickly, easily and securely communicate critical business information to and from employees worldwide."

FIRST TO SUPPORT WEB-BASED OPERATIONAL OLAP

Decision support systems have traditionally been designed to help knowledge workers analyze historical data. Historical analysis is an important component of decision support, however analysts and line managers must also be able to revise plans and update forecasts based upon changing market conditions. An Operational OLAP solution integrates "what happened?", "what-if?" and "what next?" analysis and planning capabilities within a single, network-centric software system. The Essbase Web Gateway, in conjunction with Essbase, is the first OLAP system to deliver these capabilities to knowledge workers over the Internet or intranets.

ANALYTICAL POWER AND SCALABILITY

The Essbase Web Gateway supports powerful Essbase functions such as data drill-down/up/across, pivot, slice and dice and interactive update. These interactive data analysis features and the ability to deliver live multidimensional reports from Essbase, make it possible for corporations to deploy applications such as sales analysis, management reporting, enterprise information systems, budgeting, planning and forecasting over the World Wide Web.

The Essbase Web Gateway's multi-threaded architecture, combined with Essbase's "speed of thought" query performance, enable it to support very-large user communities. All queries are run directly against live Essbase data and still receive consistently rapid response.

RAPID APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT

The Essbase Web Gateway provides the corporate Webmaster with complete control over report presentation formats and data-access options from within a Web page. This control is provided through a library of nearly fifty custom Essbase HTML instructions, or "tags", that are fully documented and provided with the gateway product. Using the Essbase tags, the Webmaster can provide live access to data within Essbase through fixed reports, parameter-driven report templates and ad hoc data access grids. The EssbaseHTML tags enable Webmasters to create and deliver access to Essbase applications through Web pages in minutes. As few as four of the Essbase tags can be used to easily define and deliver a fully-functioning, interactive Web-based connection to Essbase.

OPEN ARCHITECTURE

Compatible with industry standard HTML 3.0, the Essbase Web Gateway works with forms-compatible Web browsers and Web servers over intranets or the Internet. Webmasters are able to use HTML-based Web authoring tools, Java or JavaScript in conjunction with the Essbase Web Gateway and Essbase tags to build robust OLAP applications.

SECURE OLAP APPLICATIONS

Web-based OLAP applications deployed using Essbase and the Essbase Web Gateway provide a high-level of data security. Using secure Web servers such as the Microsoft Internet Information Server or Netscape Commerce Server, data transfered between the Web browser and the Web server are fully encrypted. This data encryption combined with Essbase's cell-level data access controls, ensures a high level of data security both from a network and a user-access perspective.

"The Essbase Web Gateway is unique for the Web, let alone for OLAP," said Lindsay Gillies, director of retail EIS at Fidelity Investments. "I haven't seen anything else on the Web that delivers this degree of intuitive data navigation. With OLAP, delivering data is closely related to delivering data navigation that's the real power for users and the Essbase Web Gateway shows we can do both at a very low cost via an intranet, and using simple, standard HTML."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Essbase Web Gateway is priced at $10,000 per Essbase server supported. The Essbase Web Gateway will be released for beta testing in the second quarter of calendar year 1996.

ABOUT ESSBASE

Essbase is a multidimensional database optimized for business planning, analysis and management reporting applications such as profitability analysis, budgeting, forecasting, planning, financial consolidations, sales analysis and EIS. Based upon a true, client/server architecture, Essbase supports multi-user read and write access, large-scale data capacity, robust analytical calculations, flexible data navigation and consistent, speed of thought response times. The Essbase server's open architecture supports direct data access using standard spreadsheets or leading third-party query, reporting and EIS tools. Essbase scales from a single-user solution to an enterprise OLAP (on-line analytical processing) server within a data warehousing strategy. Essbase operates on servers running Windows NT, OS/2 and UNIX across all major networks connected to Windows, Macintosh and UNIX clients. Pricing starts at $37,500 for a five concurrent user license.

ABOUT ARBOR SOFTWARE

Arbor Software Corporation (Nasdaq:ARSW) develops and markets client/server software for business planning, analysis and management reporting. Arbor's products are used by more than 650 corporations spanning a broad range of industries and business applications including Bank of Boston, Emery Worldwide, Fidelity, Los Angeles Times, Neutrogena, Pennzoil, PEPSICO, Prudential and Sears. Arbor has over 100 application, services, tools and platform partners, including Comshare, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Microsoft. Arbor's products are sold direct, as well as through system integrators and VARs worldwide. Arbor's offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale, Washington D.C., London and Paris. More information on Arbor products and services can be found on Arbor's World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.arborsoft.com.

For Arbor Software product information, please call 1-800-858-1666.


Attachmate OpenMind Editor Choice Conf Sys
ATTACHMATE'S OPENMIND WINS NETWORK COMPUTING'S "EDITOR'S CHOICE" FOR ENTERPRISE-WIDE CONFERENCING SYSTEMS

BELLEVUE, WASH. - Attachmate - The Intranet Company - announced that Network Computing's selection of OpenMind from Attachmate Corporation won "Editor's Choice" over Netscape's Collabra Share and SoftArc's FirstClass for enterprise-wide conferencing systems. In a March 15, 1996 cover story focusing on "any place, any time groupware"-the products were evaluated on a weighted features scale measuring enterprise capability, performance, advanced group features, gateways, and customization.

"OpenMind enables us to communicate on a higher level, to get more work done more efficiently," said Michael Saunders, systems analyst in the Administrative Services Department of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. " The connectivity allows us to provide input into a document without waiting until all of us are sitting in the same room."

OpenMind from Attachmate allows companies to quickly set up an internal corporate Intranet by combining group conferencing, document management, electronic publishing, and workgroup enhanced Internet access. OpenMind gives businesses an extremely easy-to-use, deeply collaborative workspace enabling groups working together to exchange ideas, share files, blend internal data with external information, and manage the Intranet's resources in an organized, logical, and seamless manner. With complete Web and HTML integration, bi-directional NetNews group discussion capabilities, interactivity with corporate e-mail applications, and more than 150 document-viewers - this product is one of the most innovative solutions of its kind.

The evaluation awarded OpenMind a perfect score in the category "enterprise capability" the only perfect score in the entire comparison. According to Network Computing: "OpenMind is more advanced . . . as a large enterprise product, especially with its powerful multiserver replication and communications capabilities." "Moreover," the article continued, "OpenMind Clients know many proprietary file formats that let users with different desktop software share information without sharing applications." The publication also listed group editing, OLE command scripting, and server-resident hierarchical storage of forums as valuable features of OpenMind.

"Network Computing's selection of OpenMind as 'Editor's Choice' confirms Attachmate's commitment to providing enterprise-wide solutions for Intranet computing, by allowing corporate users to create a virtual 'instant Intranet' to access, share and manage information regardless of platform or location," said Matt Highsmith, vice president of corporate marketing for Attachmate. "OpenMind proved to be the most complete Intranet solution for large groups when compared against more publicized products such as Netscape's Collabra Share. OpenMind's multiplatform clients, strong enterprise-wide conferencing, security and document management features clearly set it apart from the other products."

Attachmate disclosed earlier this year that they will be soon delivering a 'webified' version of this award-winning product, which will dramatically extend the simplicity of collaborative features with Internet browsers. The full text of the article as well as additional product information and demonstrations can be found on Attachmate's home page @ www.attachmate.com.

Finally, on May 22, 1996 Attachmate and PC WEEK magazine will CO-sponsor MEETING OF THE MINDS. This live worldwide satellite telecast titled "Building Secure Intranets Bridging the Gap Between the Enterprise and the Internet," will present solutions by top industry luminaries from Attachmate, The Aberdeen Group, Microsoft, RSA, Verity, and Zona Research. MEETING OF THE MINDS will focus on the issues and technology of Intranets, the new corporate workspace where both information access and dissemination are limitless and where the enterprise and the Internet come together. For more information about MEETING OF THE MINDS, please call 1-800-933-6790.

ATTACHMATE - THE INTRANET COMPANY

Attachmate is a leading provider of high quality universal information access software and services that help organizations build secure Intranets. The company's object-oriented client, server, authoring tool, and management software safely link enterprise systems, Internet systems, and people. These solutions allow desktop and mobile users to transparently access, manage, and share any business information inside or outside the organization. The Company leverages its 14 years of corporate expertise in enterprise and Internet technologies by providing comprehensive and knowledgeable customer consulting and support services in more than 30 countries around the world to help organizations build high-performance and secure Intranet client/server systems. The sixth largest PC software company in the world, Attachmate employs over 2,000 people.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Wash. at (206) 644-4010 or toll free (800) 426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com.


AutoCAD Rel 13 for Windows NT on Alpha Sys
AUTODESK AND DIGITAL DELIVER OBJECT-ORIENTED TECHNOLOGY TO WINDOWS NT ON ALPHA SYSTEMS

DELIVERING SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY TO THE DESIGN INDUSTRY

San Rafael, California - April 16, 1996 -- Committed to providing PC users with the most advanced object-oriented technology, Autodesk and Digital Equipment Corporation today announced the immediate availability of a new version of AutoCAD Release 13 software for Windows NT on Alpha Systems. Now, nine* AutoCAD R13 platforms contain the same object-oriented application development environment, AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARX). ARX lets developers build fast, high-performance, easy-to-use applications for AutoCAD R13 customers. AutoCAD R13c4 for Windows NT on Alpha also includes new features, stability enhancements, and performance improvements.

"Autodesk continues to drive object-oriented design standard for the multi-billion dollar design industry," said Robert Carr, vice president of engineering at Autodesk. "Delivering ARX technology to Windows NT on Alpha means state-of-the-art technology for our rapidly growing population of NT customers."

CUSTOMER BENEFITS OF AUTOCAD R13 ON WINDOWS NT ON ALPHA

AutoCAD Release 13c4 for Windows NT on Alpha Systems offers scaleable AutoCAD R13 performance and leading-edge workstation performance for drawing regeneration, rendering, visualization and solid modeling, in the familiar Windows environment. Customer-benefits of AutoCAD Release 13c4 for Windows NT on Alpha, include true multitasking and multiple sessions, long file names, customizable toolbars, True-Type fonts, and several productivity enhancement features.

* AutoCAD R13 provides interoperability among nine platforms, including MS-Windows 95, MS-Windows NT, MS-Windows 3.1O, MS-DOS, Windows NT on Alpha Systems, and four UNIX platforms, including IBM RISC System/6000 running AIX, Sun UltraSPARC and SPARCstation on Solaris, Silicon Graphics, Inc. R4000, and R5000-based IRIX systems, and Hewlett-Packard 9000 Series 700 workstations using HP-UX.

NEW FEATURES OF AUTOCAD R13 FOR WINDOWS NT ON ALPHA

Some of the new features in AutoCAD R13c4 for Windows NT on Alpha include, SOLPROF/ SOLVIEW/SOLDRAW, ASILISP, ASE Drivers, Direct distance entry, Cue Cards, New text style dialog, ASILISP, Common Desktop Environment (CDE) with drag and drop, DSVIEWER, Graphical Install, Single-line MTEXT editor, Solid Profiling, Viewing, and Drawing Layout for AutoCAD R13 solids, and Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path names.

AutoCAD Release 13 software for Windows NT on Alpha is available on CD-ROM for a suggested retail price (SRP) of US$3,750. AutoCAD Release 13 software for personal computers, including MS-Windows 95, MS-Windows NT, MS-Windows 3.1, and MS-DOS, are all available on a multiplatform license for an SRP of US$3,750 on CD-ROM and US$3, 995 on diskettes. AutoCAD R13 for UNIX, including Sun, HP, SGI, and IBM, is each available on CD-ROM for a suggested retail price (SRP) of US$3,750 each.

Customers who are registered for AutoCAD R13 for Windows NT on Alpha will receive the latest version via regular mail at the end of April. U.S. Customers requesting information on AutoCAD R13 can call 1-800-964-6432. For more information on Autodesk or upgrades, please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or visit the World Wide Web site at http://www.autodesk.com

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 126 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.


Bay Networks System 5000 Hub Wins 2nd Award
Bay Networks System 5000 Earns Network Computing Magazine's 1996 Well-Connected Award For Second Year In A Row

Centillion 100 Token Ring Switch and OnSite Manager Products Also Win Top Honors

Only Internetworking Vendor to Receive Three Well-Connected Awards

BILLERICA, Mass., April 10, 1996 -- Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE: BAY) today announced that its System 5000 hub has received Network Computing's 1996 Well-Connected Award as best enterprise hub for the second consecutive year. The awards were announced at ceremonies held last week at the NetWorld+Interop 96 Las Vegas trade show. In addition, Bay Networks' Centillion 100 Token Ring switch was chosen as the best Token Ring switch; and the company's OnSite Manager software was recognized as the best RMON management platform. Bay Networks is the only internetworking vendor to earn three Well-Connected product awards from Network Computing.

"We are honored that Network Computing, respected for its technical depth, chose Bay Networks products as industry-leading, enterprise solutions in three different categories," said Andy Ludwick, Bay Networks' President and Chief Executive Officer. "These awards reinforce Bay Networks' leadership position in enterprise internetworking, while emphasizing the strategic role our products play in today's demanding networked environments."

For the second consecutive year, Network Computing chose Bay Networks' System 5000 switching hub as the best enterprise hub. In reviewing the enterprise hub selections, Network Computing stated, "Continued improvements to its top-of-the-line System 5000 switching hub have landed Bay Networks in the proverbial catbird seat as winner for the second year running. This year has seen the addition of ATM to the switching hub, and it continues to be a great system for one-stop connectivity." Additionally, Bay Networks' System 5000AH received a Well-Connected honorable mention in the best enterprise ATM switch category.

Demonstrating its leadership position in the internetworking market, Bay Networks has shipped twenty-five million nodes, or network connections, through its hubs, and two million ports through the System 5000.

Token Ring and RMON Management Awards

In selecting Bay Networks' Centillion 100 Token Ring Switch as the best Token Ring switch, Network Computing reported, "The Centillion 100 Token Ring Switch is a flexible box that does ATM, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Token Ring switching. Add solid performance to that flexibility and you come up with a Well-Connected Token Ring switch."

Bay Networks' Centillion 100 holds a leadership position in the worldwide Token Ring switching market. According to a recent study conducted by market research firm Dataquest, Inc., Bay Networks' Centillion 100 Token Ring switch captured 55 percent worldwide market share for port shipments in the second half of 1995.

Recognizing Bay Networks' OnSite Manager software as the best RMON management platform, Network Computing added, "Whether you are surveying the network from 30,000 feet or capturing a session between network nodes, you are never more than a couple of mouse clicks away. No matter the view needed, OnSite (Manager) gets the perspective." Through its recent acquisition of Armon Networking Limited, Bay Networks has added the OnSite product line to its family of internetworking and management products. OnSite includes single and multi-segment RISC-based probes for Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI networks, and graphical management platforms that integrate with SunNet Manager, HP Openview and IBM NetView/6000. All products are based on the SNMP and RMON Remote Monitoring standards.

In addition, other Bay Networks products earned Well-Connected honorable mentions. These products include: the Backbone Node (BN") router family in the best enterprise router category, the Broadband Network Access Switch in the best WAN product category, the Centillion 100 in the best workgroup ATM switch category, and the Xylogics Remote Annex 4000 in the best access system category.

The winners of the Second Annual Well-Connected Awards were recognized for excellence in technology design and innovation, providing cost-effective, scalable and completely integrated solutions for enterprise networks. Network Computing's team of technology experts, including editors and regular contributors, reviewed and tested products in 45 different categories ranging from messaging, remote access and operating systems to network management, switches, hubs and routers. The Well-Connected awards are featured in the April issue of Network Computing.

Network Computing, the premier publication driving the Networked Enterprise, serves 185,500* Network Technology Drivers twice monthly. The publication was ranked as the best read networking publication of the second consecutive year by both Simmons and IntelliQuest.** As the technical authority, Network Computing delivers lab-based, real-world solutions aimed at solving networking software and hardware integration challenges within and across corporate networks in print and online. (http://techweb.cmp.com/nwc).

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.

All Bay Networks press releases are available on Bay Networks' web site at http://www.baynetworks.com. Bay Networks' web site also provides information on the company's products and services, news and events, partner programs, and corporate contacts.


Paradox 7 for Windows/WFWG Product of Year
BORLAND ANNOUNCES PARADOX 7 FOR WINDOWS 3.1 & WINDOWS FOR WORKGROUPS

DESKTOP DATABASE "PRODUCT OF THE YEAR" BRINGS UNMATCHED EASE-OF-USE TO 16-BIT WINDOWS

DB/EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO -- April 16, 1996 -- Borland International Inc. today announced a new 16-bit version of Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups. The new database is designed to help organizations manage their migration to 32-bit Windows platforms by providing a natural compatibility with Borland's award-winning Paradox 7 for Windows 95 & Windows NT, which shipped in December. Today's announcement was made at a special meeting of BAPALS and other Northern California Paradox user groups in conjunction with the DB/Expo tradeshow being held here this week.

"Unlike our competition, we have not forgotten about 16-bit Windows users. We know that organizations of all sizes are going to be using a mixture of Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT for the foreseeable future," said Richard Gorman, vice president of marketing for Borland's desktop and LAN products group. "This new Paradox 7 gives these users easy database management and the ability to share data and applications with others -- whichever Windows platform they use."

"It is obvious that Borland has taken great care to provide a safe and easy migration path for its Paradox customers," said Greg Salcedo, president of Para/matrix, a nationwide database consulting firm based in Seattle. "The Paradox 7 cross-platform solution allows both our small and Fortune 500 clients to be able to plan for costly hardware and software upgrades -- without having to sacrifice the latest in database power and ease-of-use. Paradox 7 is the ideal choice for developing multi-user database applications across 16-and 32-bit Windows."

ABOUT PARADOX 7 FOR WINDOWS 3.1 & WINDOWS FOR WORKGROUPS

Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 & Windows for Workgroups shares much more than compatibility with its 32-bit namesake. The new Paradox offers the similar levels of ease-of-use, speed, and office suite integration that earned Paradox 7 for Windows 95 & Windows NT InfoWorld magazine's "Departmental Database Product of the Year" award and a "Stellar Innovation" award from Windows Sources magazine.

PARADOX 7: THE EASIEST TO USE DATABASE -- FOR WINDOWS 3.1 OR WINDOWS 95

With both Paradox 7 versions, common database tasks have been streamlined -- so every user will be more productive immediately. From creating tables and ready-to-use, customized applications, to performing mail merges and making mailing labels, Paradox 7 has been enhanced with many new Experts for greater ease of use.

EXPERTS FOR END USERS

Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 & Windows for Workgroups includes all of the end-user Experts that were introduced in the Windows 95 version to help automate the most-common database tasks. With Paradox 7, it's easier to save these Experts' work for repetitive jobs, such as a report that is run every week. The new scrollable Expert control panel gives users easy access to the database's end-user Experts:

* START-UP EXPERT -- provides first-time users with a way to get started quickly and easily with Paradox 7, even if they have no previous database experience.

* DATABASE EXPERT -- allows novice users to create ready-to-use database applications, complete with tables, forms, and reports.

* TABLE EXPERT -- gives users guidance in creating common database table structures and field definitions.

* MAIL MERGE EXPERT -- integrates with both Corel WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, as well as the Paradox Report writer.

* GRAPH (OR CHART) EXPERT -- provides users with a step-by-step process for creating graphical views of their data.

* TEXT IMPORT EXPERT -- fixed-length or delimited ASCII data can be imported into database tables simply by answering this Expert's questions.

* IMPROVED FORM, REPORT, AND MAILING LABEL EXPERTS -- these Experts have been enhanced to be even easier and more powerful.

EXPERTS FOR BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN END USER, POWER USER, AND DEVELOPER

Ease-of-use for database development is also a major focus of both versions of Paradox 7. Borland has added many productivity enhancements that allow developers to quickly deliver the most advanced Windows 95 database applications. These features are also designed to make it easier for less sophisticated users to learn Paradox programming.

* THE BUTTON EXPERT -- generates buttons on forms that can perform common database tasks, such as printing reports, inserting records, or opening a form -- all without coding.

* THE TEXT EXPERT -- adds text to forms, including special effects like auto-centering, flashing, shadowing, and rotating marquee effects. Just like the Button Expert, all of this is done without coding -- just point-and-click.

* THE FIELD EXPERT -- helps define and generate special field types on a form, such as drop-down lists, edit boxes, check boxes and radio buttons.

* THE (APPLICATION) LAUNCHER EXPERT -- packages selected tables, forms, reports and queries into a tabbed visual interface that allows users to easily navigate through an application.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The new Paradox 7 requires a 386-based (or higher) personal computer running Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups (3.11), with 6 megabytes of RAM, and a hard disk with 25 megabytes of free space for full install. Borland recommends 8 megabytes or more of RAM for best performance.

PARADOX 7 PRICING & AVAILABILITY

Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 & Windows for Workgroups is scheduled to be available May 1 from Borland and through major distribution channels soon after that. The estimated street price (ESP) for a new-user version is $349.95. Owners of previous versions of Paradox can upgrade to Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 & Windows for Workgroups for an ESP of $119.95 (including manufacturer's rebate.) A special upgrade offer is also available for owners of competitive database products and application suites at an ESP of $129.95. Runtime and Client/Server versions of Paradox 7 for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups will be available later this Spring.

For more information or to place orders, customers can call Borland at 800-233-2444, or contact their local reseller. All estimated prices are in U.S. dollars and apply only in the United States and Canada. Dealer prices may vary.

BORLAND: MAKING DEVELOPMENT EASIER

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Paradox, Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.


CA/Spyglass Embed Web Server in Database Swr
CA and Spyglass Announce Unprecedented Alliance to Embed Web Server Technology into Database Software

CA To Integrate Spyglass Web Server Technology Into CA-OpenIngres/ICE

ISLANDIA, N.Y., April 16, 1996--Accelerating the deployment of electronic commerce applications, Computer Associates International, Inc. and Spyglass, Inc. today announced an unprecedented global agreement to embed Spyglass Web server technology in every copy of CA-OpenIngres/ICE.

The solution brings together CA-OpenIngres/ICE's mission-critical reliability and integrity with Spyglass' high performance Web server technology, jump starting the Internet for real-time enterprise-wide information access.

CA will embed--at no additional charge--Spyglass Web server technology in each copy of CA-OpenIngres/ICE, the HTML (hypertext mark-up language)-enabled relational database solution optimized and extended for Internet and Intranet use.

"Delivering a tightly-integrated database solution with Web server technology provides a seamless Internet and Intranet information repository," said Yogesh Gupta, senior vice president of product strategy for CA. "As our database clients continue to open their enterprises to Internet computing, an HTTP engine becomes as critical to information delivery as the database itself."

"CA has a long history of delivering world-class database solutions," said Douglas Colbeth, president and CEO of Spyglass. "Embedding our premium Web server technology into every copy of CA-OpenIngres/ICE makes Ingres an optimal solution for deploying Internet and Intranet business on the Web."

Scaleable and self-managing, CA-OpenIngres/ICE is ideally suited to World-Wide Web usage where user demand and system needs are difficult to predict. With its powerful array of information delivery tools for Web applications, CA-OpenIngres/ICE allows enterprise data to be accessed anywhere, anytime. Web queries can be directed against multiple disparate data sources without changing the Web application or requiring the data to be physically stored within CA-OpenIngres/ICE.

CA-OpenIngres/ICE's industry-leading replication facility provides additional capabilities for Web servers. These include consolidation and dissemination of corporate data, along with fault tolerance created through multiple asynchronous servers.

Spyglass provides Web server components, including a high performance, adaptable HTTP server engine, that offer the best overall Web performance while reducing network and server overload. The Spyglass Server Web Technology Kit is a bullet-proof, high performance tool suitable to applications ranging from high-traffic commercial sites to personal Web servers.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), with headquarters in Islandia, N.Y., is the world leader in mission-critical business software. The company develops, licenses and supports more than 500 integrated products that include systems and database management, application development, manufacturing and financial applications. CA has 9,000 people in 130 offices in 36 countries and had revenue of $3.2 billion in calendar year 1995. CA can be reached by visiting http://www.cai.com on the World Wide Web or emailing info@cai.com.

Spyglass, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPYG) licenses World Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 60 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 150 Internet-based products and services. Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill. and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown, N.J. and San Ramon, Calif.


Cognos PowerPlay & Informix MetaCube Unite
COGNOS AND INFORMIX ARE FIRST TO LINK FRONT END OLAP, BACK END ROLAP SYSTEMS FOR DATA WAREHOUSING ANALYSIS

POWERPLAY PROVIDES FIRST OLAP CLIENT ACCESS TO METACUBE

INFORMIX BECOMES CHARTER MEMBER OF COGNOS INSIGHT PARTNER PROGRAM

BURLINGTON, MASS., APRIL 16, 1996 -- Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF; TSE:CSN) and Informix Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:IFMX) today announced an agreement to integrate Cognos PowerPlay, with Informix MetaCube. PowerPlay is Cognos' industry-leading Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) desktop-based client and MetaCube is Informix server-based Relational OLAP (ROLAP) engine for data warehousing applications. The integration will provide the first complete, client/server solution for analysis of data residing in data warehouses. This agreement furthers Cognos position as the leading provider of front-end tools for OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) data sources, and establishes MetaCube as the ROLAP engine of choice in the server space. Additionally, Informix has announced its participation in Cognos Business Intelligence Insight Partner Program.

Cognos PowerPlay client software delivers multidimensional OLAP analysis to users' desktops, from sources such as relational databases, other OLAP servers and spreadsheets. PowerPlay's ability to function independently of a proprietary OLAP server has made it the most widely deployed OLAP client in the marketplace. The PowerPlay/MetaCube combination will allow users to choose the optimum platform for analytical processing: PowerPlay on the PC for fast, intuitive interaction with moderate amounts of data; or the MetaCube engine for accessing and analyzing larger, more complex scalable data warehouses.

MetaCube is a sophisticated relational OLAP engine that provides high performance access to a data warehouse. MetaCube leverages a customer's investment in an Informix RDBMS, eliminating the need for a proprietary multidimensional database. MetaCube also opens its data warehouse engine to all development environments, such as PowerPlay, though industry-standard OLE, and all query tools through a special ODBC driver, providing flexibility, openness and integration for customers.

"As Informix recognized with its acquisition of the MetaCube technology last year, the business intelligence marketplace demands OLAP and data warehousing solutions that keep enterprises competitive and profitable," said Alan Rottenberg, senior vice president, Cognos Business Intelligence products. "Our integration with Informix strengthens PowerPlay's position as the de facto universal OLAP client with the broadest range of support."

"Cognos' commitment to open OLAP architectures provides Informix customers with the flexibility they require to fully utilize data warehouses," said Steve Sommer, vice president, marketing, Informix. "The PowerPlay/MetaCube combination will deliver a data warehouse and OLAP solution that leads the marketplace in ease of deployment and use, low cost and scalability."

As part of Cognos' and Informix' ongoing partnership, Informix has joined Cognos' Insight Partner Program as a Charter member.

"Informix has always been committed to working through partnerships in order to provide customers with the most complete and open solution," said Marianne Elkholy, director of data warehouse marketing, Informix. "It is important for Informix to be a part of the Insight Partner Program so that Informix and Cognos can provide fully optimized products to our data warehousing customers."

INFORMIX

Informix Software is the leading supplier of high performance, parallel processing database technology for open systems. Informix products also include application development tools for creating client/server production applications, decision support systems, and ad-hoc query interfaces, and connectivity software that allows information to be shared transparently from PCs to mainframes within the corporate computing environment. Informix's corporate headquarters is based in Menlo Park, California. More information about Informix is available via the World Wide Web; http://www.informix.com/. Informix is a registered trademark and MetaCube is a trademark of Informix Software Inc.

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos Business Intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


Cognos Business Intelligence Partner Pgm
COGNOS FORMS INDUSTRY'S FIRST BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE PARTNER PROGRAM

INSIGHT PARTNER PROGRAM GAINS RAPID ACCEPTANCE, OVER 20 PARTNERS JOIN IMMEDIATELY INCLUDING IBM, DIGITAL EQUIPMENT, HP, ORACLE, INFORMIX, SYBASE

BURLINGTON, MASS., APRIL 16, 1996 -- Cognos today introduced the Business Intelligence Insight Partner Program, the industry's first program specifically designed to address the needs of customers planning to implement strategic, enterprise-wide decision support systems. In recognition of the fact that such systems today are almost invariably provided by several vendors, with widely differing product architectures and support structures, Insight members and Cognos are committed to sharing strategic product directions for the purposes of product planning, release synchronization, product compatibility and cooperative customer support. Over 20 vendors joined the Insight Partner Program immediately as Charter members.

As defined by the Gartner Group, "business intelligence" systems have competitive advantage as their primary goal. This is achieved by putting a full set of software tools directly into the hands of every knowledge worker and manager in an organization, and by putting all relevant data resources within reach of these "self-service" tools. Decision-making within the business is thus much faster and far more accurate.

"The reality of today's market is that increased competition, globalization, and shrinking markets have created a tremendous demand for companies to better understand their business. To do so, they must make their entire business 'intelligent,' turning their data into information, and information into insight," said Jean-Pierre Jauvin, director, Business Development and Strategic Alliances. "Data warehousing alone is a critical element of this, of course. But it's only part of the answer."

"To truly reach every knowledge worker in a large organization, customers are beginning to realize that they also must include in their planning such areas as, data warehousing, enterprise application software, on-line analytical processing (OLAP), Connectivity, and the World Wide Web. And this necessarily means a multi-vendor solution. It's only through an organization like the Business Intelligence Insight Partner Program that customers can feel confident that they are receiving the best and most competitive solution for their business," Jauvin concluded.

"The Cognos Insight Program presents Digital and our customers with a real opportunity to deliver swift and open business intelligence solutions," said Marion Dancy, director, Digital Equipment Software Technologies/Industry Applications, Software Partner Group. "We look forward to working even more closely with Cognos."

"Hewlett-Packard joined the Insight Partner Program because our clients require an integrated approach such as this to remain competitive," said Jon Kragness, alliance manager, HP OpenWarehouse Program. "Together with Cognos, we can continue to provide users with data warehouse systems that capitalize on increasingly valuable corporate information."

"We are pleased to reciprocate Cognos' participation in our Cooperative Applications Initiative with membership in Cognos' Insight Partner Program. This solidifies an already productive relationship that many customers benefit from today," said Marc Hebert, vice president, Oracle Design & Migration Services.

"The Cognos Business Intelligence Insight Partner Program addresses the same trends in data warehousing and data mining that prompted us to develop Sybase IQ," said Josh Bersin, group director of Sybase Data Warehouse Solutions. "The result of our participation will be an even finer integration of our tools, which will provide our customers with a faster time to result."

The Business Intelligence Insight Partner program is designed to address three major areas:

* product direction through advance product briefing and shared

  beta products;

* cooperative support and problem-solving for mutual customers; and

* Business Intelligence market education, including joint messaging,

  trade shows, and user conference appearances.

The Cognos Business Intelligence Insight Partner Program is open to all leading vendors. The program will address such themes as data warehousing, OLAP, Enterprise Application Software, Connectivity, and the WWW. Cognos has initiated the process behind the sharing of technology by providing each Charter member with copies of its market-leading PowerPlay and Impromptu tools for multidimensional analysis and database reporting for compatibility testing and support training. In addition, Cognos is making booth space available for its Charter members at selected industry trade shows and at Cognos World, a new exciting showcase of partner technology being held at Cognoss North American User Conference (San Diego, November 11-13).

The Charter members of the Insight Partner program include: Arbor Software, AT&T, Btrieve Technologies, Bull HN Information Systems, Carleton , Cray Research, DataGeneral, Dharma Systems, Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Informix Software, Intersolv, NCR, Oracle, Prism Solutions, Pyramid Technology, Red Brick Systems, Sequent Computer Systems, Sybase, and Tandem. (EDITOR'S NOTE: See related press releases available on PR Newswire.)

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos business intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets, and supports - both directly and through resellers worldwide - client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computer platforms. Cognos is a publicly-held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


New Netscape Client Swr for Retail Channel
NETSCAPE ANNOUNCES NEW CLIENT SOFTWARE FOR THE RETAIL CHANNEL

NEW PRODUCTS INCLUDE NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR GOLD PERSONAL EDITION AND NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR PERSONAL EDITION FOR MACINTOSH USERS

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 10, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced the expansion of its retail software product line with the unveiling of Netscape Navigator Gold Personal Edition for Windows, Netscape Navigator Personal Edition 2.0 for Windows and Macintosh, and Netscape Power Pack 2.0 for Windows. The announcements were made at RetailVision '96, a software industry trade show. These new products bring an additional level of interactivity to users who are interested in accessing, sharing or publishing information on the Internet from their homes or small businesses.

"We are excited to offer home and small business customers the same capabilities available to our corporate customers when they use Netscape products to navigate and communicate on the Internet and intranets," said Mike Homer, senior vice president of marketing at Netscape. "With these new products, our customers now can easily obtain Internet access, create and publish their own Web pages and use exciting audio, video and 3-D technology on the Internet."

NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR GOLD PERSONAL EDITION

Netscape Navigator Gold Personal Edition is an enhanced version of Netscape Navigator 2.0. The product combines all of the features of Netscape Navigator with easy-to-use WYSIWYG editing and Web publishing capabilities, giving home and small business users the ability to create, edit and publish their own Web pages. Netscape Navigator Gold Personal Edition includes a Page Starter Site, providing users with tools and templates to develop Web pages. In addition, Netscape Navigator Gold Personal Edition allows users to automatically create an Internet access account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and supports "one-button publishing," a feature that enables users to post text, links and images used to create Web pages with an ISP that supports Web publishing.

NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR PERSONAL EDITION 2.0

Netscape Navigator Personal Edition 2.0 is the newest version of Netscape's popular client software for the Internet. Personal Edition 2.0 provides users with the tools they need to easily connect to the Internet over a modem including connection software and wizards that allow users to automatically create an account with any of five leading Internet Service Providers including NETCOM, Concentric Network, PSINet, Portal and internetMCI. Users can also configure Personal Edition 2.0 for an existing Internet account.

"Netscape Navigator Personal Edition for Windows has been the number- one selling communications software product at retail for eight consecutive months," said Dave Rothschild, director of client applications at Netscape. "We are now bringing this successful product to our Macintosh customers so they can quickly and easily access the Internet."

Netscape Navigator Personal Edition 2.0 features email, newsgroups, FTP, and gopher as well as support for audio, video, animation and Java, enabling users to add plug-ins and other utilities to view advanced and dynamic pages on the Internet.

NETSCAPE POWER PACK 2.0

Netscape Power Pack 2.0 for Windows is a suite of companion applications designed for Internet power users who want to extend the capabilities of Netscape Navigator. Netscape Power Pack 2.0 contains four powerful Internet applications including:

* Netscape SmartMarks 2.0, which automatically manages and tracks users' favorite Internet sites and downloads documents with new information so users can browse them from their computers - even when they are not connected.

* Netscape Chat 2.0, which supports real-time communications and allows Netscape Navigator users to send, view, and share universal resource locators (URLs) with other chat users.

* Norton AntiVirus Internet Scanner, offering users Internet virus protection by scanning files that are downloaded from the Internet or received as Internet email attachments.

* INSO CyberSpell for Netscape Mail, based on the same spell-checking technology that is installed in more than 80 percent of the PC desktops in the world. Users can spell and proof email, take advantage of dictionaries and have the same confidence in the spelling of their Internet email communications that they have come to expect from their word processor.

In addition, Netscape Power Pack 2.0 contains 15 Netscape Navigator plug-ins that allow Internet users to listen to audio as well as view advanced Internet content including animation, graphics, video and 3-D worlds all within Netscape Navigator. Netscape Power Pack 2.0 plug-ins include:

 ASAP WebShow by Software Publishing Corporation

 Astound Web Player by Gold Disk

 CarbonCopy/Net by Microcom

 EarthTime/Lite by Starfish Software

 Envoy by Tumbleweed Software

 FIGLeaf Inline Lite by Carberry Technology

 FormulaOne/NET by Visual Components

 Lightning Strike by InfinitOp

 Netscape Live3D by Netscape Communications Corp.

 RealAudio by Progressive Networks

 Shockwave for Director by Macromedia

 VDOLive by VDOnet

 VRScout by Chaco Communications

 WIRL 3D Browser by VREAM

 Microsoft Word Viewer by Inso Corporation

PRICING AND AVAILABILTY

Netscape Navigator Gold Personal Edition for Windows will be available at retail stores during the third quarter of this year and has an estimated street price of $79.95. Netscape Navigator Personal Edition 2.0 for Windows is currently available through major computer retail outlets, including Best Buy, CompUSA, Computer City, Egghead Software, Media Play, Software Etc., Staples and others; Netscape intends to release the Macintosh version during the third quarter of this year. The estimated street price of both versions of Netscape Navigator Personal Edition is $49.95, which includes a 90-day limited warranty and customer support. Previous users of Netscape Navigator Personal Edition are eligible for a $10 rebate when they purchase Personal Edition 2.0. Netscape Power Pack 2.0 for Windows will be available this month and has an estimated street price of $39.95. Resellers can order the products directly from Ventana or through Ingram Micro under the Ventana name.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).

Corporate Sales: 415/937-2555

Personal Sales: 415/937-3777

Federal Sales: 415/937-3678


Commander FDC/Budget - Financial Data Mart
COMSHARE RELEASES NEW "FINANCIAL DATA MART FOR DECISION SUPPORT"

DYNAMIC NEW VIEWING AND FINANCIAL MODELING CAPABILITIES

ANN ARBOR, MI, APRIL 10, 1996 -- Comshare, Inc., (NASDAQ: CSRE) The Decision Support Company today announced the immediate availability of a dynamic new version of Commander FDC/Budget, the financial consolidation, reporting and budgeting application software used for financial reporting and analysis by more than 650 medium-to-large organizations world-wide.

New features enhance the ability of Commander FDC/Budget to provide one central financial data mart of information for reporting, analysis and planning -- in short, enabling it to become an organization's single source for financial decision support.

Among its many enhancements, the new version of Commander FDC/Budget adds three major new multidimensional (OLAP) functions:

1. Viewing and financial modeling facilities to allow scenario testing, "What-ifs?" and Goal-seeking.

2. DSS and EIS analysis through Comshare's Commander Decision Desktop software.

3. Complex Group or 'Latin' accounting: providing facilities for companies in accounting areas where group accounting rules allow sophisticated group ownership calculations.

Other new features include:

 Full support, including data entry, for Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel

 Consolidation site and reporting site spreadsheet interfaces for

 Excel/Lotus 1-2-3

 Enhanced adjustments

 Notes on Journals

 Immediate posting of journal entries

 Balanced set journal entry validation

 Account detail data entry

 Enhanced exchange rate data entry

 Complex group consolidations

"Many Comshare customers have been using Commander FDC/Budget for consolidation and reporting for nearly six years now," said Steve Tonissen, senior vice president, marketing, Comshare. "The new features allow them to reap maximum benefit from their financial information database for all their financial reporting and decision support needs. With the new Commander FDC/Budget, Comshare customers can operate all the functions of consolidation, currency-conversion, reporting, analysis, modeling, EIS and Detect and Alert on a single database."

The new Commander FDC/Budget can access data from existing financial sources including General Ledgers, etc. It also contains "Metadata" -- data about data (schedules, line-item financial relationships, currency rates etc.) The addition of a powerful new data entry module further enhances its capabilities.

The new Commander FDC/Budget also incorporates Comshare's innovative Detect and Alert software. It allows a user to establish personalized monitors based on custom performance criteria. Software agents - - called "robots" -- inform the user when conditions occur that meet the pre-specified criteria. This allows an executive's time and effort to be directed at ANALYZING problems, rather than searching for them.

Comshare is The Decision Support Company. One of the top 50 software companies in the world, Comshare develops, markets and supports complete decision support applications designed to improve business analysis, planning, reporting and decision making. Comshare decision support applications result in better decisions, improved profits, and enhanced competitiveness for its more than 3,000 customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

For more information about Comshare products and services, call 1-800-922-7979 or see our home page on the world wide web at http://www.comshare.com


Compuware EcoTOOLS Support for Windows NT
Compuware Announces EcoTOOLS Support for Microsoft Windows NT

Compuware Sets the Standard for Powerful Networked Application Management of Microsoft Windows NT and SQL Server

DB/EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO -- APRIL 16, 1996 -- Compuware Corp. (NASDAQ: CPWR) today announced the extension of EcoTOOLS, an industry-leading application management solution, to the Microsoft Windows NT and SQL Server environment. With EcoTOOLS for Windows NT, customers can diagnose, prevent and correct application performance problems or failures to optimize system availability and performance.

"We are very pleased that Compuware is adding Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft SQL Server support to their management products," said Roger Doherty, SQL Server Technical Evangelist with Microsoft Developer Relations Group. "This allows Window NT and SQL Server to be centrally managed from Compuware's performance management products."

"Our customers have made NT and SQL Server a key part of their enterprise application deployment strategy," said Buff Jones, vice president of systems management products for Compuware. "In response, we've added full support for the Microsoft platforms to our proven UNIX RDBMS environment."

Using EcoTOOLS, NT administrators can now monitor their applications, Microsoft SQL Servers, operating systems and networks for fault and performance problems. EcoTOOLS uses a proactive event-action mechanism to dispatch autonomous software agents that gather enterprise-wide information, alert systems administrators to potential problems, and automatically launch proactive corrective actions. For example, if the Microsoft SQL server has just completed a master database update, EcoTOOLS can initiate a backup. Or, if EcoTOOLS has detected that a Microsoft SQL Server process is no longer running, it will automatically restart the server and immediately notify the systems administrator through a variety of methods.

Advanced Event Management and Performance Analysis for NT with the announcement of EcoTOOLS for NT, Compuware now provides the most in-depth monitoring and management capabilities available today. EcoTOOLS monitors important Microsoft Windows NT statistics like system and network performance and provides information on system faults, system resource usage, log files and security.

ADVANCED EVENT MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING FOR MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT PROVIDES:

* Excessive CPU use detection and identification of top CPU resources

* Network traffic and packet activity monitoring

* Excessive paging and swapping detection and identification of top

  memory consumers

* Automated discovery of systems and database health

* Notification and resolution of unauthorized attempts to access

  resources

* System and database configuration reporting

Unparalleled Support for Microsoft SQL Server Databases

EcoTOOLS for NT supports the latest versions of Microsoft SQL Server. From a UNIX management station, users will be able to monitor and manage their database performance and security and provide corrective actions with or without system administrator intervention. EcoTOOLS support for SQL Server ensures that database administrators keep applications performing at peak levels.

KEY FEATURES OF ECOTOOLS FOR SQL SERVER INCLUDE:

* Database activity monitoring to locate inefficient and resources

  intensive SQL statements

* Server management by adding and dropping SMP SQL server engines

* Global statistic monitoring and detection of resource limits

* Disk allocation tuning, mirror device detection and option to

  restart

* Database attribute viewing, error log full detection and backup

  initiation

Automated Event Management with EcoTOOLS

Compuware's application management solution offers Microsoft customers extensive monitoring and management across heterogeneous databases, networks and operating systems. EcoTOOLS systems and applications management solution enables database administrators to monitor their applications, NT and UNIX operating systems, networks and transaction monitors for fault and performance problems.

Compuware's End-to-End Application Management Solution

Microsoft has become an important enabler of business critical applications, particularly through its Windows NT server, SQL Server, System Management Server and Network OLE. Compuware plans to support these enterprise solutions through its networked applications management products; EcoTOOLS, EcoNET and Fault-XPERT.

Compuware's applications management solution offers Microsoft customers extensive monitoring and management across heterogeneous databases, networks and operating systems. EcoTOOLS systems and applications management solution enables database administrators to monitor their applications, NT and UNIX operating systems, networks and transaction monitors for fault and performance problems.

SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION MANAGEMENT SOLUTION - EcoTOOLS discovers applications across the enterprise, automating management and improving performance. EcoTOOLS' unique real-time process monitor, EcoPMON, for SYBASE, ORACLE, INFORMIX and SQL Server, enables administrators to drill-down and pinpoint bottlenecks by viewing the resource usage of active SQL statements for quick resolution.

NETWORKED APPLICATION MANAGEMENT - EcoNET discovers, measures and tracks applications across the network. EcoNET bridges the gap between today's network and systems management products by identifying client/server application conversations end-to-end across enterprise networks.

FAULT DIAGNOSIS FOR CLIENT/SERVER - Fault-XPERT addresses networked applications management at the client level. Fault-XPERT is the first tool to automatically detect application failures and capture detailed information about the problem to speed trouble-shooting and bring the application back to health.

Compuware's End-to-End Application Management Solution provides enterprise- wide application coverage with a primary focus on the fastest growing, hard-to-manage environments, including: UNIX and NT servers; Windows, OS/2, and UNIX clients, IP, and IPX with extensions to legacy environments; VMS and MVS servers; and SNA and DEC*NET networks.

Pricing and Availability

Beta availability is scheduled for this summer. EcoTOOLS pricing begins at $23,000 and is based on system configuration.

Compuware Corporation

Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ:CPWR) is a leading worldwide provider of software products and professional services that help information technology professionals efficiently develop, implement and support the applications that run their businesses. Founded in 1973, Compuware today ranks as one of the 15 largest independent software vendors in the world. The company's products have been licensed by more than 8,800 organizations worldwide. Revenues for fiscal 1995 totaled $534 million. For information about Compuware Corporation, please contact Compuware's headquarters at 810-737-7300. Compuware can also be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.compuware.com.


Compuware Extends Power of Oracle Ent. Mgr
Compuware Teams with Oracle to Extend the Power of Oracle Enterprise Manager

Tight, Comprehensive Integration Between Application Management Products and Oracle Enterprise Management Broadens Solutions for Oracle Customers

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS -- APRIL 15, 1996 -- Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) today announced the extensive integration of its applications management products with Oracle Enterprise Manager, Oracle Corporation's newly announced systems management solution that provides a comprehensive framework for integrated management of the Oracle environment. Compuware's suite of applications management products include: EcoTOOLS, applications and system management for distributed production environments; EcoNET, networked applications management; and EcoDBA, for automated administration of Oracle databases.

"Compuware delivers one of the more extensive levels of integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager available to date," said Alan Tottle, vice president of Network and Management Products for Oracle Corporation. "Not only does Compuware's solution set supply in-depth performance monitoring and management of Oracle databases, but it also expands the offering to include networked applications performance, database administration capabilities and heterogeneous operating system monitoring. Integrating Compuware's industry-leading applications management products with Oracle Enterprise Manager brings customers, who are challenged by increasingly complex environments, a wide spectrum of functionality yielding comprehensive solutions."

"Teaming with Oracle to bring real-time, bi-directional integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager opens the door for customers looking for flexibility in their management environment," said Alan Bird, Director of Business Alliances for Compuware's EcoTOOLS product line.

"As an Oracle Business Alliance Partner and member of the Systems Management Technology Initiative (SMTI), Compuware is committed to providing a complete end-to-end management/monitoring solution. The shared technology and expertise between Compuware and Oracle results in a solid, integrated suite of management facilities."

Comprehensive Integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager

Oracle Enterprise Manager, Oracle's recently announced systems management platform, provides a comprehensive framework for integrated management of the Oracle environment. Bi-directional, agent-to-agent integration is achieved between EcoTOOLS and Oracle Enterprise Manager using integration points that are based on a published application programming interface, as well as open industry standards like the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

This bi-directional communication provides EcoTOOLS and Oracle Enterprise Manager with visibility to all events regardless of their origin.

COMPUWARE'S ALLIANCE WITH ORACLE OFFERS CUSTOMERS:

* Bi-directional, agent-level communication

* Choice of management consoles - EcoTOOLS or Oracle Enterprise

  Manager

* Monitoring/managing networked application performance, heterogeneous

  database and operating systems

* Strategic technology and business partnership with Oracle

* Shared technology expertise between vendors

Compuware's Comprehensive Solution for Oracle Customers

SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION MANAGEMENT SOLUTION -- EcoTOOLS enables Oracle administrators to monitor their applications, UNIX operating systems and networks for fault and performance problems. EcoTOOLS dispatches autonomous software "agents" to gather enterprise-wide performance and configuration information, alert system administrators to potential problems and then automatically launch proactive corrective actions.

DETAILED PROCESS MONITORING FOR ORACLE -- EcoPMON enables Oracle administrators to drill-down and pinpoint bottlenecks by viewing the UNIX resource usage running SQL statements for quick resolution; this assistance is unavailable in any other product.

ORACLE RESOURCE ACCOUNTING -- EcoTOOLS provides integrated UNIX and resource accounting with EcoCHARGEBACK, allowing users to account for system and database resources by application, track inefficient resource users and help determine future system requirements.

NETWORKED APPLICATIONS MANAGEMENT -- EcoNET provides a comprehensive solution for networked applications performance management. EcoNET bridges the gap between today's networked and systems management products by discovering, monitoring, and tracking client/server applications conversations end-to-end across enterprise networks.

AUTOMATED DATA ADMINISTRATION -- EcoDBA comprises four components that automate change management and migration, analyze and manage Oracle objects, accelerate the reorganization of Oracle databases and provide complete security management of distributed Oracle databases from a single-point of control.

Pricing and Availability

Integration between components of Compuware's systems management product offering and Oracle Enterprise Manager will be available within 90 days of Oracle Enterprise Manager's general availability. Integration between Oracle Enterprise Manager and EcoTOOLS is provided as part of the standard EcoTOOLS feature set at no additional charge, with integration enhanced throughout the year.

Compuware Corporation

Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ:CPWR) is a leading worldwide provider of software products and professional services that help information technology professionals efficiently develop, implement and support the applications that run their businesses. Founded in 1973, Compuware today ranks as one of the 15 largest independent software vendors in the world. The company's products have been licensed by more than 8,800 organizations worldwide. Revenues for fiscal 1995 totaled $534 million. For information about Compuware Corporation, please contact Compuware's headquarters at 810-737-7300. Compuware can also be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.compuware.com.


Dell Offers 3Com PC Cards for Latitudes
DELL OFFERS 3COM PC CARDS FOR ITS ENTIRE LINE OF DELL LATITUDE NOTEBOOK PCs

Dell Works With Industry-Leading Technology Partners To Deliver Outstanding Value To Customers

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 15, 1996 -- Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DELL), the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems, today announced it now offers powerful 3Com Ethernet PC Cards (PCMCIA) for its Dell Latitude notebook PCs, providing users with quick and easy access to applications and information on their corporate networks. Available immediately in the US and Europe, the 3Com Ethernet PC Cards are tested and validated for use with Dell's entire line of Latitude notebook PCs. The 10Base-T version costs $159 and the 10Base-2/10Base-T combo version costs $199 in the U.S.

The Plug-and-Play ready PC Cards slide easily into one of the two Dell Latitude notebook PCMCIA slots and are quickly set up in approximately three minutes. Customers who use a Novell Netware operating system can use the AutoLink feature to automatically configure the PC Cards and set up their notebook for logging on to the network.

3Com's PC Cards provide customers with broad operating system and network operating system compatibility. Information System managers can efficiently manage their company's networks by using SNMP-compliant systems tools to monitor the PC Cards.

"Dell's partnership with 3Com reinforces our commitment to deliver the highest price/performance value to our customers by working closely with industry-leading technology partners," says David Altounian, director of portables marketing at Dell Computer Corporation. "This relationship supports a strong line-up of network connectivity products for Dell's Latitude notebook PCs."

The Dell/3Com partnership, forged a year ago, gives customers a single source for competitive, integrated, industry-standard networking solutions. All Dell product lines now integrate 3Com networking products or use them as part of a Dell networking solution.

Dell was the first manufacturer to ship PCs with 3Com's Fast Ethernet 100Mb Ethernet adapter cards factory-installed; 3Com's Parallel Tasking 10Mb EtherLink III Adapters are integrated on the motherboards of Dell OptiPlex desktop systems; 3Com's Ethernet workgroup switch, the Linkswitch 1000, is bundled with Dell's PowerEdge SP servers. The 3Com PC Cards used in the Dell Latitude notebook PCs are compatible with the adapters used in Dell's other product lines.

The Dell Latitude XPi notebook PCs are designed to provide maximum dependability and superior battery life for business customers who require network connectivity and broad operating system support. They are ideal for manipulating complex data, network file sharing, creating and delivering audio-visual presentations and for remote e-mail access.

A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on revenues of $5.3 billion for the past four quarters. More than 75 percent of Dell's customers are to large corporations and government accounts. Dell designs and customises products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/.

Founded in 1979, 3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to critical information through high speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the immediate and long term connectivity needs of today's user. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. The company's innovative manufacturing, engineering, marketing, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability, and protect customer investments. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at http://www.3Com.com.

Prices and specifications subject to change without notice and valid in U.S. only.


Diamond Enters prof 3D Graphics Market
DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA ENTERS PROFESSIONAL 3D GRAPHICS MARKET

NEW DIAMOND FIRE GL ACCELERATOR OPTIMIZES OPENGL FOR 3D AND CAD APPLICATIONS

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 15, 1996 -- Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) today announced its first multimedia accelerator designed to meet the demands of the professional 3D market -- the Diamond Fire GL. Based on a dual processor design with up to 20MB of memory, the Diamond Fire GL features the GLINT 300SX processor from 3Dlabs, Inc. for the acceleration of OpenGL and other 3D APIs as well as the Vision968 graphics engine from S3 Incorporated for 2D graphics and video acceleration. A single-slot PCI solution, the product optimizes the performance of CAD, 3D animation, VRML and virtual reality applications under Windows NT and OpenGL. Custom software includes display list driver technology and other software tools designed to enhance the productivity level of AutoCAD users. The Diamond Fire GL has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1,995 and is expected to be available this month through OEMs and distributors.

"Professional 3D graphics systems have been redefined by graphical user interfaces, such as provided by Windows NT, and the power of Intel's newest Pentium Pro processors," said William J. Schroeder, president and CEO of Diamond Multimedia. "Providing excellent 3D and 2D performance, the Diamond Fire GL represents our first entry into the high-end, professional 3D and CAD graphics market and offers a level of performance comparable to workstations costing thousands of dollars more. With this product introduction, we have broadened our graphics line to include workstation-class solutions for CAD engineers and other professional users."

PROFESSIONAL 3D GRAPHICS

Utilizing the 3Dlabs' GLINT 300SX processor, the Diamond Fire GL is capable of rendering up to 300,000 gouraud-shaded polygons per second. Additional advanced 3D capabilities include Z-buffering and support for double-buffering at high-resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. The Diamond Fire GL features 8MB of DRAM (upgradeable to 12MB) for the Z-buffer, and 8MB of VRAM for high-resolution display and double-buffering. Z-buffering is used to speed the removal of hidden surfaces and is necessary for accurate renderings required in animation sequences. Double-buffering allows for the real-time display and rotation of 3D models, and increases user interactivity by providing faster switching among different 3D views. Special effects include anti-aliasing for improved image quality and the use of transparency to increase the reality of certain images, such as smoke, glass and water. These effects are widely used in simulation and design applications to create a more life-like appearance.

"The combination of GLINT's market-leading performance and Diamond's market share creates a powerful new force to bring professional-class 3D graphics to the PC," said Osman Kent, president and CEO of 3Dlabs. "Diamond's customized software drivers and utilities perfectly complement 3Dlab's 3D chip technology, bringing increased ease of use and functionality to demanding 3D users."

HIGH-PERFORMANCE 2D GRAPHICS AND VIDEO PLAYBACK

With powerful 2D acceleration and digital video playback provided by the S3 Vision968 graphics engine, the Diamond Fire GL features a 220 MHz RAMDAC and includes 8MB of VRAM. It supports resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200, color depths to 24-bit True Color and flicker-free refresh rates of up to 100 Hz. Support includes 16-bit High Color at up to 1600 x 1200 resolution and True Color at up to 1280 x 1024 resolution. High resolutions and high color depths are required by architectural, design, simulation and animation professionals using large monitors.

SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE

Included with the Diamond Fire GL are proprietary software tools designed to enhance the productivity of AutoCAD users. Custom-designed for AutoCAD releases 12 and 13, the BigFocus display-list driver provides such features as a simplified user interface, toolbar menu for quick access to commands, close-up views and a birds-eye window that offers a variety of user-defined zoom levels under Windows and DOS.

The 3D Win viewer is a unique, value-added software tool designed to take advantage of hardware acceleration provided by the GLiNT 300SX processor under Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and DOS. With 3D Win viewer, a professional can take an AutoCAD 3D image and rotate it, manipulate, render and customize it. The primary benefit of this utility is the increased productivity of AutoCAD users working with 3D models.

SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY STANDARDS

The Diamond Fire GL includes driver support for Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95 and Windows 3.1. Supported 3D Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) include OpenGL, Autodesk's Heidi and other popular 3D libraries. OpenGL is the 3D graphics API provided by Microsoft for Windows NT and is rapidly becoming the 3D API of choice for engineering, design, animation, and simulation applications. The Diamond Fire GL is 100 percent compliant with OpenGL and implements the complete OpenGL rasterization pipeline in silicon to provide unmatched OpenGL application performance. Application support includes accelerated drivers for AutoCAD r12/r13, 3D Studio MAX from Autodesk, Pro/ENGINEER from Parametric Technology, WORLD UP from Sense8, Microstation from Bentley, Softimage from Microsoft and many other leading 3D applications.

PRICING, AVAILABILITY AND WARRANTY INFORMATION

With an MSRP of $1,995, the Diamond Fire GL is expected to be available through OEMs, VARs and Diamond authorized distributors this month, pending FCC approval. The Diamond Fire GL is backed by a three-year parts and labor warranty.

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance PC and Macintosh multimedia solutions for the home, business and professional markets. Products include the Stealth, Diamond EDGE" 3D and Viper series of multimedia accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional 3D and CAD accelerators, and the Supra series of fax/modems. Diamond also markets ISDN adapters, sound cards, multimedia upgrade kits and digital video editors. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has sales, marketing and technical facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.

HOW TO CONTACT DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:

Diamond Multimedia's Phone Number: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070

Diamond Supra Communications Division Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400;

Fax: 360-604-1401

Diamond SPEA Division Main Phone Number (Germany): +49-8151-2660

Product Support Voice: 408-325-7100; Supra: 541-967-2490

Product Support Fax: 408-325-7171; Supra: 541-967-2401;

SPEA: +49-8151-266150

Tech information line for Supra: 1-800-774-4965

For information on Diamond products: 1-800-468-5846;

Supra: 1-800-727-8772

24-Hour Fax-On-Demand Service: 1-800-380-0030; Supra: 541-967-0072

America Online (Keyword: DIAMOND; Email: SUPRACORP2)

CompuServe (GO DIAMOND); Supra: (GO SUPRA); SPEA (GO SPEA)

The Microsoft Network: Find DIAMOND

FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com, or Supra: ftp.supra.com

Internet Web site: http://www.diamondmm.com or Supra:

http://www.supra.com or SPEA: http://www.spea.com

BBS numbers at 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 Kbps) or

               408-325-7175 (to 28.8 Kbps)

Supra BBS: 541-967-2444

SPEA BBS at +49-8151-266241 (to 14.4 Kbps) or

            +49-8151-12921 (to 28.8 Kbps) or +49-8151-78001 (ISDN)


Worldwide Diamond Prof Graphics Product Team
DIAMOND FORMS WORLDWIDE PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS PRODUCT TEAM

ANNOUNCES THE DIAMOND FIRE GL AS ITS FIRST PRODUCT FOR THE PROFESSIONAL 3D MARKET

SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 15, 1996 -- Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) has formed a new team chartered with developing and marketing 3D visualization solutions worldwide for professional designers creating products for CAD, 3D animation, virtual reality and 3D Internet Web site applications. The new team is a joint collaboration between Diamond staff in the U.S. corporate office as well as the European Design Center in Starnberg, Germany. Key team members include Ed Huang and Craig Rush in the U.S., and David Fink and Thomas Deck in Germany. The Diamond Fire GL is the first product introduced worldwide by the team and offers designers high-performance 3D and 2D graphics, digital video playback and customized software tools.

High-end professional 3D graphics products, including the Diamond Fire GL, are engineered at Diamond's newly formed European Design Center (EDC) in Starnberg, Germany under the leadership of Ian Cartwright, vice president. The center is comprised of four principal groups including design, compatibility and reliability, product management and technical support. These groups are managed by Dietmar Hoehn, Franz Poeller, Tom Seifert and Franz Marschner, respectively. The Fire GL line of products was originally introduced by SPEA Software AG in 1991 and has grown to become one of the largest 3D PC platforms in Europe.

"Diamond is a leading provider of 3D and 2D visual systems for the home and business markets," said William J. Schroeder, president and CEO of Diamond Multimedia. We are able to leverage our expertise in these areas and the technological innovations and CAD experience of the EDC to introduce a new line of products for the professional market. Graphics professionals require advanced capabilities, and we have committed the resources necessary to deliver solutions that meet their demands."

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance PC and Macintosh multimedia solutions for the home, business and professional markets. Products include the Stealth, Diamond EDGE" 3D and Viper series of multimedia accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional 3D and CAD accelerators, and the Supra series of fax/modems. Diamond also markets ISDN adapters, sound cards, multimedia upgrade kits and digital video editors. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has sales, marketing and technical facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.

HOW TO CONTACT DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA

There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:

Diamond Multimedia's Phone Number: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070

Diamond Supra Communications Division Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400;

Fax: 360-604-1401

Diamond SPEA Division Main Phone Number (Germany): +49-8151-2660

Product Support Voice: 408-325-7100; Supra: 541-967-2490

Product Support Fax: 408-325-7171; Supra: 541-967-2401;

SPEA: +49-8151-266150

Tech information line for Supra: 1-800-774-4965

For information on Diamond products: 1-800-468-5846;

Supra: 1-800-727-8772

24-Hour Fax-On-Demand Service: 1-800-380-0030; Supra: 541-967-0072

America Online (Keyword: DIAMOND; Email: SUPRACORP2)

CompuServe (GO DIAMOND); Supra: (GO SUPRA); SPEA (GO SPEA)

The Microsoft Network: Find DIAMOND

FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com, or Supra: ftp.supra.com

Internet Web site: http://www.diamondmm.com or Supra:

http://www.supra.com or SPEA: http://www.spea.com

BBS numbers at 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 Kbps) or

               408-325-7175 (to 28.8 Kbps)

Supra BBS: 541-967-2444

SPEA BBS at +49-8151-266241 (to 14.4 Kbps) or

            +49-8151-12921 (to 28.8 Kbps) or +49-8151-78001 (ISDN)


Merisel to Carry DPI Network Printer Servers
Popular Network Print Servers Now Available from Leading Hardware/Software Distributor

Merisel Will Carry Entire Line of DPI Network Print Servers

(Waltham, Mass., April 16, 1996) -- DPI (Digital Products Inc.), the leader in network printing and peripheral sharing, announced it has signed a world-wide distribution agreement with Merisel Inc., based in El Segundo, CA. Merisel is a worldwide leader in the distribution of computer hardware and software products.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merisel will distribute DPI network print servers, including NETPrint and JETXPrint, a family of Ethernet and Token Ring print servers for NetWare, TCP/IP, Windows NT, Banyan, and Apple networks. Merisel will also distribute DPI's NETCommuter, a new multi-function networking device which combines the latest in remote access technology with the award-winning NETPrint print server functions.

"DPI's line of printer and peripheral sharing solutions further enhances Merisel's ability to provide the best products and solutions to support our customers' technical product needs," said Kris Rogers, Vice President of Product & Inventory Management at Merisel. "These quality products are easy to install and use, plus they provide support for a wide variety of network operating systems, all of which will benefit the connectivity reseller."

"DPI is pleased to be working with Merisel, one of the leaders in distribution," said Cornelius "Pete" Peterson, president of DPI. "It will provide the opportunity for more resellers to have access to our state-of-the-art print server technology."

The DPI/Merisel distribution agreement is a worldwide agreement and is effective immediately. The agreement includes all products in DPI's family of print and remote access servers.

Merisel Inc. (NASDAQ:MSEL) is a worldwide leader in the distribution of computer hardware and software products. The Company holds Fortune 500 status, with 1995 sales of $6 billion. Merisel distributes a full line of 25,000 products to more than 60,000 resellers worldwide, including more than 750 ComputerLand franchisees and Datago affiliates. Merisel operates 9 international subsidiaries, 31 sales offices and 19 distribution centers serving the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Europe. The Company offers extensive support services including training, marketing, technical support, configuration, merchandising, telemarketing, information services and third-party financing.

DPI (Digital Products, Inc.), a privately-held company, is a leading supplier of state-of-the-art network printing solutions. DPI commercially manufacturers both NETPrint external print servers and JETXPrint internal card (high-speed print servers for Novell, Banyan, Windows, Apple and UNIX networks), as well as the Print Director family of automatic printer sharing devices for the non-networked market. DPI products are available worldwide through leading distributors and resellers. In addition, DPI works with OEMS, is authorized by Novell as a NEST provider to distribute, sell, and support NEST SDK Technology, and has entered into a joint development and license agreement with Adobe Systems Incorporated to develop leading state-of-the-art network printing solutions for printer manufacturers and end-users in the network printing market. For more information: Digital Products, Inc., 411 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02154 * phone (617) 647-1234 * fax (617) 647-4474 * Web http://www.digprod.com * email salesinfo@digprod.com * Apple Link DIGPROD and DPI.TECH.


New DTC Family of PNP PCI SCSI Host Adapters
DTC Data Technology Corporation Ships New Family of Plug and Play SCSI Host Adapters for PCI Systems

Includes New Ultra20/40 Adapter Supporting up to 15 Devices

MILPITAS, Calif. April 8, 1996-- DTC Data Technology Corporation today introduced a family of plug and play SCSI host adapters, supporting the new SCAM standard for automatic SCSI configuration. DTC's Ultra line of host adapters, including the Ultra20/40 model, sets new price/performance standards for SCSI host adapters, with prices 30-40% below other manufacturers products.

In addition to super easy installation, DTC has designed enhanced SCSI compatibility into the entire SCSI controller product line using a Symbios Logic chip set. "DTC is committed to the SCSI compatibility issue and to providing a SCSI controller product line that maximizes hardware compatibility for our customers. We chose Symbios Logic because their technology and PCI-SCSI I/O processors support our commitment. In addition, we are able to offer Wide UltraSCSI controllers compatible with the industry's Ultra drives", said Neal Greenberg, director of sales and marketing.

"The SYM53C8xx family of PCI-SCSI I/O processors lets DTC take advantage of the major features offered in our products. By using our TolerANT technology, DTC enhances signal integrity thus ensuring compatibility with other SCSI peripherals. At Symbios Logic, we are committed to providing a high-performance, easy-to-use, O/S compatible, I/O interface," said Alan D. Lofthus, vice president of marketing at Symbios Logic.

DTC is now shipping three, low-priced models in the PCI line of SCSI controllers including the Ultra20/40, supporting up to 15 devices ( up from the typical seven supported by SCSI). These adapters benefit data intensive applications, eliminating data throughput bottlenecks for graphics, CAD and server applications. All come with plug and play, SCAM ID selection and auto-termination. For ease of use, a unique LED light is built-in to the high-end SCSI controllers, indicating whether an external port is available for use. In addition, DTC provides for an upgrade path and investment protection allowing users to upgrade from Ultra20 to Ultra40 devices, when they become available.

Model 3130B-Plug&Play SCSI host adapter, designed for high-end graphic intensive PCI systems requiring a high level of performance and connectivity, connects seven devices and offers 10 MB/sec of data transfer speed. Suggested retail is $139.95.

DTC's 3130B-Wide SCSI controller, designed for high-end CAD and database workstations requiring high performance 132 MB/sec PCI BusMaster, connects 15 devices and offers 20 MB/sec of data transfer speed. Suggested retail is $199.95.

DTC's 3130BW-Ultra20/40 SCSI host adapter has been designed for server applications using Ultra drives and requiring high-end I/O performance and very fast speeds for file servers, Web servers and networking. Using wide cable two-byte format and adding Ultra20 speed gate, the system offers 40 MB/sec data throughput and connects 15 narrow or wide devices. Suggested retail is $229.95.

All of DTC's SCSI host adapters support DOS, Windows '95, Windows NT, Windows 3.x, SCO NIX, and Netware operating systems and have a five year warranty. DTC's worldwide service and support program also makes new drivers for all major operating systems downloadable from their World Wide Web and bulletin board sites.

DTC's SCSI host adapters are widely distributed through DTC's distributor channel including, Ameriquest, D & H, Ingram Micro, Merisel Corporation, Tech Data and all other major distributors. Retailers include Fry's Electronics and Micro Center.

DTC Data Technology Corporation is a leading supplier of hard disk controllers for over 17 years and is developing one of the broadest range of products in the industry. Founded in 1979, DTC is a leader in advanced IDE and EIDE technology. DTC also provides a complete line of SCSI host adapters and is known as a value leader in ISA, VESA, and PCI buses. During 1995, DTC has made significant investments in R&D, resulting in many planned 1996 product introductions in RAID solutions, DSVD modems, ISDN adapters and video conferencing products.

1515 Centre Pointe Drive, Milpitas, Ca. 95035

408-942-4000, FAX 408-942-4027

DTC Hong Kong, Rm 1101, 1103 & 1104 Star Centre, 443-451 Castle Peak Road, Kwai Chung, N.T. Hong Kong 85-22-422-0010


Extensis PageTools 2.0 Upgrade
Extensis Announces PageTools 2.0 Upgrade

Award-winning collection supports Adobe PageMaker 6.0 and Windows 95

PORTLAND, OREGON, APRIL 15, 1996: Extensis Corporation, the leading provider of plug-ins for graphics and page layout applications, today announced PageTools 2.0, an upgrade of its award-winning collection of plug-ins for Adobe PageMaker 6.0 and Windows 95.

PageTools 2.0 includes five new plug-ins in addition to enhancements of the existing ten additions. Many of the new plug-ins were designed by Real World PageMaker author, Olav Martin Kvern, based on his extensive knowledge of PageMaker and the common feature requests of PageMaker users. PageTools 2.0 is compatible with PageMaker 6.0 for Windows 95 and Win32s. Several plug-ins take full advantage of new features in PageMaker 6.0.

PageTools is designed to address the daily needs of all PageMaker users. The central component in PageTools is PageBars, Microsoft Word style toolbars which can be customized with buttons for any PageMaker function, as well as additional functions provided by PageTools. Other plug-ins include tools for navigating, previewing files, applying character styles to selected text, scaling multiple objects, counting words and characters, drawing crop and/or registration marks at user-specified locations, printing non-consecutive page ranges and automatically applying guides to objects.

PAGETOOLS 2.0 REMAINS A 'MUST-HAVE' FOR ANY PAGEMAKER USER Over 150,000 copies of PageTools 1.0 have shipped to date, making it the best-selling PageMaker plug-in on the market. By adding five entirely new plug-ins and maintaining an attractive $99.95 street price, PageTools 2.0 remains a 'must-have' for any PageMaker user. "Extensis has once again created a superb collection of plug-ins," said Lori Birtley, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Adobe PageMaker. "PageTools 2.0 delivers great tools and functionality for PageMaker users everywhere--all in one package and at an extraordinary price."

PAGETOOLS 2.0 CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING 15 PLUG-INS:

PAGEALIGN Aligns and distributes multiple objects without using guides or rulers.

PAGEBARS Provides multiple customizable toolbars which can be free floating or embedded on the side of the screen. Also includes popdown buttons, user definable custom buttons and Hot Help.

PAGECAPS (NEW) Changes the case of selected text, and includes a customizable exception list of words with unique capitalization (e.g., IBM, NeXT, PageMaker).

PAGECOLORS Searches and replaces the colors of lines, objects and text automatically.

PAGECOUNTER (NEW)Quickly counts characters, words, lines and paragraphs.

PAGEGUIDESAdds, deletes or duplicates object and column guides.

PAGEMARKS (NEW) Draws crop and/or registration marks at any location on a page.

PAGEMOVERMoves objects to any page, without leaving the current page.

PAGEPREVIEWDisplays a preview of the first five pages of a document before opening it.

PAGEPRINTER Previews pages, easily selects and prints discontinuous pages and prints recently edited pages.

PAGESCALER Resizes multiple objects (graphics, lines and text) by any percentage.

PAGESCRIPTS Turns PageMaker scripts into buttons on a toolbar for easy access.

PAGETHUMBPreviews any page in your publication and enhances navigation.

PAGETIPS (NEW) On screen Tip of the Day by Adobe Magazine columnist, Olav Kvern.

PAGETYPE (NEW) A floating palette used for creating and applying character based styles.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

PageTools 2.0 for Windows is available for a suggested retail price of US $149 and US $99.95 direct. Upgrades for owners of PageTools 1.0 are $49.95 or free for those who purchased PageTools 1.0 for Windows on or after Jan. 1, 1996.

PageTools 2.0 is available direct from Extensis at (800) 796-9798, Egghead, PC Connection, MicroWarehouse, PC Zone, The World Wide Power Company, Ingram Micro and other major software resellers. PageTools requires PageMaker 6.0 and Windows 95 or Win32s. Extensis Corporation, founded in 1993, develops, markets and distributes application-enhancement software for all leading graphics and page layout applications, enabling users to get more from the software they are already using. For more information, visit Extensis' home page at http://www.extensis.com on the World Wide Web.


PSINet & Farallon ISDN Service Promotion
PSINet, Farallon Team Up for ISDN Service Promotion for Small Businesses

ALAMEDA, Calif., April 15, 1996 -- Farallon Computing, Inc., and PSINet, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSIX) today announced that PSINet's "America's Business" promotion will be extended through June 30, 1996, and that Farallon's Netopia Internet Router is the standard connectivity hardware shipped with the ISDN option of the promotion. The promotion, targetted at small businesses, offers both new and existing PSINet LAN-ISDN customers significant savings on Internet products and services. For a minimum 12-month commitment, customers will receive:

* Farallon's Netopia (model 640) enables a business to gain high-speed Internet access over a shared high-speed ISDN (128K) line. Designed for non-technical professionals, one Netopia easily connects an entire business to the Internet with the broadest set of on-board network interface options and unparalleled ease of use. Netopia is the only product of its kind that offers cross-platform support for PC, Macintosh, and Unix systems.

* PSINet's LAN-ISDN service with free news feed provides "on-demand" TCP/IP connectivity and Internet access using a standard ISDN BRI digital circuit available from the local telephone company. It provides access at up to 128Kbps without the complexity of leased line connections.

* PSIWEB is an advanced World Wide Web service that hosts the customer's web site on servers positioned directly on PSINet's T3 core. PSINet performs comprehensive site maintenance - 24 hours a day - while customers still control content, costs, and updates.

* Free PSINet WEBSTART web design and consultation service to establish a customer's business presence on the World Wide Web, quickly and easily, via a complete turnkey solution.

For the majority of computer users - those in workgroups - direct connection to the Internet has been expensive and complex. By providing the Netopia products and LAN-ISDN service, Farallon and PSINet offer workgroups the most affordable and easy-to-use Internet access solution on the market.

"We are pleased that PSINet has selected Farallon's Netopia router as the solution of choice for its America's Business promotion so that we can bring easy-to-use, high-speed Internet access solutions to more businesses," said Kiran Narsu, Farallon's director of business development, Internet solutions.

Last year, Farallon and PSINet began their partnership by providing customers of Farallon's Netopia Internet Solution with three months of free PSINet LAN-On-Demand service and registration, a value of $1,250. As part of the agreement, PSINet can resell Farallon's Netopia solution direct.

"PSINet's relationship with Farallon continues to grow because of the synergy in our missions," said Bruce Ley, vice president of marketing, corporate services, for PSINet. "We both want to bring easy and economical, one-stop shopping solutions to individuals and businesses seeking to get on the Internet."

Netopia Internet Solution

The Netopia Internet routers connect local area networks to the Internet via a shared ISDN line. Bundled with the routers is the Netopia Starter Kit of Internet software, including Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Plus! Internet Jumpstart Kit (includes the Microsoft Internet Explorer, Windows 95-based web browser, and SMTP Internet mail reader), TCP/IP, and Eudora Lite. Farallon also offers the Netopia ISDN Modem, a cost-effective solution for individuals seeking high-speed Internet access.

Farallon's first-of-its-kind Internet support program, Up & Running, Guaranteed!, is offered as an option to Netopia ISDN Modem and Router customers at a price of $99 and $499 respectively. Through the program, individuals and workgroups are guaranteed end-to-end Internet connection services, from ordering and provisioning the ISDN line, to connecting to an Internet service provider and configuring the Netopia hardware. The program also includes a free twin-pack of Farallon's popular Timbuktu Pro real-time collaboration software. The Up & Running, Guaranteed! program eliminates the hassles of coordinating and configuring equipment, ISDN phone lines and Internet service - Farallon handles it all.

Farallon and PSINet

PSINet is an Internet-optimized network which currently has more than 305 points-of-presence (POPs) worldwide. Internet access options range from modem dial-up and ISDN for telecommuters and small office LANs to dedicated high-speed circuits for corporate connectivity. Pipeline, a PSINet individual service, received PC Magazine's "Editor's Choice" award as the best nationwide Internet Service Provider. PSINet has defined industry standards and is a leader in technological innovation and new service development. The company has its headquarters in Herndon, Va., with sales and field service offices across the U.S., Cambridge, England, Toronto, Canada and Tokyo, Japan. Further product, availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (703) 904-4100; through PSINet's Web site at http://www.psi.net/; or by sending an e-mail request to info@psi.com.

Farallon

Founded in 1986, Farallon Computing, Inc. is an industry-leading developer of networking products that enable Internet and Intranet users to increase their productivity. With over 30 percent of the schools in the United States networked with Farallon's products, the company is again taking a leadership position by contributing its knowledge and expertise of the Internet to students and teachers.

For more information on Farallon's new Internet access routers or the company's broad line of hardware and software networking products, contact your nearest Farallon reseller or Farallon Customer Service at telephone (510) 814-5000, fax (510) 814-5023 or Internet info@farallon.com. A list of Farallon distributors worldwide is available on the company's Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.farallon.com or from Farallon Customer Service. Farallon is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. and has European offices in Paris and London.

FOR GENERAL AND PRODUCT INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5000

 info@farallon.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION ONLY, CONTACT:

 AMAL ABED

 Farallon Computing

 (510) 814-5307

 amal@farallon.com

 BRIAN MUYS

 PSINet

 (703) 904-4285

 muysb@psi.com


FASTCD Personal Edition CDROM Emulation Swr
RUN CD-ROMS WITHOUT A CD-ROM DRIVE

Logicraft introduces market's first solution for easy CD-ROM access on the road, simultaneous access to multiple CD-ROMs and more

NASHUA, NH (April, 1996) - Logicraft Information Systems, Inc., is set to release FASTCD PERSONAL EDITION, an innovative CD-ROM emulation software product that makes it possible to run any Windows 95 or Windows NT CD-ROM application directly off a hard disk, even without a CD-ROM drive.

BENEFITS

For laptop and notebook users, FastCD Personal Edition provides the ability to take essential CD-ROM applications on the road without a CD-ROM drive. For desktop users, it makes it possible to run multiple CD-ROM applications at a time off their local hard disks, with the option of simultaneously listening to music on their CD-ROM drives. In network environments, it permits users to access multiple CD-ROM applications simultaneously off shared images stored on any file server or off one another's PCs in peer-to-peer fashion. And for all users, it offers the ability to access CD-ROM applications up to 3 times faster than from a 4x CD-ROM drive, plus the ability to store each CD-ROM application in a single container file on the hard drive for easy management.

FAST, EASY IMAGE TRANSFER

FastCD Personal Edition builds CD-ROM images by caching the entire contents of a CD-ROM in a single container file located on a local or network hard drive, where they appear as "virtual" CD-ROMs. Load the desired CD-ROM disc in your local or network CD-ROM drive, click on "Create a FastCD" and specify whether you want to do it in real time at full CPU speed, in background mode at a slower rate or on a scheduled basis up to a week in advance; the program does the rest. At full speed, it typically takes only 40 minutes to transfer a fully loaded, 650MB CD-ROM; many applications are smaller and will transfer in less time.

OPTIONAL DATA COMPRESSION

For users who want to minimize disk space, FastCD Personal Edition offers the option to compress the CD-ROM images stored on hard disk. Most CD-ROMs can be compressed by 20% to 40% with minimal impact on performance.

32-BIT FEATURES, COMPATIBILITY, FLEXIBILITY

FastCD Personal Edition fully supports Windows 95's autorun and other Windows 95 features. It operates by emulating a CD-ROM drive at a device layer level, virtually guaranteeing 100% compatibility with all types of CD-ROM applications. Images can be loaded off a local or networked CD-ROM drive, docking station or another multimedia computer connected via a serial or parallel cable. Users can even build images onto local drives off CD-ROM images already stored on file servers.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING, FREE EVALUATION COPY

FastCD Personal Edition for Windows 95 is set for May release at a cost of $24.95. A Windows NT version will follow. An evaluation copy that is fully functional for 90 days is available for downloading at Logicraft's Web site at http://www.logicraft.com. For more information, contact Logicraft Information Systems at 800/880-5644 or 603/880-0300.

Logicraft Information Systems, Inc., is a worldwide developer, integrator and manufacturer of complete CD-ROM networking and optical storage management solutions for the DOS, Windows, Window 95, Windows NT and Macintosh environments. The company's products provide the fastest access to CD-ROM databases over the widest range of networks and technologies in the industry.


Forte Web SDK for Client/Server Apps
Forte Software Adds World Wide Web Support for High-End Client/Server Applications

THE FORTE WEB SDK WILL ENABLE FORTE DEVELOPERS TO EASILY ADD WEB BROWSER AND JAVA SUPPORT TO ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS

OAKLAND, Calif. (April 2, 1996)-Forte Software (NASDAQ: FRTE) today announced the Forte Web SDK (Software Developer's Kit)-new extensions that will allow enterprise applications to easily take advantage of the Internet's World Wide Web. The Forte Web SDK will be an optional product that complements the Forte Application Environment', an integrated set of object-oriented tools for building, deploying and managing high-end client/server applications.

The Forte Web SDK will enable Netscape's Navigator and other Web browsers to function as Forte' clients with full access to the powerful Forte infrastructure, which is designed to support up to thousands of concurrent users with high levels of reliability and manageability. The combination of Forte and the Web will provide organizations with the facilities they need to rapidly deploy Web-accessible business- critical applications, such as order processing, without duplicating existing systems.

"The Web is one of the most significant developments in computing," said Marty Sprinzen, president and CEO of Forte Software. "In order to take full advantage of the Web, however, organizations need to leverage their existing software investments. Just as the initial release of Forte provided technology independence from specific graphical user interfaces, relational databases, operating systems, and networks, the Forte Web SDK will allow MCS-0471-1 organizations to add Web access with little more than a couple of mouse clicks. With this flexibility, organizations can deploy Web-accessible applications that fully leverage the Forte infrastructure for high levels of performance, reliability and manageability."

"Future development of the World Wide Web depends on its integration into mainstream business applications," said Judith Hurwitz, president and CEO of the Hurwitz Consulting Group. "Forte's Web support will enable customers to transparently use Intranets for connecting both remote sites and telecommuters to applications like funds transfer that interoperate with other operational systems such as credit authorization," she said.

FORTE'S WEB-ENABLED BUSINESS SERVICES

Forte's open architecture will turn the Web into an extension of an organization's existing business infrastructure. With a few simple commands, a developer will be able to add Web access to an existing business service that implements the business rules for an application. The business service will be accessible concurrently by Forte client applications, by non-Forte clients using DCE or CORBA, and by Web browsers.

The Forte Web SDK will allow organizations to re-use business logic and thereby deploy Web-enabled applications more quickly, while also enforcing the consistent use of business rules and achieving better integration with existing systems. Once deployed, Web-enabled Forte applications will automatically take full advantage of the Forte environment, which includes facilities such as transaction support, load balancing, fault tolerance, configuration management, and performance monitoring.

THE FORTE WEB SDK

Forte Software plans to deliver WWW support in two phases. The first phase will allow developers to easily enable Web clients in a Forte application. Web clients will interface with the powerful Forte server infrastructure bi-directionally, using a customized, high- performance Common Gateway Interface (CGI). The customized CGI will provide higher speed information transfer between Forte applications and Web browsers than the conventional CGI.

In addition, the Forte Web SDK will provide a new set of HTML class libraries that formats responses to requests made by Web browsers. This will include automatically formatting the results of a SQL database query for display to a user in a table format. Forte's HTML class libraries provide developers with the ability to create interactive user interface screens with much of the same useability delivered by graphical user interfaces such as Microsoft Windows.

The creation of Web clients will be automated by a new utility within the Forte Web SDK that converts Forte graphical user interfaces into HTML pages in seconds. This utility will support all HTML widget types and allow existing Forte user interface layouts, such as order entry screens, to be used within Web browsers. Forte will also support client execution of Netscape's JavaScript scripting language. Forte's JavaScript support will enable Forte Web applications which could, for example, recognize and respond to user actions, such as mouse clicks, or proofread user inputs before returning the user information to the application.

The second phase of Forte's Internet support will automatically generate interfaces to Sun Microsystems' Java programming language, allowing Java applets to interoperate with the Forte infrastructure. This second phase will also include support for the Netscape API as an alternative to CGI for even faster interoperability with the Forte infrastructure. The interaction between Java applets and Forte will enable organizations to provide advanced applications, such as the design, visualization and ordering of customized products, to previously unknown users, who would be unlikely to have the necessary software installed on their computer.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Phase one of the Forte Web SDK is now in beta test and is currently scheduled to be available for production use by the end of the second quarter of 1996. North American pricing for the Forte Web SDK will be $20,000 for a site license.

Phase two of the Forte Web SDK is currently scheduled to be available for production use at the same time as the next major release of Forte.

FORTE APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT

The Forte Application Environment is an integrated set of object-oriented tools for building, deploying and managing high-end client/server applications that give companies a competitive edge in today's business world. Forte enables organizations to create and effectively manage powerful, multi-tier client/server applications, designed to support up to thousands of concurrent users with high levels of reliability and performance. Forte reduces complexity for developers by providing automatic application partitioning, object-oriented development and independence from specific hardware platforms, operating systems and databases. Forte Software, Inc.

Headquartered in Oakland, Calif., and publicly traded on NASDAQ, Forte Software, Inc. designs, develops, markets, and supports the Forte Application Environment, for the development, deployment and management of high-end client/server applications. Forte has direct operations in North America and subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, France and Australia. Forte is also marketed and sold worldwide through distributors and value-added resellers.

Forte has been adopted by customers in a wide variety of industries, including banking, finance, healthcare/pharmaceuticals, insurance, and telecommunications.

For additional information contact Forte Software in the United States at 510/869-3400, in the United Kingdom at +44-1-344-482100, in France at +33-1-41-43-01-80, in Australia at +61-2-9926-1400, via the Internet at info@forte.com, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.forte.com.


Columbus Sets Sail On The Internet

Hummingbird Releases World's First Intranet Desktop for Free Evaluation

NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NV APRIL 2, 1996 Hummingbird Communications Ltd. (TSE: "HUM" and NASDAQ: "HUMCF"), the worldwide technology and market leader in the PC to UNIX integration software industry, today placed Version 1.0 of its advanced Intranet desktop Columbus on the Internet for free evaluation and use. Columbus is a highly functional, seamlessly integrated Microsoft Windows application designed to provide easy access to organizational Intranets and the Internet. Columbus offers extensive administrative capabilities and DigitalPaper, an advanced portable electronic document technology not available in competing products. Available for the next 90 days from the company's Web site at http://www.hummingbird.com, Columbus Version 1.0 is a fully-functional product with all features enabled and no expiration date.

According to Fred Sorkin, Chairman, President, and CEO of Hummingbird, "We're placing Columbus on the Internet for free to reach the early adopters who are critical to the growth of the Intranet market. We're sure that they will discover that Columbus is a highly functional application that not only makes enterprise information resources easily accessible and manageable, but also addresses information management, document distribution, and collaboration."

Columbus promotes efficient individual and group information access by seamlessly integrating a wide range of protocols and Internet tools into a single application, including a World Wide Web browser with Gopher capabilities, advanced Web-friendly email, drag and drop FTP application, Telnet and News reader clients, and the NetBook application to organize the resources accessed with them. Columbus' intelligent Gather agent with built-in indexing enables users to automatically capture entire Web documents, and store them on their hard disks for offline searching and access. The Columbus Personal Web Server enables users to share directories, files, documents, from their desktop without degrading network security. The Activity Manager, Scheduler, and integrated System Monitor give users total control of all activities, enabling the computer to perform complex tasks after hours.

To help managers focus user activities on organizational goals, Columbus features extensive administrative capabilities that permit the installation, configuration, and management of every desktop from a central server. Server based templates allow administrators to manage user activities by type and time of day, enabling them to reduce the network impact of desktop Intranet and Internet access.

The advanced DigitalPaper technology integrated into Columbus delivers a natural, low-cost approach to collaborative authoring and document sharing on the Intranet. DigitalPaper promotes the creation, sharing, and management of documents by allowing the use of familiar Windows applications to create portable, hypertext documents, and enables legacy documentation to be easily converted for enterprise-wide distribution and collaborative documentation development.

THE COLUMBUS INTRANET/INTERNET DESKTOP INCLUDES

* Extensive administrative features permitting centralized control

  of time and type of all Columbus activities to reduce network

  impact during peak hours

* Installation from central server delivers application to the desktop

* Advanced DigitalPaper document authoring, management and

  distribution technology, enabling legacy documentation to be easily

  converted with 100% fidelity to a portable document format for

  enterprise-wide distribution and collaborative computing and

  documentation development; embeddable DigitalPaper viewers enable

  full collaboration with outside users not equipped with Columbus

  Gather agent enables efficient capture, retrieval, indexing, and

  local storage of Web documents in original HTML source or plain

  text format

* Integrated search engine indexes all Gathered pages, e-mail, and

  retrieved News articles

* Multi-functional NetBook stores URL hot lists, e-mail addresses

  and names and locations of host servers such as Web servers, FTP

  servers, Gopher servers etc.

* Desktop Web server enables casual distribution and sharing of

  HTML and DigitalPaper documents, Gathered Web pages

* Activity Manager enables users to manage multiple simultaneous

  activities

* System Monitor displays network activity

* Activity Scheduler for efficient network usage with unattended

  operation during off-peak hours

* Integrated Web Browser and Gopher application

* Integrated electronic mail application supports POP3, SMTP,

  MIME and live URL links

* News Reader provides access to USENET newsgroups and internal

  threaded discussion groups

* Integrated FTP client enables easy drag and drop file transfer

  of both text and binary files

* Integrated Telnet client supports VT-100 terminal emulation

* True, non-blocking multitasking operation under Windows 3.1

  and WFW

Hummingbird Communications Ltd. specializes in the development of PC to enterprise internetworking software products that provide seamless integration within corporate networks. The Company offers its award- winning Exceed line of PC X servers, the high performance NFS Maestro line, and Columbus, the Intranet desktop software product that integrates portable electronic document technology. Hummingbird products are sold and supported internationally by authorized resellers in more than 40 countries. The company is headquartered in North York, Ontario, Canada, with offices in Mountain View, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, N.C. in the United States; and Geneva, Switzerland; Munich, Germany; Paris, France; and Maidenhead in the United Kingdom in Europe.


Hummingbird Columbus Integrates topicSEARCH
Hummingbird Integrates Verity topicSEARCH Engine in Columbus

Industry's First Intranet Desktop Software Features Advanced Web Search Tools With Full-Text Indexing

NORTH YORK, ONTARIO, CANADA (APRIL 2, 1996) Hummingbird Communications Ltd. (TSE: "HUM" and Nasdaq: "HUMCF"), the worldwide technology and market leader in the PC to UNIX integration software industry, and Verity, Inc. (Nasdaq: "VRTY"), a leading provider of search-and-retrieval applications for the enterprise and the Internet, today announced the integration of Verity's leading edge search and retrieval technology into Columbus, Hummingbird's Intranet desktop software. Columbus is a highly functional, seamlessly integrated Microsoft Windows application designed to allow organizations to establish and run enterprise wide Intranets.

The integration of Verity's topicSEARCH engine into Columbus provides powerful indexing and retrieval capabilities to Web browsing, e-mail, and network news, with keyword, Boolean, proximity, and other complex searches, and permits the creation and management of multiple indexes for efficient information capture. In addition, the powerful Gather function in Columbus automatically captures entire HTML files, and as many of their linked documents as desired, and stores them-fully indexed by the Verity engine-on the desktop hard disk for offline searching and access. In combination with the extensive scheduling capabilities of Columbus, this means that a complex search can take place overnight, presenting the user in the morning with a fully-linked, fully-indexed segment of the organizational Intranet or the World Wide Web.

"Our enterprise customers are actively seeking ways to manage critical information using Web and other Internet technologies," says Fred Sorkin, Chairman, President, and CEO of Hummingbird. "The search and retrieval capabilities offered by the Verity topicSEARCH engine are a fundamental part of our strategy to satisfy these needs, starting with Columbus, the industry's first application designed specifically as an Intranet desktop."

"It does very little good to deliver megabytes of information to a user's desktop," notes Philippe Courtot, Chairman and CEO of Verity, "unless you also deliver a means of categorizing and organizing that information in ways that are meaningful to the individual. Verity's topicSEARCH technology not only delivers that power, but when integrated into the desktop, as it is in Columbus, allows the users themselves to decide what information they need to be most productive."

Hummingbird Communications Ltd. specializes in the development of PC to enterprise internetworking software products that provide seamless integration within corporate networks. The Company offers its award-winning Exceed line of PC X servers, the high performance NFS Maestro line, and Columbus, the Intranet desktop software product that integrates portable electronic document technology. Hummingbird products are sold and supported internationally by authorized resellers in more than 40 countries. The company is headquartered in North York, Ontario, Canada, with offices in Mountain View, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, N.C. in the United States; and Geneva, Switzerland; Munich, Germany; Paris, France; and Maidenhead in the United Kingdom in Europe.

Verity, Inc. was founded in April 1988 and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Verity develops and markets the topic(R) family of software tools and applications for intelligently searching, retrieving and filtering information across the Internet, enterprise and CD-ROM. Verity's products have been licensed to corporations, government agencies, on-line service providers, Internet publishers and developers worldwide. Verity partners include Adobe Systems, AT&T, Dow Jones, Hitachi, Hummingbird Communications, Individual, Inc., Lotus Development Corporation, McKinley, Netscape Communications, Quarterdeck, Reuters and many other software developers.


Hummingbird 3D Capable PC X Server for WinNT
Hummingbird Announces First 3-D Capable PC X Server for Windows NT

Exceed 3D for Windows NT Enables High-End OpenGL Applications to be Displayed and Developed on Windows NT

NORTH YORK, ONTARIO, CANADA, APRIL 2, 1996 - Hummingbird Communications Ltd., the worldwide technology and marketshare leader in PC X server software, announces the first PC X server to support OpenGL, the industry standard graphics software interface developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc., with which programmers create high-end still and animated 3-D color images. Exceed 3D, which implements the GLX extension for OpenGL, complements Hummingbird's award-winning Exceed 5 for Windows NT PC X server software, enabling customers to display OpenGL based two- and three-dimensional graphics applications running on UNIX workstations across the internetwork, on Windows NT based personal computers. Also, with Hummingbird's Exceed 5 XDK for Windows NT, the Exceed 3D package allows users to develop OpenGL applications on Windows NT workstations.

Exceed 3D for Windows NT includes the OpenGL implementation for X Windows, called GLX, and provides a full suite of GLX libraries and tools required for developing three-dimensional OpenGL applications on Windows NT systems with Hummingbird's X Development Toolkit for Windows NT. Exceed 3D for Windows NT supports the OpenGL version 1.0 and GLX version 1.1, and has been enhanced to support simultaneous multi-visuals enabling discrete 3-D applications to be displayed in True Color or pseudocolor. Exceed 3D supports the RGBA and color index modes in all video devices, including True Color 16 and 32 bit color video cards, and overloaded extended visuals to support OpenGL extended attributes such as double and single buffer.

Said Barry Litwin, Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Hummingbird, "Many of our customers are discovering the power of OpenGL for three-dimensional modeling for everything from CAD/CAM to computer animation, and the 32-bit multithreaded architecture of Windows NT makes it a logical platform for GLX development and distribution. We developed Exceed 3D to enable our customers to leverage their investment in hardware and software, and to give many more users access to high end 3-D applications."

Exceed 3D is compatible with Windows NT workstation version 3.51 and is sold as an extension to Hummingbird's Exceed 5 for Windows NT and Exceed 5 XDK for Windows NT. Available in May, 1996, Exceed 3D is priced at US$195. Site licensing is available.

Hummingbird Communications Ltd. specializes in the development of PC to enterprise internetworking software products that provide seamless integration within corporate networks. The Company offers its award-winning Exceed line of PC X servers, the high performance NFS Maestro line, and Columbus, the Intranet desktop software product that integrates portable electronic document technology. Hummingbird products are sold and supported internationally by authorized resellers in more than 40 countries. The company is headquartered in North York, Ontario, Canada, with offices in Mountain View, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, N.C. in the United States; and Geneva, Switzerland; Munich, Germany; Paris, France; and Maidenhead in the United Kingdom in Europe.


IBM Countdown to Cryptolope Containers
IBM Begins Countdown to Cryptolope Containers: Software Technology Protects Content and Provides Payment Mechanism for Owners on the Internet

New York, April 15, 1996 ... IBM today begins a 14-day countdown to the introduction of Cryptolope* containers on the Internet as part of the IBM infoMarket service. A Cryptolope is a secure cryptographic envelope which provides copyright protection of all kinds of content distributed on the Internet including text, sound, video and graphic images. This new software technology will fundamentally improve the quality of the content available on the Internet and the way it is distributed.

During the countdown, IBM's Cryptolope containers will provide users with a variety of timely content at no cost, such as digitized images, sound clips, software, and early releases of information. The Cryptolope countdown can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.infomkt.ibm.com from April 15th through April 28th, after which Cryptolope containers will become generally available through the IBM infoMarket service. This service is a key implementation of IBM's networked computing strategy.

"With the security offered by IBM infoMarket's Cryptolope containers, more publishers will see the Internet as a profitable marketplace, and the quality of information available on the Internet will improve significantly," said Jeff Crigler, vice president and managing director, IBM infoMarket.

IBM developed Cryptolope technology to address the problem of protecting intellectual property from piracy on the Internet and to provide content owners with a mechanism for them to be paid for the use of their work. An abstract, which accompanies the Cryptolope, describes the information contained therein, and its terms of sale. Once the terms are agreed to by the customer, a transparent electronic key is downloaded and used to open and purchase the item. During the 14-day countdown, all users of the Internet will be able to participate and download the information for free.

To participate, users will need access to the Internet, such as that provided by the IBM Global Network, a Netscape 1.2 or higher browser and Windows 3.1, or Windows 3.1.1, and will also need to download - once - a helper application from the infoMarket site.

IBM infoMarket: Secure Content Distribution

IBM infoMarket serves as a clearinghouse for its commercial content and technology providers, managing access and payment processing directly on behalf of the providers. The providers themselves will have the ability to determine the editing, conditions of use, and pricing of their content, giving them greater control over distribution and profitability.

Cryptolope containers will allow content providers to take advantage of "superdistribution," a new business model that enables customers to redistribute a publisher's content to other users and charge them for the subsequent use of their work. Publishers can now take advantage of the Internet as a valuable business medium by which to disseminate their information, with the assurance that infoMarket will bill everyone who makes use of their works.

A major component of infoMarket is its powerful search capability which allows users to simultaneously search the broad scope of the Internet as well as private commercial content with a single query. It then returns the results to the user in a single, relevance-ranked list.

The IBM infoMarket Service is spearheading the movement to enable publishers to take advantage of the Internet as a powerful network-based marketplace and to reach a worldwide audience of millions.

This new service will provide digital publishers with the incentive to create and distribute their content electronically, with the knowledge that they can receive appropriate compensation from infoMarket customers. Additionally, IBM infoMarket will supply the tools to provide these content owners with control over how their information is presented to their customers.

For further information, visit the IBM home page located at http://www.ibm.com on the World Wide Web. Additional information relating to IBM Internet products and services is located: http://www.ibm.com/Internet/. IBM infoMarket Service is located at http://www.infomkt.ibm.com on the World Wide Web.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Time Life Medical - Internet Healthcare Info
IBM and Time Life Medical Team to Deliver Healthcare Information Via the Internet

Center for Patient Education Development and Research of C. Everett Koop Institute also announced

Washington, D.C., April 15, 1996 . . . In response to the growing public demand for accurate, timely healthcare information, IBM and Patient Education Media, Inc., developer of Time Life Medical* healthcare information announced today an agreement to provide high-quality patient education through IBM's HealthVillage** Internet service.

Today's announcement includes the following:

o  Patient Education Media Inc., and IBM will create on-line products based on the newly announced Time Life Medical patient-focused videotapes, which were created under the direction of former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, now Medical Director of Time Life Medical. Through HealthVillage, IBM will deliver an interactive on-line representation -- complete with high quality graphics and computer animation -- complementing the 30 Time Life Medical videotapes now available in more than 18,000 pharmacies nationwide.

o  The creation of Time Life Medical Center, a virtual "building" within IBM's HealthVillage, where consumers can visit and gather information.

o  Electronic enablement of the Center for Patient Education Development and Research of the C. Everett Koop Institute. IBM will provide "intranet" capability to enable the doctors and healthcare professionals who have contributed to the creation of the Time Life Medical tapes to engage in an ongoing, interactive colloquium on ways to enhance the patient-doctor relationship through patient education. This dynamic interaction will also enable both the doctors and the Time Life Medical team to continue to provide the highest quality, most up-to-date patient education materials available.

"The Internet is a powerful potential conduit for delivering healthcare information -- like Time Life Medical's offerings -- to consumers,"said Dr. Richard W. Barker, general manager, IBM Worldwide Healthcare Solutions. "At its core the Internet and networked computing are about giving people access to information. We at IBM are committed to doing so in a user-friendly yet authoritative and objective fashion. This is the goal of HealthVillage -- its success will be measured by the quality of the information we make available -- hence our collaboration with Dr. Koop and the Time Life Medical team."

In commenting on the announcement, J. Keith Green, President and CEO of Patient Education Media/Time Life Medical, said, "Together with IBM, we are taking an important step towards the creation of a major new industry, mass medical communication. Moreover, with IBM, we are putting the building blocks in place to achieve one of Dr. Koop's visions; the addition of the Center for Patient Education Development and Research to the already vital and industrious C. Everett Koop Institute."

The Time Life Medical videotapes were developed with the assistance of more than 1,000 leading medical experts and in association with more than 25 of the nation's leading medical and patient advocacy organizations. Among the conditions covered in the first 30 videos, which are designed to help patients and their families understand a diagnosis, are coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes, menopause, prostate cancer, childhood asthma and stroke. To date, more than one million videotapes have been shipped to pharmacies around the nation.

The Time Life Medical Center

To extend the reach of Time Life Medical's patient information, IBM will electronically enable the Time Life Medical Center, an Internet site within HealthVillage. The Time Life Medical Center will house all of Time Life Medical's on-line data and will be available to every organization and consumer who subscribes to HealthVillage. The Center will provide users with patient education information tailored to individual interests, up-to-date news, and, eventually, access to the C. Everett Koop Library of medical and patient information literature.

Over time, IBM will add additional interactive services and applications to HealthVillage, for consumers, healthcare professionals and healthcare plan providers. These will be drawn from a range of sources including further collaboration with Time Life Medical.

The Center for Patient Education Development and Research of the C. Everett Koop Institute

To ensure that Time Life Medical Center's patient education materials remain current and to meet the needs of contributing doctors and other healthcare professionals, The Center for Patient Education Development and Research has also been established as part of the existing C. Everett Koop Institute. Using the latest IBM networked computing technology to create an electronic "think tank", Time Life Medical's associated healthcare professionals will be able to exchange ideas with each other directly.

"The kind of passion and commitment that the medical community has for patient education reflects their belief that the patient's individual needs are enhanced dramatically when the patient has a solid foundation of understanding of his or her condition. Furthermore, research has indicated that quality patient education can improve health, financial and socioeconomic/cultural outcomes," said Dr. Florence Comite, Time Life Medical's Deputy Medical Director and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine, Founder of Women's Health at the Yale University School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital. "We, together with IBM, are pleased to provide a central place in cyberspace where these dedicated individuals can continue to contribute to and benefit from each other's knowledge and experience in patient education."

HealthVillage

IBM is committed to bringing the power of network-centric computing to bear on healthcare, globally. A key component of this strategy is HealthVillage, an Internet service designed by IBM to deliver healthcare information, services, and education in an easy-to-use manner. IBM is working with partners such as Time Life Medical, leading providers and health plans, publishers, and communications concerns within the healthcare industry to make HealthVillage the most comprehensive and accessible source of healthcare information on the Internet. IBM is also developing customized HealthVillage offerings for healthcare providers, payors and employers to provide online information to their members and patients.

It is expected that many healthcare organizations will want to create their own "HealthVillages". IBM's flexible HealthVillage framework will allow for easy linkage to those villages. For healthcare participants who want a secure facility to provide information to their employees or customers, IBM will provide a secure platform upon which participants can build their own villages.

Time Life Medical

Created under the direction of Dr. Koop, long recognized for patient and health advocacy, working closely with Dr. Comite and multi-disciplinary teams of leading experts, the Time Life Medical patient education videos with personal workbooks will enhance and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship by providing sound, unbiased and clear information. These patient education videos were the first to receive national retail distribution.

Patient Education Media, Inc., developer of the Time Life Medical products, is a privately-held company specializing in mass medical communication, whose mission is to become the preeminent provider of branded patient education. With its headquarters in New York City, Patient Education Media, Inc. is a joint venture involving a number of companies, including a subsidiary of Time Life Inc. and Tucker/Green, a product development company.

Additional information on IBM Healthcare Solutions products and services can be found on the IBM Healthcare Solutions Home Page on the Internet using the following URL: http://www.solutions.ibm.com/healthcare/

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


New IBM 2.5 Inch Hard Disk Drive
New 2.5-Inch Hard Disk Drive Offers OEMs and Industry Users Highest Capacity in Low-Profile Unit for Notebook Computers

IBM Announces Industry Milestone: First Disk Drives to Exceed One Billion Bits Per Square Inch

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 15, 1996 . . . IBM today introduced two 2.5-inch disk drives, including the highest capacity low-profile drive available for notebook computers. In addition, IBM announced a major industry milestone: the world's first magnetic disk drive products to exceed one billion bits of data in a square inch of disk space. A billion bits is equivalent to 62,500 double-spaced, typewritten pages -- enough paper to make a stack 21 feet tall, about the height of a two-story building.

The new two-disk, 12.5 mm (millimeter) Travelstar 3LP offers a choice of an industry-leading 1.44 gigabyte (GB) or 1.08 GB capacities. The companion Travelstar 2XP is a 2.16 GB capacity drive that leads the high-performance market with its rugged three-disk, 17 mm design, and transfer rates ranging from 48.9 to 74.7 Mbits/sec. Each of these new drives boasts the industry's highest capacity per platter, which helps make them lighter weight and higher reliability products.

IBM has won acceptance by notebook systems manufacturers who recognize in its drives the means of offering differentiated mobile products. "We're able to offer exceptional value to our own customers by integrating IBM's industry leading mobile storage solutions into our cutting-edge mobile product line," said David Altounian, director of portable marketing at Dell Computer Corporation. "We look forward to IBM's new set of product offerings."

Both the Travelstar 2XP and 3LP drives are among the most rugged 2.5-inch models available and offer the capacity to support the complex communication and database application mix required by today's mobile users. Leveraging unprecedented areal densities of 1.3 Gb/sq. in. (1.3 billion bits/sq. inch) the drives offer end-users: greater capacity for critical end user data; and enhanced performance through higher data rates. A combination of technologies developed and proven by IBM, including Magneto-Resistive (MR) heads, Partial Response/Maximum Likelihood (PRML) Channels and No-ID sector formatting, allow for greater areal densities and higher performance.

IBM also announced today the 3.5-inch Deskstar 3, a 5400 RPM (revolutions per minute) performance desktop drive available at capacities of 3.24 and 2.16 GB. Both announcements follow IBM's March 6 news of an incremental $500 million capital investment to significantly increase the company's manufacturing volumes to meet increasing demand for IBM disk drives by OEMs, system integrators, and distributors, for stand-alone and network computing applications.

MOBILE STORAGE LEADERSHIP

IBM began shipping 2.5-inch drives to the OEM market in 1992 and since then has become the world's leading supplier. "IBM has consistently leveraged its leading edge technology into mobile products that allow its OEM customers to bring differentiated products to market rapidly," said Crawford Del Prete, vice president of International Data Corporation's Storage Research Program.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGE YIELDS HIGHER PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY

IBM's newest Travelstar drives have been designed to offer full desktop capability to notebook users, and as a result feature some of the highest performance parameters in their class. The 2.16 GB Travelstar 2XP has a rotational speed of 4900 RPM and an average access time of 12 milliseconds (ms). Both the 1.08 and 1.44 GB Travelstar 3LP drives have a rotational speed of 4000 RPM and an average access time of 13 ms. Both are ideal for notebook applications requiring speedy access to large amounts of data, such as integrated fax, animated graphics, Internet access and data transfer, and multimedia. The Travelstar 2XP and 3LP drives support the ATA-3 (PIO Mode-4 and DMA Mode-2) interface.

"Today's mobile computer users expect desktop level capability from their systems," commented Susan Rosenberg, director of mobile storage products, IBM Storage Systems Division in San Jose, Calif. "At IBM, we've managed to transform leadership technology into leading products that meet that demand. In bringing these latest hard disk drives to market, we are utilizing existing technology platforms, so we fully anticipate a smooth, quick manufacturing ramp."

MAXIMUM DATA PROTECTION

The Travelstar 2XP drives are designed to withstand up to 100G of operating shock, and 300G of non-operating shock. The Travelstar 3LP is designed to withstand up to 100G of operating shock and 500G of non-operating shock. IBM defines drive shock resistance as the product's ability to withstand specified shock without damage or degradation of performance, including acoustics.

In addition, both drives support the Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) diagnostic protocol, now an industry standard for warning end users of an impending drive failure. IBM's implementation of the S.M.A.R.T. protocol in its Travelstar drives has been guided by the company's decade of experience in using proven predictive algorithms to detect impending drive failure. This includes its current implementations of Predictive Failure Analysis(PFA) on IBM's higher-end Ultrastar drives.

MORE POWER TO THE END USER

Maximizing battery life is of particular importance to notebook manufacturers and end-users. In response, both new Travelstar drives feature Adaptive Battery Life Extender technology, an exclusive innovation for IBM mobile disk drives that has been shown to reduce disk drive power consumption by as much as 20 percent without compromising system performance. End-users benefit by gaining longer life from their notebook batteries.

WORLDWIDE AVAILABILITY, SERVICE AND SUPPORT

Evaluation units of IBM's Travelstar 2XP, model DCRA-22160, and Travelstar 3LP, models DMCA-21440 (1.44 GB) and DMCA-21080 (1.08 GB) are available now for evaluation by OEM manufacturers, and in volume by June.

All IBM drives are backed by an array of OEM technical support and assistance programs, including customer support, qualification support and integration assistance.

IBM is the world's leading supplier of comprehensive computer storage products that allow people to use, share, protect and manage their information assets around the globe. Through its Storage Systems Division, the company provides storage solutions for IBM and non-IBM systems, offered through IBM as well as a large network of IBM Business Partners. A selection of products, including industry-leading hard disk drives, is offered for use by Original Equipment Manufacturers. In addition to disk drives, IBM's storage portfolio includes disk-based arrays and subsystems; magnetic tape drives, subsystems and automated libraries; optical libraries; storage controllers; and storage management software.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IBM Deskstar 3 High Performance 3.5 Inch HDD
IBM Deskstar 3 Delivers High Speed, Capacity and Reliabilityfor Performance Desktop and Emerging Server Requirements

New 3.24 and 2.16 GB High Performance 3.5-inch Hard Disk Drive

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 15, 1996 . . . IBM today announced the Deskstar 3, a 3.5-inch performance desktop disk drive available at 3.24 gigabyte (GB) and 2.16 GB capacities. The Deskstar 3 is ideally suited for entry-level network servers and Small office/Home office (SOHO) PC applications. With a 5400 RPM (revolutions per minute) speed and 9.5 milliseconds (ms) average seek time, IBM's new drive is one of the fastest in its class. The use of IBM's Magneto-Resistive head technology allows for significant competitive advantages because the number of disks required is fewer when compared with competitive drives in its class.

That high level of performance enables the Deskstar 3 to support such SOHO, consumer and business applications as video downloading, playback and editing; collaborative processing; Internet data downloading; and CAD applications at the desktop level. The drive will be available in volume in June 1996, and will enable IBM's OEM customers to achieve early leadership in the growing high-capacity, high-performance desktop system market.

ACCELERATING DEMAND FOR STORAGE CAPACITY, PERFORMANCE

The release of IBM's newest performance desktop drive coincides with heightened demand for high-performance, high-capacity hard disk drives. "The sales of rigid disk drives will continue to grow significantly," commented Phil Devin, Dataquest vice president and principal analyst. "Purchases of higher-capacity, high-performance desktop storage solutions will fuel this growth, reflecting the purchase of new computers as well as drives to upgrade the capacity of the installed base. As the industry focuses its attention on the 2-4 GB market, the sales of products in this capacity range should triple in 1996."

"IBM's Deskstar 3 is leading a new generation of performance desktop PC drives," commented Bill Healy, director of desktop storage products for IBM's Storage Systems Division in San Jose, Calif. "Opportunities abound for systems manufacturers who can bring performance machines to market quickly and we view the Deskstar 3 as a key building block for the systems currently in greatest demand. We have leveraged all of our proven storage technologies in bringing the Deskstar 3 to market and are in the midst of a smooth manufacturing ramp for product."

Available with an ATA-3 (EIDE) interface, the Deskstar 3 offers data transfer rates of 16.6 MB/sec using PIO Mode 4 and DMA Mode-2. As a result, the drive is ideally suited for accessing data resident within the latest Windows 95 and OS/2 applications on Pentium and PowerPC systems. Sustained data rates ranging from 4.4 (minimum) to 6.3 (maximum) MB/sec allow the Deskstar 3 to read and write large, sequential files, such as those created and manipulated in today's audio/visual applications. Such high data rates, combined with IBM's embedded servo technology, allow the Deskstar 3 to provide the smooth playback essential to quality video production work and presentations.

IBM also announced today two 2.5-inch drives for notebook computers: the Travelstar 2XP, a 17 mm (millimeter) drive with a capacity of 2.16 GB, and the Travelstar 3LP, a 12.5 mm drive at capacities of 1.08 and 1.44 GB. These announcements follow IBM's March 6 news of an incremental $500 million capital investment to significantly increase the company's manufacturing volumes to meet increasing demand for IBM disk drives by OEMs, system integrators and distributors for individual and network computing applications.

TECHNOLOGY BOOSTS CAPACITY, RELIABILITY

Incorporating a highly efficient three-disk design, the Deskstar 3 3.24 GB drive achieves a capacity of 1.08 GB per platter by using MR heads and No-ID sector formatting technology. These technologies, developed at IBM's Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California, yield both maximum per-platter capacities and increased drive reliability through a reduction in the number of heads, disks and other electronic components needed to achieve given capacity points. The two-disk 2.16 GB IBM drive also incorporates these technologies.

The Deskstar 3 further enhances data availability through IBM's implementation of the industry-standard Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) protocol. The S.M.A.R.T. protocol helps to alert users in advance of impending disk failure, so that critical data backup procedures can take place before data is lost. In addition, the Deskstar 3 is scheduled to undergo Windows 95 certification by Microsoft's independent testing facility.

TIME-TO-MARKET ADVANTAGE FOR SYSTEMS MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS

Qualification units of IBM Deskstar 3 disk drive, models DAQA-33240 (3.24 GB) and DAQA-32160 (2.16 GB) are available to OEM customers immediately. The drives will be available to OEMs in volume in June. IBM plans to make the drives available to commercial and industrial distributors in the U.S. through the Options by IBM (OBI) program by July 1996. All IBM drives are backed by an array of OEM technical support and assistance programs, including customer support, qualification support and integration assistance services.

IBM is the world's leading supplier of comprehensive computer storage products that allow people to use, share, protect and manage their information assets around the globe. Through its Storage Systems Division, the company provides storage solutions for IBM and non-IBM systems, offered through IBM as well as a large network of IBM Business Partners. A selection of products, including industry-leading hard disk drives, is offered for use by Original Equipment Manufacturers. In addition to disk drives, IBM's storage portfolio includes disk-based arrays and subsystems; magnetic tape drives, subsystems and automated libraries; optical libraries; storage controllers; and storage management software.

Editors/Reporters: IBM news releases are available on the Internet, via the IBM Home Page at http://www.ibm.com. The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive faxed copies of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Extensive Lotus Desktop Marketing Programs
Lotus Outlines Extensive Desktop Marketing Programs, Announces SmartSuite Price Reduction

Marketing Initiatives Include Increased Advertising, Word Pro Conversion Assistance, Bundle Agreements and New Demo CD with Trial Software

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 15, 1996 - Building on marketing initiatives designed to fuel the growth of the company's business applications division outlined at Lotusphere in January, Lotus Development Corp. today outlined a new, lower pricing strategy for its SmartSuite business productivity software suite. Qualified users can now upgrade to SmartSuite for Windows or OS/2 for $149, making SmartSuite the lowest priced complete business application suite. The new price is part of an aggressive marketing effort designed to expand Lotus' share of the suite market.

Lotus today also outlined several other new marketing initiatives, including:

* An extensive global desktop advertising campaign expanding beyond corporate users to include small office, home office and small-to-medium sized business users;

* The Lotus Gallery 96 CD, an interactive showcase of Lotus' latest product releases, including free trial software, distributed in major retail publications;

* A WordPerfect to Word Pro SwitchKit software package and manual; and

* A SmartSuite and Word Pro bundle agreement with Hewlett Packard's DeskJet 600 printers.

"These marketing initiatives are key to our plans to aggressively win new desktop customers and to expand SmartSuite's market share to more than 20 percent in 1996. In fact, we have already seen evidence of our progress toward this goal," said Jeff Papows, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "With superior team computing features, Notes and Internet integration, SmartSuite has been recognized as the best suite for Windows 95, as evidenced by our recent award in PC Week. With our aggressive pricing structure and the resources of IBM, we are building a strong position in the business applications market."

SmartSuite and Organizer Win PC Week IT Excellence Award

In the April 1 issue of PC Week Magazine, PC Week Labs selected Lotus SmartSuite 96 for Windows 95 and Organizer 2.1 as winners in the Business Productivity category of its First Annual IT Excellence Awards. These awards "recognize products that faced the challenges of PC Week Labs' tests and proved to meet the enterprise-wide needs of corporate IT professionals through excellence in product design and implementation."

PC Week states, "SmartSuite 96 is a suite in the true meaning of the word, with strong document management and Internet access features. Lotus Organizer's notebook approach is easy to navigate, and its flexible group scheduling options range from its own stand-alone server to enterprise-wide scheduling via Lotus Notes or cc:Mail."

"As a strong second player in the desktop suite market, Lotus has driven true innovation in this space," said Bob Flanagan, director of Internet and Collaborative Computing Research, the Yankee Group. "One has only to consider the Team Computing features and Internet integration in SmartSuite to see the level of innovation Lotus has delivered. These new marketing efforts will accelerate the steady increased adoption of SmartSuite 96 as an attractive alternative to Microsoft Office."

New Pricing Sets SmartSuite as the Value Leader

At its new $149 upgrade price, SmartSuite is the value leader in the suite market, providing users with the most complete suite of business applications including: the Word Pro word processor, 1-2-3 spreadsheet, Freelance Graphics presentation graphics package; Approach database; Organizer personal information manager; and ScreenCam multimedia tool. All current users of SmartSuite or individual Lotus desktop applications, and users of qualifying competing suites, spreadsheets, word processors, databases and presentation graphics packages are eligible for the new upgrade price. Pricing has also been significantly lowered for customers of Passport, Lotus' volume purchase discount plan.

Desktop Advertising Campaign Targets Expanded Audience

Lotus has also initiated an extensive desktop advertising campaign targeting small office, home office and small-to-medium sized business users. The program, which began on March 18, includes newspaper and radio advertising throughout North America and includes seminars and Lotus Demo Days at major retailers.

In addition, Lotus is widely distributing the Lotus Gallery 96 CD, an interactive showcase CD of Lotus' latest product offerings, including free trial software. The Gallery has been distributed to more than 150,000 resellers and VARs via trade publications, including Computer Reseller News and Computer Retail Week. The Lotus Gallery offers users a free 45 day trial of all Lotus SmartSuite 96 for Windows applications including 1-2-3, Word Pro, Approach, Freelance Graphics, Organizer and ScreenCam. The Gallery CD also includes:

* Video clips and ScreenCam movies demonstrating product features;

* Detailed product information, including white papers on products such as SmartSuite and Notes;

* A free screensaver; and

* An opportunity to win a Tektronix color printer.

* Conversion Kit Helps WordPerfect Users Move to Lotus Word Pro

To assist users moving from WordPerfect, Lotus today announced the WordPerfect to Word Pro SwitchKit. The kit consists of software that installs directly into Word Pro, adding a new "Help for WordPerfect Users" option in the Word Pro Help menu. Also included is a SwitchKit manual that describes the Word Pro software and how to use it; addresses conversion of WordPerfect files to Word Pro format; and offers users new ways to perform WordPerfect tasks in Word Pro.

The SwitchKit allows users familiar with WordPerfect for Windows or DOS to leverage their knowledge of WordPerfect to learn how to use Word Pro. By utilizing Word Pro's "Ask the Expert" functionality, users gain assistance performing tasks in Word Pro. For North American customers, the SwitchKit will be available on disk this month for both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 versions of Word Pro. To receive the kit free of charge, customers can call 1-800-TRADEUP, extension B690, or find it on Lotus' Home Page, http://www.lotus.com.

Bundling Agreements Expand SmartSuite Distribution and Internet Offerings

Continuing efforts to expand SmartSuite distribution, Lotus is bundling Word Pro and a trial version of SmartSuite with Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 600 printers. Under this agreement, continuing through the end of 1996, SmartSuite will ship with some 2.5 million HP printers in Europe. A Lotus CD with Word Pro and a trial version of SmartSuite will be available in French, Italian, German, Spanish and International English, and will include 10 free hours of Compuserve connection in French, German and International English. The Compuserve installation will take users directly to a Lotus home page that will offer information on HP DeskJet printers and the appropriate Lotus applications.

Combining the HP agreement with the bundling agreements announced in January, Lotus SmartSuite is now offered with the following, reaching an estimated 8 million users:

AST - SmartSuite on AST Advantage! computers in the United States and Canada

Acer - SmartSuite on Acer Aspire computers in the United States and Canada

Epson - SmartSuite on Epson's ActionNote 910C laptops in the United States and Canada

HP - SmartSuite and Word Pro on HP DeskJet 600 printers in Europe

IBM - SmartSuite on all Aptiva, ThinkPad, and IBM 300 and 700 series computers globally

In addition to the extensive built-in Internet capabilities available now in SmartSuite, Lotus has also established partnerships with Internet providers to insure users can easily connect to the Internet. SmartSuite 96 for Windows 95 and SmartSuite 4.0 for Windows 3.1 will continue to include America Online's Global Network Navigator (GNN), an Internet browser and access service, through September 1996 in the United States. The GNN will also be bundled with Lotus Word Pro and Lotus 1-2-3, and will offer users two months and 30 hours free connect time.

Compuserve software customized for Lotus, that incorporates the Spry Mosaic browser, is also being included in all SmartSuite, 1-2-3, Word Pro, Approach and Freelance Graphics products beginning this month. The Compuserve bundle offers users one month and 10 hours free connect time, plus an additional 20 free hours if customers subscribe by September 30, 1996. The Compuserve bundle is available in the United States and Canada, and also will be available in the U.K. under the same terms beginning May 1, 1996.

Lotus began shipping SmartSuite 96 for Windows 95 in November 1995. SmartSuite 4.0 for Windows 3.1 began shipping in August 1995. Lotus also plans to ship a suite of new OS/2 applications, including Word Pro, Freelance Graphics, 1-2-3, Approach and Organizer. The first of the new OS/2 applications is expected to be available next quarter.

Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Next Generation Video Transmission Service
Next Generation Video Transmission Service Announced by IBM

On-demand customer control for video ordering, distribution, bandwidth

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 15, 1996 . . . IBM today announced a new network-based video transmission service called IBM Video Services that revolutionizes the way TV and cable networks, sports organizations or any commercial video users schedule and distribute video. The service raises the broadcast industry to the next technological level of video distribution by making ordering video as simple, fast and cost-effective as making a phone call.

IBM Video Services, to be offered with a business partner TXMedia, Inc., will provide enhanced customer control, service and bandwidth for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint video distribution.

Customers will be able to log on to a PC at their site whenever they want to schedule or receive video feeds and manage the entire process right from the desktop. IBM Video Services literally gives the industry finger-tip control over video broadcast distribution.

The service uses advanced asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching technology and is delivered through the IBM Global Network. It is driven by an intelligent network that manages all of the operational aspects of transmitting video. This is an example of IBM's network-computing strategy, which allows people to receive, use and share applications and services across worldwide voice and data networks.

"IBM Video Services is a stepping stone that moves the industry further into the digital future," said Rick Selvage, general manager, media and entertainment, IBM telecommunications and media industry solutions unit (ISU). "While it is evolutionary in scope, it is revolutionary in the infrastructure that it will provide for a sweeping array of enhanced broadcast services. It literally elevates the broadcast industry to the next level of maturity in terms of editing, archiving and retrieval, as well as ease and simplification of transmission and distribution."

Scott Beers, president of TXMedia, added, "We are excited about our relationship with IBM that brings a highly reliable, cost-effective and customer-controlled product to the video transmission marketplace. We will make the transmission of a video event as easy as making a phone call. It gives customers the ultimate method of video transport."

Among the first customers using IBM Video Services is Keystone Communications Corporation, one of the largest value-added broadcasting transmission providers in the world, which provides professional sports' broadcast rightsholders with thousands of hours of event transmission yearly. Keystone has committed 50,000 hours of usage to the network.

"The IBM and TXMedia offering catapults our industry into the next generation of transmission methods," said Peter Marshall, President of Keystone. "We look forward to being among the first on the network because it will keep us in the forefront of the industry with new technology that will enhance our existing satellite and terrestrial transmission resources. The bottomline is that Keystone's customers will benefit from the most current technology available for the applications they require. Assuring this is our primary business goal."

With IBM Video Services, IBM brings the expertise of its telecommunications and media industry unit, as well as its worldwide global network, and its experience in managing international multi-user networks. IBM also will provide technology, including encoders/decoders, ATM switches and media servers, network management, and its solution development capability.

TXMedia, Inc. offers its broadcast transmission knowledge and experience along with the management expertise of its successful New York customer-controlled video hub called "The Switch". This video switching center, co-owned and operated with Keystone Communications, has 62 customers and over 300 inputs and outputs. In addition, TXMedia brings broadcast operations and production experience, as well as broadcast systems integration, existing customer relationships and extensive knowledge of the broadcast and entertainment industry.

The service will be available later this year with a roll out of up to 41 U.S. cities by 1997 and an additional 18 international cities in 1998.

The IBM Global Network is one of the world's largest providers of integrated data, voice and video services, with more than 25,000 customers in over 850 cities and 100 countries around the world. Its networking solutions include value-added telecommunications services, internet access and navigation services, subscription access to network-enabled application services, complete end-to-end network outsourcing.

The IBM Telecommunications and Media ISU offers a wide range of solutions for the telecommunications, cable TV, wireless, broadcasting, publishing, advertising and entertainment industries.

For more information, contact IBM Video Services representatives at 212-336-5881.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IBM OS/2 Warp Server File/Print Perf on Top
IBM's OS/2 Warp Server Comes Out On Top In File and Print Performance

PC Week Labs Tests Performance of Leading PC Server Operating Systems

AUSTIN, Texas, April 10, 1996 . . . Results of an independent test conducted by PC Week Labs show that OS/2* Warp Server running on a single processor outperforms both Microsoft Windows** NT Server and Novell Netware*** 4.1 running on four-way SMP- (symmetric- multiprocessing) equipped servers.

"We are very pleased with the results of this test, especially considering the fact that Windows NT was running on a server with four 133MHz Pentium processors and Warp Server was running on a uniprocessor machine," said Art Olbert, director of product plan management, IBM Personal Software Products. "Our own tests have shown a 14 percent improvement in file and print performance in OS/2 Warp Server Version 4 over LAN Server* 4.0. That means we have improved performance for our current customers and we have also beaten the competition."

According to the tests, OS/2 Warp Server had a peak performance of 56M bps (mega-bits per second), outperforming Windows NT Server by up to 26 percent in file and print services. Windows NT Server performed at a maximum of 44 M bps, while Netware 4.1 placed last. The testing was conducted with Ziff-Davis Benchmark Operation's newly released NetBench 4.01, with file and print services running on a 100M bps Fast Ethernet network.

"The results of this test are very impressive, but then again, I've always been impressed with the performance of IBM's LAN Server," said John Robinson, systems manager, South Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation. "And as we roll out the new OS/2 Warp Server, I've seen a significant improvement in file and print services."

The OS/2 Warp Server SMP Feature

Currently in alpha testing, the OS/2 Warp Server SMP feature was demonstrated at the launch event of OS/2 Warp Server in February. An open beta program is planned to begin in the second quarter of 1996, with general availability expected in the third quarter of the year.

OS/2 Warp Server Version 4: The Complete Business Solution

OS/2 Warp Server is IBM's business server solution for customers ranging from small businesses to large enterprises. It provides a foundation for application serving and file and print sharing, plus a wealth of integrated features including system management, backup and recovery, remote access, enhanced TCP/IP support, advanced print function and LAN Internet access.

For Internet users, IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and technology on the World Wide Web. The IBM home page is at http://www.ibm.com. The fastest, easiest way to find any information about IBM software is to go to the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com. The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Pentium Processor for Special Environments
Intel Announces Availability of the Pentium Processor for Special Environments

Synchronous Flash Memory and High Performance Microcontroller Also Available

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Apr. 15, 1996 -- Intel Corporation announced today the availability of several versions of the Pentium processor, the 28F016XS 16-Mbit synchronous flash memory and the MCSR 251 microcontroller for the defense, industrial and special environment market segments. All three products are QML-qualified (Qualified Manufacturers Listing) and provide leading-edge commercial technology to the military and special environment markets.

Pentium Processor

The Pentium processor is the highest performance processor Intel offers to the military and special environment market segments. Customers using the Intel Architecture can increase their performance substantially by upgrading to the Pentium processor without re-writing code. The Pentium processor, which has been designed to operate at 3.3 volts, is available at speeds of 100, 120 and 133MHz.

The Pentium processor's dual pipelines, multiple execution units and high external clock speeds make it attractive for applications such as advanced military electronic systems.

Specifically, Intel's Pentium processor can be found in warfare, transportation GPS, communication, and industrial applications. The Pentium processor's high throughput capability is beneficial in C4I applications including data terminals, digital video and high bandwidth data processing and transmission.

28F016XS Flash Memory

Intel is expanding its high-density, high-performance flash memory family for the industrial and military markets. Designed for extreme temperatures (-55C to +125C and -40C to +125C), the 28F016XS is housed in a 56-lead SSOP (shrink, small outline package).The 28F016XS has a synchronous pipelined interface and x8/x16 architecture that allows it to interface with today's burst bus processors with minimal glue logic, providing effective zero wait-state read performance of up to 25MHz.

The 28F016XS provides designers with a flexible, non-volatile alternative to traditional ROM/SRAM memory systems, slow rotating media or battery backed memory arrays. Applications that the 28F016XS can be found in are flight recorders, aircraft black boxes, solid state drives and solid state recorders.

87C251SB Microcontroller

In February 1995, Intel introduced the MCSR 251 microcontroller, the first controller based on its next generation 8-bit architecture. Today, the 87C251SB microcontroller is now available for the defense, industrial and special environment markets. The 87C251SB is a drop- in replacement for the military 87C51FB and FC microcontrollers. When using existing code, the 87C251SB can provide performance improvement of up to 5x; with new code, the device offers up to 15 times the performance of MCS 51 microcontrollers.

The 87C251SB microcontroller is attractive for existing MCS 51 microcontroller applications that need high performance upgrades. The 87C251SB microcontroller can also be used in aircraft instrumentation, hand-held military radios, and other special environment applications.

For more information on these products, call 1-800-628-8686 or the Literature Center at 1-800-548-4725, ext. (in the U.S and Canada)

Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products.


IQ/LiveWeb for Corp Data On-Demand
IQ SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES IQ/LIVEWEB

Access, Report and Publish Corporate Data "On-Demand" Over the Internet

Atlanta (April 16, 1996) - IQ Software (NASDAQ:IQSW), a leading supplier of client/server end-user decision support solutions, today announced a new Internet product called IQ/LiveWeb. IQ/LiveWeb provides on-demand access, analysis, reporting and publishing of information from corporate databases on Web servers. This allows corporations to tap the Internet infrastructure for information access and dissemination using standard Internet browsers.

IQ/LiveWeb is built upon IQ Software's leading three-tier architecture and object-based query and reporting tools. In addition, IQ Software is introducing a new technology called IQ/CyberLinks. IQ/CyberLinks provides universal hyperlinking and intelligent navigation among documents, Internet data sources, and data on corporate servers and personal workstations.

"By integrating its three-tier architecture with the Internet, IQ Software is taking end-user decision support to new heights," said Bob Moran, a leading industry analyst with the Aberdeen Group. "IQ/LiveWeb offers a powerful and scaleable solution to easily access, report and publish information on-demand from corporate databases."

IQ/LiveWeb takes advantage of the advanced functionality of IQ Software's award-winning IQ/Objects and IQ/SmartServer. IQ/SmartServer, the first implementation of three-tier architecture for data access solutions, is a natural fit for the server-based processing required by Internet/Intranet applications. IQ/Objects, a true object-based data access tool provides sophisticated reporting and hyperlinking of its output documents. IQ/LiveWeb allows users and IT professionals to submit queries to corporate databases, schedule them on powerful UNIX or NT servers for execution, and publish them transparently on Web servers. The publishing is accomplished by producing HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) or PDF (Portable Document Format) output formats.

"IQ/LiveWeb delivers corporations the tools they have needed to make the most of the volumes of information available in corporate databases," said Rick Chitty, CEO and president of IQ Software. "These innovative tools make it easy for companies to utilize the World Wide Web infrastructure to provide on-demand database information to employees, customers and business partners."

In a separate announcement today, Hewlett-Packard announced a program that integrates HP Open Warehouse Web with IQ Software Internet decision support tools. This initiative delivers secure access to corporate data warehouses and dynamic Web query and reporting capabilities.

"Users have a real need for over-the-Internet access and publishing capabilities for the ever-changing information in their corporate databases," said George Ferguson, OpenWarehouse program manager of Hewlett-Packard. "The combination of the secure HP Open Warehouse Web and the powerful IQ Software Internet decision support tools allows them to tap into their corporate databases and publish the information to Web servers on demand."

IQ/LIVEWEB

IQ/LiveWeb takes advantage of the powerful Internet infrastructure to deliver comprehensive production reporting to a Web server. It is a complete solution that allows corporate information to be published on Web servers on-demand, or on a scheduled basis. It includes:

* IQ/SmartServer for scheduling and executing queries and reports

  on the server and publishing HTML or PDF output on Web servers

* IQ/Objects for report creation

* IQ/CyberLinks for hyperlinking and intelligent navigation among

* IQ/Objects documents, Internet data sources, corporate databases

  and personal databases.

IQ/LiveWeb delivers several benefits to corporations including:

* Use of Internet backbone providing access to corporate data

  anywhere in the world

* Access to corporate data using standard Internet browsers

* Ability to provide access to corporate reporting on-demand

  or on a scheduled basis

* Ability to view pre-saved reports or execute queries that

  minimize processor and network resources

* Eliminate printing or e-mailing of production reporting by

  publishing it on Web servers

The new IQ/CyberLinks technology allows users to create IQ/Objects documents with "live" and seamless links to related applications or documents. The related information may reside on Web servers, corporate servers or personal desktops. IQ/CyberLinks takes advantage of the true object capabilities of IQ/Objects. It provides several benefits including:

* Flexible linking of multiple IQ/Objects documents for

  drill-down or drill-up

* Linking related documents, research material or other

  information in Cyberspace.

* Linking to your desktop or server applications

PACKAGING, PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

IQ/LiveWeb is a complete solution that includes IQ/SmartServer, IQ/Objects and IQ/CyberLinks. Prices range from $3,995 on the NT and low-end UNIX platforms to $19,995 on the high-end UNIX servers. It will be shipping in May 1996 for leading UNIX platforms including HP-UX, Sun Solaris and IBM/AIX, as well as Microsoft NT.

ABOUT IQ SOFTWARE

Founded in 1984 in Norcross, Georgia, IQ Software is the market leader in providing client/server data access and analysis solutions that deliver business intelligence to business users. IQ Software solutions are used worldwide by more than 1.5 million users to retrieve timely and accurate information to make better business decisions. IQ Software offers a complete software suite for end-user data access and reporting that includes IQ/Objects, IQ/SmartServer, Intelligent Query, and IQ Access. Its products are sold by a direct sales force in North America and Europe, complemented by more than 900 software application developers and vertical market resellers. International distribution is handled by over 50 distributors and by their international subsidiaries. For more information, IQ Software can be reached at: 3295 River Exchange Drive, Suite 550, Norcross, GA 30092, 1-800-458-0386, info@iqsc.com or on the World Wide Web at http://www.iqsc.com.


KL Group Olectra Components for Windows
KL Group Launches Olectra Components For Windows

Olectra Chart Offers Advanced 2D & 3D Controls

(Toronto, Ont. -- April 15, 1996) KL Group Inc., today announced Olectra, a new product line of Windows based GUI components. The Olectra line joins KL Group's award winning XRT family of GUI components, a standard throughout the Unix development community. The first release in the new line is Olectra Chart, which brings KL Group's advanced charting technology to Windows developers, in both OCX and DLL formats.

Olectra Chart contains a 2D and 3D OLE/ActiveX control that lets Windows developers add sophisticated charts such as area graphs, X-Y plots, bar charts, pie charts, combination graphs, financial graphs, logarithmic scientific charts, 3D bars and surfaces, and contour plots to their applications. Olectra Chart supports a wide variety of end-user interactions such as rotating, zooming and scaling. Users can reach all chart properties through a tabbed folder interface. Applications built with Olectra Chart can be distributed free of any run-time fees or royalties.

"We've been using Olectra Chart to build a network management application and have found the quality to be rock solid. The advantage for us is the ability to quickly build a powerful interface with minimal investment on our part. The performance is great, and the technical support has been awesome," enthused Gerry Claflin, an R&D project manager at Hewlett-Packard, and a beta user of Olectra Chart.

"Charting is an important differentiator for our applications," said Kevin Koenig, director of development at StonyBrook Software. "We found that Olectra Chart had features the competition couldn't touch. Its fast performance and overall flexibility are unmatched. The built-in zooming and rotation features provided us with functionality we didn't think possible."

Olectra Chart supports functionality never before available to Windows developers including:

* Two OCXs and Two DLLs - Hundreds of well-structured properties, methods and events in Olectra Chart enable construction and control of virtually any graph.

* Fast Updates and Double Buffering - Developers can build scrolling strip charts and easily add real-time updates.

* Robust and Flexible Axis Labels - Developers can create great looking charts no matter how users resize them, with robust and flexible axis labels including dynamic time/date labels.

* Unlimited Chart Labels - Annotations can be added anywhere with Olectra Chart's flexible chart labels.

* Dynamic Response - Built-in hit detection enables programmers to define dynamic responses to user events, such as zooms and drill downs.

* 3D Contouring and Charting - Auto/custom contouring and zoning, auto/custom axis labels, projections and many other features are included with Olectra Chart's 3D control. 4D surface graphs and bar charts are also supported.

Olectra Chart will begin shipping to customers on June 21, 1996 for an introductory price of $249 US, and comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Olectra Chart will be demonstrated at the KL Group booth at Microsoft Tech Ed '96, April 15 - 19 in Los Angeles, CA.

About the Companies

KL GROUP develops and markets the XRT family of GUI components for Motif, Olectra components for Windows, and JClass components for Java. Founded in 1989, KL Group has posted an operating profit for more than 20 consecutive quarters, while maintaining a yearly growth rate of 50% or higher. KL Group's products are sold from their corporate offices in Toronto, and internationally through a world-wide channel of qualified resellers. For more information telephone (416) 594-1026 or info@klg.com. Visit KL Group on the world wide web at http://www.klg.com.


Madge Networks Graps Interop Spotlight
MADGE NETWORKS GRABS SPOTLIGHT AT NETWORLD+INTEROP

Advanced Technology Demonstrations, Multi-Million Dollar Promotional Campaign Position Company to Lead in Switched Network Market

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- NetWorld+Interop -- (April 2, 1996) -- Madge Networks, a leading supplier of end-to-end switched networking solutions, demonstrated here at NetWorld+Interop today three of the industry's most sought after switched networking technologies: telephony over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Token Ring and Ethernet LAN Emulation (LANE) support over an ATM backbone, and networked multimedia over switched Ethernet and ISDN. The company also kicked off a new marketing campaign with advertising in leading trade publications, extensive direct mail programs and a new 3,000-square-foot trade show booth.

NetWorld+Interop Demonstrations

TELEPHONY OVER A 25 MEGABIT PER SECOND (MBPS) ATM LAN

Using its own 25 Mbps ATM interfaces integrated with PC-based PBX technology from Mitel Corporation, Madge is giving customers a first-hand look at the benefits of combining existing data and voice infrastructures into a single, lower-cost ATM-based information system.

INTEGRATING ATM INTO MAINSTREAM BUSINESS NETWORKS

Madge is demonstrating its new Collage family of standards-based backbone and access products. The demonstration consists of two networked PCs -- one Ethernet and one Token Ring -- interacting with a server attached to the Collage 740 ATM backbone switch running the LANE specification.

PREVIEW OF THE WAY BUSINESS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Another shows a multimedia application running over switched Ethernet in the LAN and multiple ISDN WAN lines for an end-to-end solution that supports data, voice and video. It features Madge's WAN Access Switch product for managing bandwidth needs while keeping WAN costs to a minimum.

"Customers are clamoring for solutions that leverage their existing infrastructures and allow for integration with emerging technologies like ATM and switched WAN connectivity" said Patty Burke, Madge's vice president of marketing for the Americas. "At NetWorld+Interop, Madge is demonstrating these exact capabilities and pointing the way to the high-speed, multiple service internetworks of the future."

New Marketing and Advertising Campaigns

Madge has launched a multi-million dollar worldwide marketing campaign designed to reinforce the company's position as one of the major players in the networking infrastructure business and, specifically, as a leading ATM supplier. New corporate and product ads, a direct mail initiative and expanded trade show visibility are all part of Madge's move to increase awareness of its technologies and solutions.

"The new marketing campaign reflects our corporate goals of innovation and leadership, and positions us as a leading supplier of switched networking solutions for large enterprises," Burke said. "The new campaign targets IS professionals responsible for their organizations' enterprise networks and sends the message that Madge can help them migrate today's networks into the integrated data, voice and video information systems of the future."

About Madge

Madge Networks (NASDAQ:MADGF) is a leading, worldwide supplier of end-to-end switched networking solutions for large enterprises, with a special focus on networks which will be able to support integrated data, voice and video. The company, an originator of ATM, Ethernet, ISDN and Token Ring technology, offers a range of products from desktop connections through LAN and WAN switches, and enterprise network management software. Madge is recognized for its customer support without limits, technology excellence, and end-to-end networking expertise, and serves its multinational customer base in more than 20 countries worldwide from five major business centers located in Hong Kong, London, San Jose, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.

Press Contacts:

 Stacy Biesen             Susan Lider

 Madge Networks           Madge Networks

 408-383-1437             408-383-1420

 sbiesen@madge.com        slider@madge.com


Avid/mFactory Avid Interactive Media Studio
Avid and mFactory Announce Intent to Co-Develop Avid Interactive Media Studio

Companies Announce Process-Based Environment For Interactive Multimedia Production

Las Vegas, Nev. (April 14, 1996) -- At the 1996 National Association for Broadcasters Conference (NAB), Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVID) and mFactory, Inc. announced their intention to collaboratively create and market the Avid Interactive Media Studio, a tightly-integrated production environment for developing and distributing interactive multimedia content. According to the agreement, the Avid Interactive Media Studio will provide a start-to-finish, multi-platform environment utilizing Avid's expertise in digital media creation and editing and mFactory's cross-platform, interactive authoring software, resulting in a powerful tool for creators of professional interactive content.

Avid's expertise in developing award-winning technology for digital nonlinear video editing, audio editing and graphics creation - such as Media Composer, MCXpress for Macintosh and Windows NT, AudioVision, Pro Tools, Matador Sprite and Elastic Reality - along with mFactory's object-oriented, interactive authoring software, mTropolis, will provide the necessary suite of tools to support the editing, authoring, and distribution requirements of professional interactive content creation and development.

"mFactory's strategy is to excel in interactive authoring technology and to align closely with the best-of-breed products in the element and content creation areas," explained Anu Shukla, Chief Operating Officer of mFactory, Inc. "Therefore, it is important that we pick the right strategic partnerships and work in tight collaboration to make them successful. We believe that Avid has the best position and products in digital video media creation and editing."

In addition to offering interactive content developers a suite of powerful and professional tools - all of which are currently available and are being showcased at NAB '96 - Avid and mFactory will work together to address common issues in the current interactive multimedia development process including media management and media interchange between applications. Using the Open Media Framework (OMF) Interchange as a means of exchanging media files between editing and authoring applications, Avid and mFactory will provide developers a seamless method of exchanging digital media files and compositions between their respective products.

According to Bob Sullivan, Avid's vice president of business development and marketing, "Our customers are extremely interested in developing and creating interactive programming for CD-ROM, digital video disk (DVD), and the Internet. The same strategies which we have undertaken to deliver process-oriented solutions for film, video and broadcast will now apply to professional interactive content creation, heavily drawing upon our experience in digital media creation, asset management, networking and distributed workflow. We believe that mFactory's mTropolis product represents the latest state-of-the-art interactive authoring environment and that this partnership is complimentary to our goals. We are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with mFactory."

The Interactive Studio at NAB '96

Visitors to Avid's NAB booth will have the opportunity to see an integrated process-based demonstration using Avid's MCXpress digital video editing solution and mFactory's mTropolis authoring package to create an interactive title. The start-to-finish demonstration, based on Activision's upcoming Muppets Treasure Island interactive game, will show how multimedia content can be created and edited in MCXpress, tracked using Avid's media management technology, authored using mTropolis, and distributed via CD-ROM and the World Wide Web.

A complete suite of media creation and authoring products including Media Composer, MCXpress for Macintosh and Windows NT, Matador Sprite, Pro Tools and mTropolis is currently available through Avid's worldwide distribution channel.

For more information please contact:

 Rick Jackson

 Director of Marketing

 mFactory, Inc.

 415-548-0600

 rickj@mfactory.com


Micrsoft Gets Multiple RetailVision Awards
Microsoft Garners Multiple Awards at RetailVision Trade Show

Retailers Honor Key Products, Channel Strategy

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 16, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. was the big winner at the annual Millennium Awards presentation, held April 12 in Los Angeles as part of RetailVision, a biannual trade show attended by retailers of technology, multimedia products, and entertainment hardware and software. Microsoft won four awards, more than any other vendor. More than 4,000 retailers vote on the Millennium Awards before the event.

Microsoft received awards in both the product and retail service categories. The latter awards included Vendor of the Year, for overall retail strategy and support, and the Millennium Vision Award, honoring Microsoft's contributions toward the future growth of the computer retailing industry. Two MicrosoftR products also garnered Millennium Awards: Microsoft Office for the WindowsR 95 operating system, for Productivity Software, and Microsoft EncartaR 96 Encyclopedia, for Educational Multimedia Software.

"We are extremely pleased to receive these awards," said Ed Belleba, director of retail strategy and services at Microsoft. "What makes the Millennium Awards special is that they are voted by retailers - the people who actually help consumers find the best products for their needs. Their votes reflect their perceptions not only of the quality of Microsoft products, but also of our ongoing efforts to provide retailers with the best possible merchandising, service and support programs."

This show marked the second consecutive year Microsoft has won the Vendor of the Year award. "The fact that retailers have voted Microsoft a Best Vendor twice in a row is even more gratifying," Belleba added. "We recognize how important retailers are to Microsoft's overall marketing efforts, and we will continue to focus on doing the right things to strengthen our retail relationships."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Ships SQL Server 6.5

Industry-Leading Price/Performance on Windows NT Server, New Internet and Intranet Features

SAN FRANCISCO APRIL 16, 1996 Today at DB Expo, Microsoft Corp. announced the release of Microsoft SQL Server 6.5. Fine-tuned to offer the best performance on the Windows NT Server network operating system, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 represents a major enhancement to Microsoft SQL Server 6.0.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, Microsoft's client-server database management system, offers a wealth of new capabilities designed to make it easier for customers to build, deploy and manage distributed client-server applications. Some of the key new features include built-in support for Internet applications, improved support for distributed transactions, heterogeneous replication, enhanced distributed management tools and a new locking architecture called Dynamic Locking.

"Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is a breakthrough for client-server databases, even as the Internet transforms business computing," said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "Beginning with version 6.0 and now with 6.5, Microsoft SQL Server has emerged as one of the pillars of the Microsoft BackOffice family of server applications. Microsoft SQL Server delivers the performance, security and interoperability required across the enterprise and the Internet, yet it is cost-effective and manageable for businesses of all sizes."

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is the best database for Windows NT Server and integrates closely with Microsoft BackOffice. Designed from the ground up to take full advantage of Windows NT Server, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 delivers integration with Windows NT services such as security, event logging, performance monitoring, threading and asynchronous I/O.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 has raised performance standards on Windows NT Server. In TPC BenchmarkR test results announced last week, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 outperformed Oracle 7 and SybaseR System 11 in throughput, at 3,641 tpmCR, with all databases running on Windows NT Server and the same hardware platform. Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 also set a record in price/performance at $147.62 per tpmC, the first time a database on any platform has broken the $150 per tpmC barrier.

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE WITH DYNAMIC LOCKING

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5's speed is based on a combination of refinements in the database engine, better parallelism through expanded use of native Windows NT threads, and new features such as Dynamic Locking. Dynamic Locking is a new technology designed by Microsoft that allows Microsoft SQL Server to choose the right level of lock - row, page, table or database - to maximize both concurrency and speed. Only Microsoft SQL Server dynamically chooses the lock to best fit the needs of the application. Customers can benefit from the greater speed of page locks or the improved concurrency of row locks.

"Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and SAPR R/3 offer a scalable and very cost-effective solution for our joint enterprise customers, " said Karl-Heinz Hess, executive vice president of platforms for SAP AG. "More than 50 R/3 customers are already using Microsoft SQL Server on Windows NT. The addition of Dynamic Locking makes Microsoft SQL Server on Windows NT an even more attractive solution for R/3 customers."

DATABASE-POWERED INTERNET APPLICATIONS

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 simplifies the creation and management of intranet and Internet applications. The new Microsoft SQL Server Web Assistant uses a step-by-step, wizardlike interface to walk a database administrator or Webmaster through the process of publishing Microsoft SQL Server data on the World Wide Web, making it easier to create interactive, database-driven Web sites. The Web Assistant lets Microsoft SQL Server automatically generate hypertext markup language (HTML) pages or populate HTML templates with data from Microsoft SQL Server when data changes or as a scheduled task.

The combined power of Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and Microsoft Internet Information Server allows users to use Web browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, to query data stored in Microsoft SQL Server. Leveraging the built-in ODBC connectivity, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Internet Information Server deliver optimum performance for interactive, database-driven Web sites. In addition, new support in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 for replication of image and text data types enables Microsoft SQL Server to function as a rich content management engine for Web sites.

DISTRIBUTED TRANSACTIONS SIMPLIFIED WITH DTC

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 includes Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC), which makes distributed applications easier to create by automatically managing distributed updates across multiple Microsoft SQL Server systems. This ensures that multiserver updates are consistent and recoverable. DTC also supports XA-compliant transaction processing monitors such as Transarc's Encina, NCR's Top End and Novell's TUXEDOR, and it allows Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 to participate in distributed, heterogeneous transactions. For example, an application using Encina could update a Microsoft SQL Server database on Windows NT Server and an OracleR database running on HP-UXR.

HETEROGENEOUS REPLICATION

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 builds on version 6.0's replication capabilities. Microsoft SQL Server information can now be replicated to Oracle, IBMR DB2R, Sybase and Microsoft Access databases, as well as other ODBC-compliant databases. This allows Microsoft SQL Server to easily interoperate in mixed database environments and is particularly useful in distributed environments for moving information closer to the users who need it.

ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS

Additional new capabilities and features include improved administration, enhanced reliability and recoverability, and extended support for data warehousing applications.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 includes enhancements to SQL Enterprise Manager, a management tool for administering distributed Microsoft SQL Server systems. A new DBA Assistant automates routine maintenance chores, an extensible toolbar and menu make it easy to integrate third-party management tools, and integrated data-transfer tools simplify data migration.

New fault tolerance and recovery capabilities include backup and restore of individual tables and point-in-time recovery. In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is the first database to support the CompaqR Online Recovery Server for automatic failover in the event of system failure.

New features for data warehousing include OLAP query operators, CUBE and ROLLUP, which simplify retrieval of multidimensional result sets. A new "data pipe" capability lets Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 programmatically collect data from multiple sources, including Microsoft SQL Server and other databases, for consolidation into a data warehouse on Microsoft SQL Server.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 server licenses are available for $999, and a single client-access license is $149. Volume discounts are available. The following package configurations are available for the retail channel: five-user system, $1,399; 10-user system, $1, 999; 25-user system, $3,999; 50-user system, $7,999; 100-user system, $15,999; and 250-user system, $24,999. Client-access licenses are available in a five-user pack for $739 and a 20-user pack for $2, 369.

A special unlimited-user access license for Internet and intranet use, Microsoft SQL Internet Connector, is $2,999. This cost-effective licensing option, available for Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 or 6.5, eliminates the need to count concurrent database connections or users, simplifying the deployment of Web-based solutions.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 has released to manufacturing, with availability in the channel expected within the next two weeks. All prices quoted are estimated U.S. reseller prices.

A no-charge 120-day evaluation version of Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is available now for downloading from Microsoft's Web site. For more information on Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, visit the Microsoft Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/SQL/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Seminars Bring Tech Solutions to Retailers
Microsoft, National Retail Federation Host National Seminar Series To Bring New Technology Solutions to Small and Medium-Sized Retailers

Program Provides Practical Information on How Retailers Can Use Technology For Competitive Advantage, Improved Store Operations, Higher Profits

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 16, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. and the National Retail Federation (NRF) today announced a nationwide seminar series to bring new technology solutions to small and medium-sized retailers around the country.

The 38-city 1996 Small Store Technology Tour will give retailers tools to assess their technology needs and to maximize their return on investments in store and back-end systems. They will learn about new retail systems and how these systems can give them a competitive advantage in their businesses. The tour will also provide insights into the Internet and how retailers can use it today to increase and enhance their businesses.

The series of daylong workshops will be presented by nationally known technology speaker Jim Dion, senior consultant of J.C. Williams Group.

"Retailing is all about connecting with customers, suppliers, manufacturers, sales staff and - in today's environment - technology," Dion said. "A cash register, a quick mind and a great business plan aren't enough to guarantee your future anymore. To become a front-runner, you need to know how available technology can make your business stronger. That's what the 1996 Small Store Technology Tour is all about."

"Microsoft is committed to working with Microsoft Solution Providers focused on the retail industry and to providing them with the technologies and tools to deliver outstanding solutions to small and midsized retailers," said Judy Dulcich, retail industry marketing manager at Microsoft. "Microsoft Windows and Windows NT Server have become the operating systems of choice in the retail industry. The technology seminar series will help small and medium-sized retailers take advantage of the tremendous business benefits that Windows-based solutions offer them."

The technology series brings together the NRF, the world's largest retail trade association, Microsoft, the worldwide leader in software for personal computers and Compaq Computer Corp., the world's largest personal computer technology provider. Other sponsors are Epson America and Comshare. The seminar series is designed for store owners and operators, regional managers, corporate executives and nontechnical merchandising executives.

The seminars will cover the retail uses of electronic data interchange (EDI), point-of-sale systems, database management, back-end software, desktop publishing, relational databases, inventory management, time management and scheduling, e-mail and Internet solutions.

Seminar attendees will be briefed on software designed by winners of the 1996 Microsoft Retail Application Developer (RAD) Awards. The RAD Awards will be announced June 10 at the Dallas Convention Center at the Retail Systems 96 show. RAD Awards go to developers who best use Microsoft technology to provide tangible business benefits to small and medium-sized retailers. Winning solutions will be evaluated on the following criteria: their ability to reduce costs and increase sales, to integrate with other applications and legacy systems, and to be easy to adopt and maintain.

The seminars will also feature a Solutions Fair with exhibits, booths and demonstrations by additional Microsoft Solution Providers offering technology solutions and services for the retail industry.

Seminar leader Jim Dion has extensive background in retail selling, training, marketing, buying, operations and administration. He consults with retail organizations throughout the United States and Canada. Dion is a Microsoft developer and recognized computer expert, having designed and installed hundreds of retail systems.

The Small Store Technology Tour will be held at these locations:

 JUNE 25, PHILADELPHIA;

 JUNE 26, PITTSBURGH;

 JUNE 27, WASHINGTON,D.C.;

 JULY 2, BALTIMORE;

 JULY 9, SAN JOSE, CALIF.;

 JULY 10, SAN FRANCISCO;

 JULY 11, RIVERSIDE, CALIF.;

 JULY 16, ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.;

 JULY 17, LOS ANGELES;

 JULY 18, SAN DIEGO;

 JULY 30, SEATTLE;

 JULY 31, DENVER;

 AUG. 1, PHOENIX;

 AUG. 3, CHICAGO (MERCHANDIZING MART);

 AUG. 5,BOSTON;

 AUG. 6, FAIRFIELD, CONN.;

 AUG. 7, NEWARK, N.J.;

 AUG. 8, BERGEN COUNTY, N.J.;

 AUG. 13, CHARLOTTE, N.C.;

 AUG. 14, GREENSBORO, N.C.;

 AUG. 15, MIAMI;

 AUG. 20, TAMPA, FLA.;

 AUG. 21, ORLANDO, FLA.;

 AUG. 26, SAN ANTONIO;

 AUG. 27, DALLAS;

 AUG. 28, SALT LAKE CITY;

 SEPT. 9, KANSAS CITY, MO.;

 SEPT. 10, ST. LOUIS, MO.;

 SEPT.11, DETROIT;

 SEPT. 12, INDIANAPOLIS;

 SEPT. 24, ATLANTA;

 SEPT.17, MILWAUKEE;

 SEPT. 18, CLEVELAND;

 SEPT. 19, COLUMBUS, OHIO;

 SEPT. 25, CINCINNATI;

 SEPT. 26, MINNEAPOLIS;

 SEPT. 28, CHICAGO (RISCON);

 AND OCT. 8, HOUSTON.

Retailers interested in seminar registration information should contact the National Retail Federation, Small Store Technology Tour at (202) 783-7971 or (fax) (202) 783-0581, or write to the NRF at 325 Seventh St. N.W., Ste. 1000, Washington, D.C. 20004.

Additional information on Microsoft solutions for the retail industry is available on the Microsoft Web site at HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/INDUSTRY/.

The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association, with membership that includes the leading department, specialty, discount, mass-merchandise and independent stores as well as 32 national and 50 state associations. NRF members represent an industry that encompasses more than 1.4 million U.S. retail establishments, employs more than 20 million people, one in five American workers, and registered 1995 sales of $2.3 trillion. NRF's international members operate stores in more than 50 nations.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Acquires EXOS Inc

Developers of Force Feedback Technology Join Microsoft Input Device Group

REDMOND, WASH. APRIL 15, 1996 Microsoft Corp. today announced the acquisition of EXOS Inc., developers of the force feedback technology for game control devices. This latest addition to Microsoft's input device group strengthens the company's commitment to providing consumers with more compelling PC game play.

The input device group designs and markets personal computer input devices, including the highly successful Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro joystick. SideWinder 3D Pro uses innovative digital optical technology to increase responsiveness, precision and reliability in PC game play.

"The acquisition of EXOS marks another important milestone for the input device group - it demonstrates the group's commitment to developing high-quality gaming devices using innovative technology," said Rick Thompson, general manager of the input device group at Microsoft.

"Force feedback technology enables users to feel gaming effects such as race-car crashes, turbulent flight simulations, and gun recoils," said Beth Marcus, chairman and chief technical officer of EXOS Inc.

Thompson added, "We are excited to bring added realism, provided by the force feedback technology, to our consumers' gaming experience. Soon, players will feel every bump, every brake and crash, every jab and every shot."

Founded in November 1988, the Boston, Mass.-based EXOS Inc. designs, develops and manufactures controllers for interactive entertainment for arcades, home video systems and PCs.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Directors Chair Real-Time Scene-Editing Tool
DreamWorks Interactive Uses Softimage Technology to Develop Spielberg's Directors' Chair

Digital Scene-Editing Tool Gives Creative Professionals Ability to Control Computer-Generated Scenes as If They Were Live Action Scenes

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 15, 1996 - Softimage Inc., the world's leading high-end 3-D animation software company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp., today announced that DreamWorks Interactive will use technology available in the Softimage Software Development Kit (SDK) to create Directors' Chair, a real-time digital scene-editing tool. Directors' Chair will be used throughout the DreamWorks organization to help produce interactive games and feature motion pictures. The project was initiated by DreamWorks SKG co-founder Steven Spielberg.

Using joysticks, tablets and an easy-to-use graphical user interface, Directors' Chair allows DreamWorks creative professionals with little or no computer-animation experience to manipulate virtual scenes in much the same way they control live action scenes. Creative professionals immerse themselves in the scene and in real time can control lighting effects, camera angles, zooms and other scene elements. Through the immediate feedback and the nontechnical interface, creative professionals will have virtually unlimited control over the computer-generated scene.

"The key to Directors' Chair is that virtually all creative professionals - directors, producers, cinematographers, actors and writers - can work together to create and refine computer-generated scenes," said Glenn Entis, head of DreamWorks Interactive. "We believe Directors' Chair will allow DreamWorks filmmakers to design complex shots in a more natural, intuitive way."

"Directors' Chair is an excellent example of how the visual-effects industry is changing from computer-driven to artist-driven tools," said Daniel Langlois, founder of Softimage and senior director at Microsoft.

"For the first time, computer nonspecialists will be able to control virtual worlds with the same style, creativity and energy as they control live action," said David Morin, director of special projects for Softimage. "We are pleased to work with DreamWorks on this cutting-edge project."

USING DIRECTORS' CHAIR

Directors' Chair will be used for projects throughout the DreamWorks organization. For example, when setting up a dramatic scene in a game or feature film, the director, cinematographers, writers and producers can work together to reposition cameras, zoom in and out, and change from diffused light to direct light until they get precisely the scene they desire. Scene elements can be manipulated using joysticks, tablets, track balls or virtually any other kind of input device. Directors' Chair provides immediate feedback on how the scene will look.

Softimage is a pioneer in developing real-time 3-D technology and applications, including virtual sets. DreamWorks Interactive bases its Directors' Chair code on the Softimage Software Development Kit, which is available to all qualified software developers and Softimage customers.

DreamWorks Interactive, a joint venture between DreamWorks SKG and Microsoft Corp., is a publisher and developer of interactive software chartered with creating emotionally compelling entertainment products and experiences. The company is one part of the DreamWorks vision created by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen and which includes film, television and record companies.

Founded in 1986, Softimage develops software for media-rich applications including video, film, interactive games and CD-ROM applications. Products include Softimage 3D (high-end animation), Softimage Eddie (compositing) and Softimage Toonz (2-D cel animation). The company was acquired in 1994 by Microsoft Corp. Additional information about Softimage and Microsoft can be found via the Internet at HTTP://WWW.SOFTIMAGE.COM/ and http://www.microsoft.com/, respectively.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Softimage general information, (800) 576-3846; Internet: http://www.softimage.com/


Internet Explorer Launches Wildcat! Clients
Microsoft Internet Explorer Now Able to Launch Wildcat! 5 Web Server Interactive Clients

Revolutionary Interactive Platform Now Provides Chat, File Uploading / Downloading, and Full Messaging Capabilities Among Users With Microsoft's Browser.

Bakersfield, CA - April 16, 1996: Mustang Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSTG) announced today that its Wildcat! 5 Interactive Web Server has attained full "browser independence" with the addition of interactive client access with Microsoft Internet Explorer. The wide area beta test, which begins today, enables Internet Explorer browser users to fully experience e-mail, threaded messaging, chat, instant messaging and file library features found on Mustang's Wildcat! 5 Web sites.

Embracing Internet Explorer access also opens use of Wildcat! 5 sites to the millions of national online service subscribers who choose to have Internet Explorer integrated into their online software. Visitors to Wildcat! 5 online communities not only have interactive communication with the site's developers, but can also freely communicate with others visiting the Web site, using bulletin boards, real-time group chatting areas and internal e-mail features, among others.

"The move to allow Internet Explorer access to Wildcat!'s interactive clients not only allows almost anyone with an Internet connection and a Web browser to participate in Wildcat! 5 online communities," stated Jim Harrer, President and CEO of Mustang Software, "the move will ultimately allow millions of users on national online services that use Internet Explorer as part of their service the opportunity to explore and interact in Wildcat! 5 Web sites."

Mustang Software recently enabled Netscape Navigator users full access to Wildcat! 5 clients (Monday, 4/15/96). This, combined with today's announcement expands the Wildcat 5 target audience to encompass virtually anyone with a browser or modem. Computer users who do not have Internet access can use Mustang's freely distributable Wildcat! Navigator for direct dial access to the Wildcat! online platform.

On their initial visit to a Wildcat! 5 site, Internet Explorer users have the option of downloading any of seven individual clients for use while accessing any Wildcat! 5 site. The Messaging client allows users to send and receive e-mail (with or without attachments), either individually or by using the built-in address books; it also lets users read, scan, search and respond to threaded messages in internally generated message groups or imported Usenet newsgroups. The File and Transfer clients allow users to upload and download files (with helpful file wizards), and gives users file search and content viewing features. Two communications clients allow real-time interaction: the Chat client allows group and private teleconferencing, while the Instant Message client allows the ability to send and receive instant messages to and from others currently online. The Who's Online client automatically shows how many users are visiting the Wildcat! 5 site, while the Personal Properties client allows users to change individual system settings including passwords.

Recently named as "Best New Internet Product" at FOSE '96 in Washington DC, the breakthrough Windows 95/NT Wildcat! 5 offers consumers, groups, and business the power to build interactive Web sites and online communities. Additionally, Wildcat! 5 provides business superior Intranet solutions for internal information distribution. Those interested in experiencing Wildcat! 5 online communities with Microsoft's Internet Explorer can visit the beta site at bbs.mustang.com or by connecting via modem at (805) 873-2400. Mustang Software will also be exhibiting Wildcat! 5 at Spring Internet World '96 in San Jose, California from April 29 through May 3, 1996.

Wildcat! 5 is distributed by Ingram Micro, Merisel and DistribuPro. Resellers include CompUSA, Egghead, Computer City, Software Etc., Babbages, Best Buy, Micro Center, Media Play, Fry's Electronics and Office Max. Wildcat! 5 is also available on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule 70 B/C. The Wildcat! product line has an active installed base of more than 50,000 sites.

Mustang Software can be reached by calling 805/873-2500, or 800/999- 9619; or via BBS 805/873-2400; and Web http://www.mustang.com. Founded in 1986, Mustang designs, develops, markets and supports online communications software with its headquarters located at 6200 Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, California, 93306.


Wildcat! 5 Web Server Clients from Netscape
Wildcat! 5 Web Server's Interactive Clients Now Accessible With Netscape Navigator

Over 16 Million Netscape Navigator Users Can Now Access Interactive Web Site Features; Mustang Internet Platform Gains "Browser Independence".

Bakersfield, California - April 15, 1996: Mustang Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSTG) announced that its Wildcat! 5 Interactive Web Server now supports full interactive access with Netscape Navigator Web browsers in a wide area beta beginning today. The award-winning Wildcat! 5 Internet / Intranet platform now allows Netscape Navigator browsers full access to launch interactive clients including threaded message groups, real-time group and private teleconferencing ("chat"), and file library uploading and downloading. The move to "browser independence" -- the ability to access Wildcat! 5 with standard web browsers - has been targeted by Mustang executives and greatly expands accessibility to the Web platform's audience. Netscape Communications Corporation's (Nasdaq: NSCP) Netscape Navigator is currently the world's most popular Web browser which, according to PC Week estimates, is used by 84% of the Internet users domestically and internationally. Nielsen Media Research has estimated the total number of Internet users exceeds 20 million.

"Implementing 'browser independence' is the next logical step in Wildcat! 5's evolution," stated Rick Heming, Vice President of Operations for Mustang Software, Inc. "Our first goal with Wildcat! 5 was to provide graphical access to Wildcat! 5 sites for the millions of users who do not have Internet access - a goal we achieved by creating the Wildcat! Navigator for dial-up connections. Our second goal is to enable the millions of users already on the Internet to participate in Wildcat! 5's interactive features. Opening access of Wildcat! 5 to Netscape Navigator users expands our target market to a majority of Internet users who will want to interact in Wildcat! 5's online communities."

On their initial visit to a Wildcat! 5 site, Netscape Navigator users have the option of downloading any of seven individual clients for use while accessing any Wildcat! 5 site:

* The Messaging client allows users to send and receive email (with or without attachments), either individually or by using the built- in address books; it also lets users read, scan, search and respond to threaded messages in internally generated message groups or imported Usenet newsgroups.

* The File and Transfer clients allow users to upload and download files (with helpful file wizards), and gives users file search and content viewing features.

* Two communications clients allow real-time interaction: the Chat client allows group and private teleconferencing, while the Instant Message client allows the ability to send and receive instant messages to and from others currently online.

* The Who's Online client automatically shows how many users are online, while the Personal Properties client allows users to change individual system settings including passwords.

Recently named as the "Best New Internet Product" at FOSE '96 in Washington DC, the breakthrough Windows 95/NT Wildcat! 5 offers consumers, groups and business the power to build interactive Web sites and online communities. Additionally, Wildcat! 5 provides business superior Intranet solutions for internal information distribution. Those interested in experiencing Wildcat! 5 online communities with Netscape Navigator can visit the beta site at bbs.mustang.com or by connecting via modem at (805) 873-2400.

Wildcat! 5 is distributed by Ingram Micro, Merisel and DistribuPro. Resellers include CompUSA, Egghead, Computer City, Software Etc., Babbages, Best Buy, Micro Center, Media Play, Fry's Electronics and Office Max. The Wildcat! product line is a leader with an active install base of more than 50,000 sites.

Mustang Software can be reached by calling 805/873-2500, or 800/999-9619; or via BBS 805/873-2400; and Web http://www.mustang.com. Founded in 1986, Mustang designs, develops, markets and supports online communications software with its headquarters located at 6200 Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, California, 93306


MicroStrategy DSS Web Widespread Acceptance
MicroStrategy's DSS Web Gains Widespread Acceptance

LEADING PRODUCT FOR ACCESSING DATA WAREHOUSES VIA THE WORLD WIDE WEB

DB/EXPO, San Francisco, April 16, 1996 -- MicroStrategy, the largest relational on-line analytical processing (ROLAP) vendor, comments on the overwhelming support and acceptance of DSS Web, its recently introduced relational OLAP interface for the World Wide Web. DSS Web is a server-based product that enables end users to access data warehouse and decision support applications through standard Internet browsers.

"The response to DSS Web has been tremendous," said Michael J. Saylor, president and CEO of MicroStrategy. "Every segment of the industry has expressed interest in using DSS Web to distribute decision support applications. Publishing a data warehouse over the Web makes it accessible by both the users within the company and external parties (suppliers, customers, partners, etc.), and enables a level of decision support that was not possible until now. With the economic and technical barriers to data warehouse deployment removed, entirely new markets for decision support are emerging and companies are realizing that the competitive advantage will go to those firms which have well-informed employees making well-informed decisions."

CLIENT WEB-ENABLED DATA WAREHOUSES BEING DEVELOPED

MicroStrategy has a number of customers developing mission-critical Web-based ROLAP applications using DSS Web. "Our customers are excited about DSS Web because as a server-based application, it drastically reduces the end-user installation, deployment, maintenance, training, and software costs normally associated with data warehouse implementation," continued Saylor.

Clients using DSS Web for developing applications include Hannaford Bros. Co., a $2.5 billion company with stores in New England and the Southeast. Hannaford is enabling remote decision support by using DSS Web to create a high performance, easy-to-implement solution for store-level decision making. With DSS Web, Hannaford's remote users and corporate users have comparable access to critical data. DSS Web supplies store managers with access to this information in a user-friendly, easy-to-understand format. In addition to making this data easily accessible, DSS Web's server-based architecture dramatically reduces many of the costs associated with deploying enterprise OLAP applications, while minimizing the overall impact on Hannaford's information technology infrastructure.

ShopKo is a high-volume, regional, discount department store chain based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In addition to carrying a wide selection of 150,000 different items, ShopKo operates complete pharmacy and optometry departments in all of its stores. Through its ProVantage subsidiary, ShopKo provides pharmaceutical claims processing and mail-order pharmacy prescription benefit management services to hundreds of client companies. The desire to expand its health services business has led ShopKo to develop a unique initiative to support health insurance providers, specifically with American Medical Security (AMS), a mid-sized health insurance company. Using MicroStrategy's entire suite of DSS products, ShopKo and AMS have developed an OLAP application that provides enterprise-wide DSS services and allows AMS to more effectively analyze and market their health insurance business. Using DSS Web, MicroStrategy's relational OLAP interface for the Web, AMS's regional sales managers, brokers, and agents throughout the company will be able to remotely access the system to mine data for a competitive advantage. DSS also makes it possible for hundreds of ProVantage's client companies to access their data remotely to analyze their utilization of prescription benefits to control costs and provide their members with the best possible services.

PARTNERS EXCITED ABOUT DSS WEB

In addition to customers, a variety of industry-leading application, integration, and platform partners such as NCR, Tandem, Sun and IMS have announced support for DSS Web. Strategic partners such as NCR recognize that customers -- including large retail, financial and communication industry customers -- are looking for WWW-based data warehouse access to leverage and grow their warehouse investments and improve integration with suppliers and customers. "We're partnering with MicroStrategy because they have the most scalable, high-performance relational OLAP solution today," said Dan Harrington, NCR's Vice President - Computer Systems Group Solutions Marketing. "This agreement will enable us to meet our customers' demand for remote access to information for critical decision making."

IMS, the world's premier source of information and decision support systems on the health care industry, has integrated MicroStrategy's relational OLAP products to develop Xplorer, a sophisticated, client/server-based data management tool designed to support the exploding information needs of the health care industry. Using Xplorer on the Internet, pharmaceutical companies can perform sales and marketing analyses enabling them to more accurately target prescribers, segment markets, and track sampling and detailing levels by geography and specialty. It also allows pharmaceutical firms to more effectively manage regional business units and to develop strategies and negotiate contracts with managed care providers.

LEADING ANALYSTS VERIFY TREND

The importance of this technology can be confirmed by the recent series of reports written by industry leading analysts. In a new note, "Web Warehouses: DSS For the Masses," The Aberdeen Group reports on how the combination of the Web, relational OLAP, and parallel- scalable technologies will bring Web-enabled data warehouses to the masses. The report discuses how the Web is helping to eliminate the extraneous costs and technology weaknesses that have been data warehouse stumbling blocks for many IS decision makers. Aberdeen sees Web-based data warehouses as removing some of the barriers that have kept potential users both inside and oustide of the enterprises from interacting with corporate data. In its recently published white paper, "OLAP on the Web? Kick Them Tires but Don't Kick'em Too Hard," the Yankee Group examines the architecture of Web-based OLAP products and attempts to position them tactically and strategically within an organization's overall IT plan.

ABOUT MICROSTRATEGY, INC.

MicroStrategy is the leading provider of relational OLAP products and services for developing and accessing enterprise data warehouses. MicroStrategy has been recognized by Database Programming & Design as one of the Database Dozen: twelve companies that define the direction of the database industry. MicroStrategy was the first vendor to define a decision support object framework introducing intelligent agents and exception-reporting alerts; to develop a logical transparent map between multidimensional views and relational tables; to deliver an off-the-shelf, three-tier, decision support environment; and to provide OLAP functionality over the World Wide Web. MicroStrategy has the most experience in developing decision support systems on data warehouses exceeding 500 gigabytes. Its DSS Agent product line is widely used by Fortune 1000 corporations worldwide, and in alliances and partnerships with a variety of industry-leading companies.

MicroStrategy has offices in Washington, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, London and Barcelona. Corporate headquarters is located at 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, Vienna, VA 22182; Phone: 703-848-8600; Fax: 703-848-8610; Internet: info@strategy.com; World Wide Web: http://www.strategy.com/.


MetaTools Final Effects AP for Win NT/95
MetaTools Introduces Final Effects AP for Windows NT/95

Gives Adobe Premiere Windows Users Professional Video Special Effects

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, APRIL 15, 1996 (NAB)--MetaTools, Inc. (NASDQ: MTLS) today introduced Final Effects AP for Windows NT/95, a set of 16 powerful video and animation special effects plug-in applications for Adober Premierer for Windows. Final Effects AP offers video, film and multimedia producers; animators; CD-ROM and game developers; training, interactive tutorial and interactive sales and marketing kiosk developers; and digital video hobbyists, workstation-quality video special effects on their personal computers.

"Final Effects AP gives Adobe Premiere users the capability to create a wide variety of compelling special effects," said Steve Kilisky, product marketing manager for Adobe Premiere for Windows. "With Final Effects AP, Adobe Premiere Windows NT/95 users can easily create custom elements such as stars, snow, rain and other particle and special effects that would normally require specialized skills or more expensive hardware and applications."

The Final Effects AP for Windows NT/95 particle system, distortion and stylistic effects, transitions, and color controls allow video professionals and hobbyists to produce stunning effects similar to those seen on network television and major motion pictures without the need for big budgets or costly workstations. With the advanced particle system generator users can create simple raindrops or a summer downpour, floating snowflakes or cascading hail storms, hazy smoke or raging fire storms. The creative possibilities are endless.

Final Effects AP for Windows NT/95 empowers users to discover their own custom special effects. It offers a virtually unlimited number of dynamic combinations, with interactive control over even subtle compositing details. Fast previews reduce costly mistakes, such as unnecessary renderings. The Final Effects AP interface is a natural extension of Premiere, enabling even beginners to build new creations from the start.

The suggested retail price for Final Effects AP for Windows NT/95 in the United States is $199 and will be available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and MetaTools by the end of the second quarter of 1996. Minimum system requirements include an IBM PC 486 or compatible with a math coprocessor; 2MB RAM (sharing host program's memory allocation); 8-bit video; Windows NT/95 and applications that support 100% Adobe Premiere plug-ins. A Pentium processor with 16 MB RAM and 24-bit video is recommended.

MetaTools, Inc., the visual computing software company, designs, develops, publishes, markets and supports software tools for creating, editing and manipulating computer graphic images, digital art and Internet/online content for Windows, Macintosh and other computing systems. The Company is located in Santa Barbara County at 6303 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013; Tel: 805-566-6200; Fax: 805-566-6385; World Wide Web server: http://www.metatools.com.


Final Effects for Adobe After Effects
MetaTools To Bring Final Effects for Adobe After Effects to Windows NT/95 Platform

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, APRIL 15, 1996 (NAB)--MetaTools, Inc., (NASDAQ: MTLS) today announced that it is developing its award-winning Final Effects 3, for the Windows NT/95 operating system on Intel architecture. Final Effects will be a set of powerful video and animation special effects extensions that plug into Adober After Effects for Windows NT/95, which is also being announced today by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Final Effects will offer video and film producers, animators, CD-ROM and game developers, and training and interactive tutorial and kiosk creators sophisticated, workstation-quality video special effects on their personal computers.

"We are committed to bringing our award-winning digital video technology to the Windows NT/95 platform," said John Wilczak, founder and CEO for MetaTools. "With the release of Final Effects for Adobe Premiere for Windows NT/95 first, then the release of Final Effects for After Effects, any customer wanting to create awesome digital video and animation special effects will have a full suite of compelling tools available."

"We are extremely pleased that MetaTools is bringing its Final Effects technology to the Windows NT/95 platform," said Keith Zentner, After Effects product manager for Adobe After Effects. "Final Effects will let users create amazing particle effects right inside After Effects. These plug-ins will be an incredible addition to After Effects that our users will want to add to their digital video toolbox."

"With the computing power of the Pentiumr Pro processor and the exceptional video special effects capabilities of Adobe After Effects, combined with MetaTools Final Effects, the Windows NT/95 operating system on Intel architecture now offers professionals a powerful platform for digital video production," said Tim Yiu, manager, authoring tools program for Intel Corporation.

Final Effects for Windows NT/95 will transform basic video compositions into remarkable presentations for output on film, videotape or CD-ROM. Users will be able to generate fire, smoke, rain, explosions, transitions, dramatic color shifts on background elements, distortion effects, and much more. Near real-time previews will reduce costly mistakes, such as unnecessary renderings. Its resolution-independent environment will allow professional quality output in NTSC, PAL, SECAM, HDTV or 35mm.

MetaTools plans to ship Final Effects near the time that Adobe Systems plans to ship Adobe After Effects for Windows NT/95. The suggested retail price in the United States will be $695.

MetaTools, Inc., the visual computing software company, designs, develops, publishes, markets and supports software tools for creating, editing and manipulating computer graphic images, digital art and Internet/online content for Windows, Macintosh and other computing systems. The Company is located in Santa Barbara County at 6303 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013; Tel: 805-566-6200; Fax: 805-566-6385; World Wide Web server: http://www.metatools.com.


NETCOM REACHES 400,000 SUBSCRIBER MARK

Leading Internet Service Provider Reports Fifth Consecutive Record Growth Quarter Since IPO; Adds 83,500 Subscribers in 1st Quarter

San Jose, California, April 10, 1996 -- NETCOM On-Line Communication Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:NETC), a leading Internet Service Provider, today announced the sign-up of its 400,000th subscriber. The milestone comes on the heels of another record growth quarter, which ended March 31, 1996 with 83,500 new subscribers. The quarter-end result represents a 27% growth rate over the previous quarter and a 243% increase in subscribers in the past 12 months ending in March with 391,000 total subscribers. Since going public in December 1994, the Company has continually posted record subscriber growth in the face of increased competition in the market, and maintains its position of owning the largest customer base of any independent Internet Service Provider. In calculating this figure, NETCOM excludes all complimentary or trial accounts.

"We believe this business is more than just providing Internet dial- tone." said David Garrison, NETCOM chairman and chief executive officer. "Initially, some companies may offer access only with a browser to attract new users to the Internet, but our experience indicates that active Internet users want more than just access to the Net. In addition to high-quality service at a value-point price, they are looking for a provider to help them make sense of the maze of information available to them on the Net. Our record growth is a reflection of NETCOM's ability to deliver a complete value-added solution."

The company attributes its rapid growth to a number of factors including enhancements to its open software platform and licensing agreements with leading software manufacturers, introduction of value-added services to enhance the user's Internet experience, introduction of true flat-rate pricing, expansion of distribution channels to reach individuals and businesses, expansion of its high-speed network into over 230 metropolitan areas at 28.8 kbps, and 24x7 customer support programs.

In March, the Company introduced it Personal Services designed to help personalize each subscriber's Internet experience. This new portfolio will be offered free to NETCOM customers as part of their base rate of $19.95/month for unlimited access to add further value to their NETCOM subscription. Moving further out of the pack of undifferentiated access-only Internet providers, NETCOM is offering these value-added services as part of its strategy to become the complete Internet services provider. The first available service from Personal Services is Personal news, which provides NETCOM subscribers with their own daily customized news source.

The Company continued to develop its NetCruiser platform to accommodate third party applications, and plans to bring a full suite of client/server resources to its subscribers by developing additional applications that leverage its high-speed nationwide network. During the quarter, NETCOM signed licensing agreements with Netscape and Microsoft to provide subscribers added choice to better customize their interface to the Internet.

NETCOM's distribution channels are comprised of direct sales coupled with key reseller and bundling agreements with a variety of players in software, hardware, publishing, retail, and education. During the first quarter, NETCOM announced an important reseller arrangement with SCO, a leading UNIX software provider. By partnering with some 6,000 of SCO's resellers, NETCOM expects to grow a very important niche in the business market.

NETCOM further extended local coverage throughout the United States, and now provides local access from 230 points of presence. Moving beyond the U.S., NETCOM launched service into Canada and announced intentions to provide service in the U.K. during the second quarter of 1996.

In customer support, the Company added capacity by 100% to increase responsiveness to incoming calls. The 24x7 phone support program was also augmented by on-line help programs in the form of an extensive knowledgebase which provides answers to the most commonly asked technical questions as well as a topic-specific Fax on Demand service. These automated services have been visited nearly a million times by subscribers since the end of 1995.

San Jose, California-based NETCOM On-Line Communication Services, Inc. is a leading international Internet service provider with years f network experience. Leveraging its own high-speed nationwide TCP/IP-based network, NETCOM provides a range of value-priced Internet services for individuals and businesses. NETCOM's complete Internet service offering includes Personal Services, value pricing, software options, local access, and 24 hour person-to-person customer support. Internet users can learn more about the company on-line at: http://www.netcom.com.

Certain of the above statements are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including competitive developments, and risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports.


NetManage Websurfer & Xoftware on WWW
NETMANAGE OFFERS ITS MACINTOSH WEBSURFER AND XOFTWARE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Move marks the first online samples of company's range of Mac OS Intranet applications

CUPERTINO, CALIF - APRIL 15, 1996 - NetManage (NASDAQ: NETM), the leading provider of standards-based Intranet solutions, made available today for the first time two of its most popular Macintosh Intranet tools via NetManage's World Wide Web site (http://www.netmanage.com). Internet users may now DOWNLOAD a full-featured, unrestricted FREE VERSION of the company's high-performance WebSurfer browser for the Mac OS, as well as an evaluation copy of the XoftWare X server for the Mac OS.

Providing online samples of its commercial software has long been part of NetManage's strategy for its wide range of Intranet tools for the Windows platform. The addition of the Mac OS products to the Web site is intended to make MIS managers more familiar with the breadth of NetManage's cross-platform Intranet solutions and demonstrate the company's continued support for the Mac OS.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for users to evaluate our growing line of Mac OS Intranet products," said Peter Coppola, senior product manager for the Macintosh line at NetManage. "The Mac OS is an important platform for us to support, as it already plays a significant role in the growth of corporate Intranets. We want to make sure our Intranet solutions are also cross-platform solutions."

Apple Computer Inc., with its Cupertino offices situated across the street from NetManage's headquarters, welcomed the announcement. "We are happy to see NetManage, the leader in TCP/IP connectivity for the Windows platform, demonstrating its continued commitment to its growing line of products for the Mac OS," said Garry Hornbuckle, product line manager, Mac OS communication products at Apple.

MEETING CUSTOMER DEMAND

The NetManage WebSurfer for Mac OS debuted this February in Chameleon for Mac OS with PacerTerm, the Mac OS counterpart to NetManage's award-winning Chameleon Intranet connectivity suite for Windows. Customers have reacted well to the Mac OS suite, which together with the Windows suite has provided MIS managers with the broadest set of Intranet solutions for multiple platforms from a single vendor.

"We were very glad to see Chameleon for Mac OS," said Palmer Calihan, a technical manager in the technical support organization at Ameritech. "Members of my organization have been running Chameleon on their Windows machines, and now those members with Macintosh machines can use the same Intranet tools."

WebSurfer supports HTML 3.0 and leverages key Mac OS technologies and industry standards, such as Open Transport 1.1, Drag Manager and WinSock 1.1. The full-featured browser is offered with no strings attached via NetManage's Web site, unlike the beta versions or time-restricted browsers offered for download by competitors such as Microsoft and Netscape. The free offering is intended to expose users to NetManage's high product quality and promote sales of the full Chameleon suite. The complete Chameleon for Mac OS suite also comes with PacerTerm, a powerful host access application which supports VT420 terminal emulation and multi-session, multi-window and multi-protocol host connectivity. The FTP client provided with Chameleon offers unique, high-performance features and a Finder-like interface.

XoftWare for Mac OS is a powerful X11R5 X server supporting a range of extensions and security controls. Enabled for Open Transport, the complete XoftWare application bridges X server technology with corporate Intranet applications using standards-based tools for Web access, file sharing and remote access. The version of XoftWare available for free download does not support all the features of the commercial version and is timed to expire after 30 days of evaluation.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Complete products are available directly from NetManage today. XoftWare 3.5 for Mac OS costs $295, and Chameleon 3.5 for Mac OS with PacerTerm also costs $295.

ABOUT NETMANAGE

NetManage, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETM) develops, markets and supports an integrated set of applications, servers and development tools for Intranet collaboration, access and management on the Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT and Mac OS platforms. The company's award winning products include Chameleon, Internet Chameleon and ECCO. NetManage also provides Intranet host access terminal and printer emulation software, Swift, which supports SNA and TCP/IP-based access to IBM mainframe, AS/400 and VAX/UNIX hosts. It also produces X Window System emulation software called XoftWare. Its products are sold world-wide by NetManage's direct sales force and authorized channel partners. Contact NetManage at http://www.netmanage.com or (408) 973-7171.


New NetManage IntraNet Server Sales Strategy
NETMANAGE DECLARES RESELLER/VAR CHANNEL KEY SALES STRATEGY FOR INTRANET SERVER

Package features the IntraNet Forum Server, the best-of-breed technology for distributed discussions for the enterprise

CUPERTINO, CA - APRIL 15, 1996 - NetManage (NASDAQ: NETM), the leading provider of standards-based Intranet solutions, announced today a new sales strategy regarding the company's ground-breaking IntraNet Server for the Windows NT platform. Evolving from its traditional focus on direct sales, NetManage will concentrate on partnering with value-added resellers to distribute its server package, which became the first Intranet server for Windows NT to begin shipping as of April 1, 1996.

The IntraNet Forum Server adds a new dimension to the common Web-centric view of company Intranets by offering the most practical system for corporate on-line project collaboration, based on open NNTP standards. The technology provides a powerful yet simple shared communication framework for any size office environment. The software creates virtual conference rooms for secure on-line planning sessions, brainstorming, policy distribution and other mission critical collaboration.

"We are excited about making this industry-leading technology available to our growing number of channel partners. With the IntraNet Server being tailored for corporate Intranet use, we see a perfect fit in partnering with the reseller channel," said Willie Tejada, vice president of product marketing at NetManage. "There is no question that our IntraNet Server will offer great financial opportunity for resellers building Intranet solutions on the NT platform."

While direct sales have been a successful strategy for the company's wide range of client applications, NetManage believes its agressive new reseller channel sales group is best suited to market its new line of server products. According to the company's analysis, most purchasing decisions for Intranet equipment is happening at the departmental level instead of through companies' central MIS departments. The service needs of workgroups making such purchasing decisions often include system integration and other support from the reseller channel.

"The Intranet explosion is exciting for both NetManage and the reseller community because it opens up many more opportunities at the department level within the corporate environment," says Michele Shannon, director of channel sales at NetManage. "With our partnering focus, where NetManage Direct Sales Representatives are being compensated on business done through the channel, we are seeing tremendous growth in channel sales. We started our Authorized Reseller Program at the beginning of this year and our growth goals are aggressive."

EFFICIENT, SECURE

Not only is the IntraNet Server the first standards-based server to market for the Windows NT platform, it also broadens the very definition of "Intranet" as something greater than solely Web technology. The IntraNet Forum Server organizes on-line group communication with an efficiency and performance that Web and e-mail servers cannot match.

Discussion threads provide intuitive context for collaboration, help speed decision making and offer ready-to-archive capsules of company history. The server creates a framework for organizing ideas under development, so workers can maximize productivity with fewer face-to-face meetings, phone messages and e-mail exchanges.

As secure and functional as any proprietary groupware collaboration system, the IntraNet Forum Server combines the infinite scalability, cross-platform access and multi-client support of TCP/IP and Internet open standards together with the administrative ease and cost effectiveness of the NT platform.

CUSTOMIZABLE, AFFORDABLE

Using the familiar development tools for the Microsoft environment, such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Access and ActiveX Controls, administrators can easily customize their collaboration system on the client side to fit the precise needs of their work environment. Priced at under $1,000 (starting at $495 for an introductory period through Q2 '96), the IntraNet Server is targeted for deployment at the departmental level of company workgroups. The friendly and cost-effective Windows NT environment means no investment in expensive UNIX hardware or the corresponding UNIX system administration expertise.

BEST OF BREED

Objective performance measures of the IntraNet Forum Server outpace any other vendor's offering. An innovation in the server's resource management gives tremendous savings in disk storage space. The server's industrial-strength design is proven to support more than 150,000 messages a-day - 1.5 gigabytes of traffic - meaning a scalability from a small office LAN to a world-wide operation of thousands.

Before this enhanced commercial release, the server had already been tested in thousands of installations for two years on the Internet. In previous versions it has long been the first-choice among NNTP discussion servers for Internet Service Providers running Windows NT.

WEB, NFS FILE &AMP; PRINT SHARING, DNS AND MORE

Other components of the IntraNet Server package include the IntraNet Web Server; the IntraNet NFS Server and the IntraNet LPD Server, for file and print sharing; the IntraNet Directory Server, providing an up-to-date corporate-wide e-mail address book; a Domain Name Server for speed and ease of administering TCP/IP addressing requirements, and a Net Time Server for Intranetwork-wide clock synchronicity.

NETMANAGE CHANNEL SALES

In 1996 NetManage formally embraced the VAR/reseller channel with the announcement of its Authorized Reseller Program. NetManage Authorized Resellers are able to sell all NetManage products and are supplied with reseller pricing, product literature, technical support, regional training and cooperative marketing opportunities. NetManage has eliminated channel conflict and promoted a "partnering" concept by compensating the direct sales force for all business done through the channel.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The IntraNet Server started shipping April 2, 1996 for US List Price of $995. NetManage is offering the IntraNet server at an introductory price of US List Price $495 during the second quarter in which customers will also get one free copy of our award winning ChameleonNFS for Windows NT a $495 value. This introductory offer is limited to one per customer. The IntraNet Server is available direct from NetManage to Authorized NetManage Resellers. To become an Authorized Reseller contact the Channel Sales department at NetManage at 408-973-7171 or channel_sales@netmanage.com.

ABOUT NETMANAGE

NetManage, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETM) develops, markets and supports an integrated set of applications, servers and development tools for Intranet collaboration, access and management on the Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT and Mac OS platforms. The company's award winning products include Chameleon, Internet Chameleon and ECCO. NetManage also provides Intranet host access terminal and printer emulation software, Swift, which supports SNA and TCP/IP-based access to IBM mainframe, AS/400 and VAX/UNIX hosts. It also produces X Window System emulation software called XoftWare. Its products are sold world-wide by NetManage's direct sales force and authorized channel partners. Contact NetManage at http://www.netmanage.com or (408) 973-7171.


NeTpower Calisto Digital Video Workstation
NETPOWER TEAMS WITH AVID AND TRUEVISION TO LAUNCH CALISTO DIGITAL VIDEO WORKSTATION

Video Test Lab Established by NeTpower to Facilitate Collaboration

LAS VEGAS, NAB, APRIL 15, 1996 -- NeTpower today announced it has integrated products from Avid Technology, Inc. and Truevision, Inc. to create a high-performance Calisto digital video workstation on the Windows NT platform. The new system combines NeTpower's Intel Pentium Pro processor-based Windows NT Calisto workstation, Truevision's TARGA 2000 PRO video capture card and Avid's MCXpress editing application for professional video production.

NeTpower will certify the interoperability of the three companies products for production quality, digital video editing and processing at their video test laboratory in Sunnyvale, CA. The Calisto digital video workstation is expected to begin shipping from NeTpower in May 1996 with a suggested retail price of approximately $25,000 for a fully configured system.

"NeTpower's strategy is to work closely with brand name vendors in the video industry to provide open system solutions for video professionals," said Skip Stritter, vice president technology at NeTpower. "We are delighted to have aligned ourselves with two pioneers of professional quality desktop video production such as Avid and Truevision.

"NeTpower's Calisto digital video workstation competes with today's UNIX/RISC systems at a fraction of the cost. Together with Avid and Truevision, NeTpower will bring a new generation of digital video applications to the film and video industry that combines Windows NT technology, complete software and hardware solutions and unmatched system and application performance.

NeTpower has integrated the products to work together seamlessly and to provide optimum performance. The NeTpower Calisto digital video workstation will be sold by NeTpower's value-added reseller channels and includes Windows NT support and a three-year factory warranty.

"We have combined our systems expertise with Avid's and Truevision's leading edge digital content creation tools because digital video professionals want a complete Windows NT editing package at an affordable price," said David Ludvigson, president at NeTpower. "Working with Avid and Truevision allows NeTpower to integrate cost-effective product solutions that offer a new level of function and capability on an open systems platform."

Avid's MCXpress for Windows NT offers exceptional value through a professional feature set geared to the Windows NT user -- including support for CCIR-601 media. MCXpress integrates with other Windows NT-based content creation tools through the import and export of over 20 standard file formats as well as an AVI codec for exchanging full-screen, 24-bit color images. Accessed through an easy-to-use interface, the product's features include award-winning on-line help, a built-in media library for streamlined media management, a fully-integrated title tool and a plug-in effects architecture.

"We are very pleased to be aligned with NeTpower and Truevision to support this new high-performance workstation," said Dan Keshian, president at Avid Technology. "This collaboration will provide our customers with a powerful, Windows NT-based total solution for integrating video editing and 3D graphics."

For over a decade, Truevision has pioneered the development of professional quality desktop video production. The company's TARGA 2000 PRO digital video card has redefined the economics of creating high-quality video on standard desktop systems by combining unprecedented levels of functionality, flexibility and performance with an open system approach.

"Our partnership with NeTpower complements our existing strategy of providing today's digital video professional with complete high-performance solutions," said Lou Doctor, president at Truevision. "We are delighted that NeTpower has selected the TARGA 2000 PRO to combine with their Windows NT digital video workstation."

NETPOWER, INC.

NeTpower, Inc., founded in 1993, is the only workstation company exclusively focused on offering, supporting and optimizing the Microsoft Windows NT environment as a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to UNIX. The company's Pentium Pro processor-based workstations and servers -- designed for video, MCAD, database/infoserver and Internet applications -- offer the power of UNIX machines at a fraction of the price while providing the ease-of-use capabilities of a personal computer. NeTpower's management team consists of some of the foremost experts in the systems industry. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices worldwide.

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Avid Technology, Inc., headquartered in Tewksbury, Mass., is an international developer and supplier of all-digital solutions for capturing, creating, editing and distributing digital media on multiple platforms. Joined through mergers with Digidesign, Elastic Reality and Parallax Software, Avid's product line encompasses industry-leading nonlinear film, video and audio editing, special effects and image processing software, as well as networking, server and storage technologies for applications such as television and film post-production, broadcast news, desktop video, multimedia and music production.

TRUEVISION, INC.

Truevision is the leader in desktop video for business and broadcast and offers a full range of videographics products for personal computers, including Apple Power Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms. The company pioneered the videographics industry in 1984 and remains a market and technology leader.

NAB INFORMATION:

Product information is available at the following locations at NAB: NeTpower - Suite #322 Las Vegas Hilton, Avid - Booth # 9338 & #203, and Truevision - Booth #4650.

Press Contacts

Avid Technology

Deidre O'Conell

Schwartz Communications, Inc.

617/431-0770

Julie Miller

Avid Technology, Inc.

508/640-5454

Truevision, Inc.

Lloyd Fugate (lloyd_fugate@truevision.com)

Truevision, Inc.

408/566-4050

Sandra McBride (SMcGarryPR@aol.com)

Simon/McGarry Public Relations

408/746-0911

Patti Kunsman (patti_kunsman@netpower.com)

NeTpower, Inc.

408/522-5109


Film School Selects NeTpower Calisto
VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL SELECTS NETPOWER'S CALISTO FOR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART 3D ANIMATION LAB

Contract with Premier Film School Includes More Than 50 Workstations

LAS VEGAS, NAB, APRIL 15, 1996 -- Marking the first big win for the Pentium Pro processor/Windows NT platform in the film industry, NeTpower announced that it has signed a contract with the Vancouver Film School (Vancouver, British Columbia) for its Calisto high- performance workstations. The school currently uses UNIX-based Silicon Graphics Inc. systems, Apple Macintoshes, and PCs at the Vancouver Film School Multimedia campus.

The contract, awarded just one month after Calisto's introduction, includes more than 50 workstations and is worth approximately half a million dollars.

Vancouver Film School Selects NeTpower

"At Vancouver Film School it is critical that we offer students the best tools available to simulate a realistic interactive filmmaking environment," said James Griffin, president of Vancouver Film School. "We tested several Windows NT platforms and cost aside, our staff was universal in its endorsement of the NeTpower Pentium Pro package."

The Calisto Windows NT workstations will be used to create a new state-of-the-art filmmaking lab that will provide students with hands- on experience with real world multimedia and professional animation applications such as Softimage 3D for Windows NT, Autodesk 3D Studio Max, Lightwave, Fractal Design Painter and Adobe Photoshop. The new lab will go on-line in June 1996.

"As our facility continues to grow, we plan to add more NeTpower workstations because the Calisto line offers the performance we need at a reasonable price, allowing us to achieve a very low student/equipment ratio." said Griffin.

"We are very excited about our contract with the Vancouver Film School, one of the most prestigious film schools in North America, and we look forward to working with them to support the rigors of experimental, state-of-the-art filmmaking," said Bob Miller, CEO of NeTpower. "Vancouver Film School's selection of NeTpower validates our open video platform as a cost- effective alternative for demanding digital video applications."

Vancouver Film School

Vancouver is North America's third largest film/video production center. Vancouver Film School, founded in 1987, has rapidly expanded to become a unique and pre-eminent training center for the moving image. The school offers five immersion programs including film production (Foundation Film Program), 3D animation & digital effects, multimedia, classical animation and acting for film and television, as well as more than forty part-time classes. In 1995, the Vancouver Film School enrolled more than 600 full-time and 1200 part-time students. The Foundation Film Program offers students more hands-on production experience in ten months than most film programs offer in three to four years.

NeTpower, Inc.

NeTpower, Inc., founded in 1993, is the only workstation company exclusively focused on offering, supporting and optimizing the Microsoft Windows NT environment as a cost- effective, high-performance alternative to UNIX. The company's Pentium Pro processor-based workstations and servers -- designed for video, MCAD, database/infoserver and Internet applications -- offer the power of UNIX machines at a fraction of the price while providing the ease-of-use capabilities of a personal computer. NeTpower's management team consists of some of the foremost experts in the systems industry. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has offices worldwide.

Press Contacts

Gloria Davies

Vancouver Film School

604/737-0358

Melanie Laurence/Sandra McBride (SMcGarryPR@aol.com)

Simon/McGarry Public Relations

408/746-0911

Patti Kunsman (patti_kunsman@netpower.com)

NeTpower, Inc.

408/522-5109


Netscape to Improve Java App Speed/Perf
NETSCAPE TO IMPROVE SPEED AND PERFORMANCE OF JAVA APPLICATIONS RUNNING INSIDE NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR

NETSCAPE LICENSES BORLAND JAVA JUST-IN-TIME COMPILER FOR INCLUSION IN ITS LEADING INTERNET CLIENT SOFTWARE

MOUNTAIN VIEW and SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 17, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation and Borland International Inc. today announced Netscape's plan to improve the speed and performance of Java applications running inside Netscape Navigator by including Borland's AppAccelerator - a "just-in-time" dynamic compiler for Java applications. As a result, Netscape Navigator users will enjoy an enhanced Internet experience with faster execution of the thousands of Java applications available on Web pages and corporate intranets worldwide. Currently Netscape Navigator is the only Internet client software commercially available that supports the Java programming language. The nonexclusive agreement between the two companies extends Netscape's leading Java support by enhancing Java application performance throughout Netscape's leading open software platform.

Netscape plans to incorporate Borland's AppAccelerator technology, which enables Java applets and applications to run five to ten times faster than unenhanced versions, into future versions of Netscape Navigator. Even greater increases in speed may result when executing software applications that involve a significant number of computations. Terms of the agreement were not announced.

"By including a Java just-in-time compiler in Netscape Navigator, we will provide Netscape Navigator users with faster execution of Java applications. As a result, customers will experience significant performance enhancements across the breadth of Java-enabled content on the Web," said Bob Lisbonne, vice president of client marketing at Netscape. "Borland is an expert in compiler technology and we're excited about Borland bringing AppAccelerator to market so quickly."

"Borland is both excited and pleased to license our AppAccelerator technology to Netscape. We believe it will help energize the wholesale adoption of Java as a corporate standard for intranets and distributed client-server computing over multiplatform networks," said Paul Gross, senior vice-president of research and development at Borland.

Java is the popular new programming language from Sun Microsystems for building platform-independent distributed computing applications over networks, including the World Wide Web, using Internet protocols. Borland's AppAccelerator reads the intermediate byte code produced by Java development tools and translates it "on the fly" into machine- executable instructions on the local client system. Initially, AppAccelerator will be available for Windows 95 and Windows NT clients.

Netscape continues to lead the market by providing support for Java throughout its leading Internet software platform to give users access to the wealth of live online content on the Internet today. Netscape Navigator, the first commercially available client software to support Java, is the most widely used client software on the Internet with over 75 percent market share. Over 20 million Navigators are in use worldwide today. Netscape FastTrack Server software and Netscape Enterprise Server software, now available in beta for immediate download from the Netscape Internet site, are the first Web servers to support Java and JavaScript.

Already shipping, Borland C++ development suite 5.0 includes the just-in-time compiler, as well as a graphical program debugger and an integrated version of Sun Microsystems' Java Development Kit.

Borland International Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of products and services targeted to software developers. Borland is distinguished for its high-quality software development tools, which include Delphi, Delphi Client/Server, Borland C++, Visual dBASE, Paradox and InterBase. Borland's award-winning products are supported through comprehensive programs for small- and large-sized software developers, corporate developers, value added resellers and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Copies of previous Borland press releases and additional corporate and product information are available on Borland's Internet World Wide Web site at http://www.borland.com.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, or by sending email to info@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 415/937-2555 and consumers can call 415/937-3777 for more information.

Corporate Sales: 415/937-2555

Personal Sales: 415/937-3777

Federal Sales: 415/937-3678


Users Gain COM/COBRA Interoperability
Users Gain COM/CORBA Interoperability

OMG Adopts Interface Between Microsoft's OLE and OMG's CORBA

April 16, 1996 -- Framingham, MA -- Object Management Group (OMG) is pleased to announce the adoption of an interface between Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) and OMG's Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA).

"Leading edge technology end users are developing distributed component-based systems based on heterogeneous platforms -- usually mixing windows-based clients with UNIX or mainframe-based servers," explains Chris Stone, President and CEO of the Object Management Group. "OMG's progress in bridging interoperability with Microsoft's object model brings a practical solution to this technical challenge much closer."

The purpose of the COM-CORBA interworking is to specify bi-directional communication between CORBA objects and COM objects. The goal is that objects from one object model would be able to be viewed as if they existed in another, and key object functionality would be visible to the clients even if using another system.

"It is clearly in the interests of our customers and the industry as a whole to have a single approach to interoperability between COM and products based on the CORBA design," comments Mark Ryland, Senior Program Manager for OLE/COM, Microsoft Corporation. "This is an important step toward providing rich interoperability between the two object models. Microsoft plans to continue working with the Object Management Group to achieve the next major milestone: interoperability between CORBA-conformant products and Distributed COM."

OMG'S OBJECT MANAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE

The OMA is the center of all activity undertaken by the OMG and is supported by a comprehensive reference model with components including CORBA, CORBAservices and CORBAfacilities. CORBA is OMG's specification for portable, interoperable Object Request Brokers (ORBs) and is the standard messaging technology for heterogeneous distributed object computing. COM is Microsoft's architecture and technology for creating a robust, evolvable component mass market for software components. OLE is Microsoft's technology for component- based solutions in the Windows and Macintosh marketplaces.

The OMG interworking specification, including parts A & B, is expected to provide a complete mapping between Microsoft's Component Object Model and the OMA, as well as mechanisms and strategies for achieving a high degree of practical interoperability. Part A details a comprehensive, flexible approach supporting the interaction of today's OLE/COM with CORBA. Part B responses, due later this year, will add support for network-based interaction between Distributed COM (DCOM) systems and CORBA systems. OMG Contributing Members who collaborated to submit the adopted specification include Digital, Expersoft, FUJITSU, Hewlett-Packard, Genesis Development, IBM, IONA Technologies, Seimens Nixdorf, SunSoft, Sybase and Visual Edge Software.

"The power of COM is that it pervades the desktop, the power of CORBA is that it pervades the network. This technology adoption by the OMG is delivering users exactly what they need. A unified, consolidated approach, based on proven and commercially available products, to getting the best from both worlds," says Annrai O'Toole, Chief Technical Officer at IONA Technologies.

"Digital is delighted to have been a significant contributor to the COM/CORBA Interworking Part A Specification," comments Jim Rye, Senior Engineering Manager, Digital Equipment Corporation. "This specification is a key step in Digital's overall strategy of integrating desktops with the enterprise. We applaud OMG for driving the industry in this critical market requirement."

"For EDS' Capital Business Unit, the adoption of a standard mapping between CORBA and OLE/COM has opened the door to large scale integration in heterogeneous environments," explains Waqar Sadiq, a Senior Systems Engineer with EDS. "We are now able to leverage the strengths of both technologies: using CORBA-conformant tools such as IONA's Orbix, to build enterprise-wide reusable business services; together with the productive, component based benefits of OLE automation on the desktop -- resulting in shorter development cycles."

OMG and its members believe wide scale adoption of the OMA and its components is providing information systems organizations with the means to design, build and maintain integrated software systems distributed throughout the enterprise. Future releases of the specification will include the Microsoft OLE and Distributed OLE to CORBA gateway. Copies of the final specification are available via anonymous ftp: ftp.omg.org, document number orb/96-01-05 or by calling the OMG main number at +1-508-820 4300 and requesting a copy of the document number referenced above.


PictureTel Launches First-Ever TV Ads
PictureTel Launches First-Ever TV Ad Campaign

VIDEOCONFERENCING INDUSTRY LEADER TEAMS WITH CARMICHAEL LYNCH FOR ADS

DANVERS, Mass. -- April 15, 1996 -- PictureTel Corporation, the global leader in videoconferencing, has begun a new advertising campaign designed to capture the imaginations of middle and senior managers and make them aware of the everyday business applications of videoconferencing.

The campaign -- with the theme Anywhere Now" -- was designed by Carmichael Lynch of Minneapolis, one of the nation's leading consumer advertising agencies. Among Carmichael Lynch's clients is the Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel AdamsR Boston Lager. The campaign consists of print and radio ads, direct mail and PictureTel's first-ever television spot.

In addition to the 60-second TV spot, the campaign includes two 60-second radio spots, four print ads and a direct mail package.

According to William Agush, director of corporate communications for PictureTel, the campaign demonstrates the value of videoconferencing as a business productivity tool.

"We want prospective customers to understand that videoconferencing is a mature technology that helps them get things done on a global basis," said Agush. "As we say in the tag line at the end of the ads, PictureTel videoconferencing enables you to be Anywhere Now." In fact, videoconferencing already is established among America's largest businesses. More than three quarters of the Fortune 500 corporations already use videoconferencing to meet, collaborate and share information.

The campaign features half-page ads in regional editions of the Wall Street Journal, and 60-second spots on local cable news and entertainment programming, such as CNN, CNBC and A&E. The campaign was launched in San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and Atlanta on April 8, and will be expanded to include other major national markets in the latter half of April and throughout May.

In addition to making people aware of the benefits of videoconferencing as an important communications tool, the ad campaign also includes a call to action that invites prospects to attend a See for Yourself seminar, to be held in seven major markets between late April and June. Prospective customers can register to attend a seminar either by phone or through PictureTel's World Wide Web site. The seminars are co-sponsored by the nation's leading telecommunications companies, including AT&T, Ameritech, GTE, Sprint and US West.

To help PictureTel achieve its marketing goals, Carmichael Lynch focused its efforts on demonstrating how natural and simple it is to use PictureTel videoconferencing. In Global Celebration, the campaign's television spot, Carmichael Lynch sets the stage for PictureTel videoconferencing by creating a global corporation with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Germany and Australia. In the commercial, the company is celebrating a major new piece of business. As each office celebrates, they contact others using PictureTel group and desktop videoconferencing systems to share the moment.

"Videoconferencing is a very powerful tool," said Jud Smith, Carmichael Lynch creative director. "But rather than worshipping the machine, we've aimed to show how using PictureTel videoconferencing becomes so matter-of-course that it's used by successful people anywhere, anytime.

The campaign will be complemented by national print placements in CIO and Forbes ASAP magazines, beginning this month, and direct mail packages targeted to middle and senior managers working for selected corporations in the targeted markets.

Carmichael Lynch is one of the leading national consumer agencies in the United States. An independent, employee-owned advertising firm, Carmichael Lynch's work has been honored by the American Association of Advertising Agencies with A+ Awards in 1991 and 1993 and first runner-up status in 1992, 1994 and 1995. The agency serves a diverse list of well-known clients throughout the United States, including Korbel Champagne; National Car Rental; Harley-Davidson Motor Co.; Rollerblade, Inc.; Mack Trucks, Inc.; Gateway 2000; and Schwinn Cycling & Fitness. The agency has built of a client roster of great brand names that are succeeding by being the best in their product category.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a full range of visual communications solutions. The company's products serve videoconferencing needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also markets network products and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide services. Additional PictureTel information is available on the Internet at http://www.picturetel.com. PictureTel -- Anywhere Now.

Recent PictureTel news releases are available by calling 1-800-716-6000, extension 4 (U.S. and Canada only).


Texas A&M Center for Distance Learning
PictureTel and Texas A&M Partner in Launch of Center for Distance Learning Research

CENTER PROVIDES ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE DISTANCE EDUCATION TOOLS

DANVERS, Mass. -- April 3, 1996 -- PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ: PCTL), the world leader in videconferencing, has teamed with Texas A&M University to launch the new Center for Distance Learning Research. Located at the University's College Station, Texas campus, the center's mission is to meet the need for knowledge about the growing field of distance education, through the development of distance education programs in primary and secondary education, university and corporate settings.

The facility enables educators and others to conduct distance education research and provides a distance learning certification program through the use of PictureTel videoconferencing. The Center's services are available to all public agencies and private businesses as well as public schools.

PictureTel videoconferencing systems are being used in conjunction with the statewide Trans-Texas Videoconference Network. Visitors to the Center can experience PictureTel's Concorde 4500 group system offering the best video and audio quality on the market at dial-up bandwidths.  Also in use at the Center are two PictureTel Live' desktop systems, with application sharing capability and a Socrates' presenter's podium, specifically designed to address the needs of instructors in a distance learning class.

"As we approach the 21st century, we are aware of the need for advanced technology to help us provide access to education to more students," said Dr. Lloyd Korhonen, Ph.D., Center Director. "We are pleased to have PictureTel videoconferencing as an integral part of our center, allowing us to teach courses, hold meetings and conduct seminars virtually anywhere in the world."

"Distance education is the number one customer application for videoconferencing," said Joan Nevins, vice president of segment marketing for PictureTel. "Through our association with Texas A&M University, many new organizations will have the opportunity to experience the value of videoconferencing by expanding the boundaries of the classroom, while providing low-cost access to high-quality education."

The Center's activities also include computer communications and multimedia laboratories. The facilities of KAMU-TV, the university's public television station, satellite downlinks and uplinks also provide other technologies for the Center.

The facility is the first public/private partnership involving the resources of PictureTel, Texas A&M, GTE, which is a PictureTel reseller, and several other vendors. Its intent is to provide the model for similar partnerships throughout the United States between a public university and private telecommunications companies.

PictureTel recently announced a similar partnership with MIT to develop distance learning models through videoconferencing.  MIT's Sloan School of Management, along with its School of Engineering, launched an innovative graduate degree program that allows students to complete their course requirements at their job sites.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in videoconferencing with an estimated 50 percent worldwide marketshare. With more than 3500 systems being used for distance education in corporate and educational facilities around the world, PictureTel customers can access a wide array of trainers, educators and content providers easily and economically. Additional PictureTel information is available on the Internet at http:///www.picturetel.com.


Pilot Decision Support Suite & MS SQL Server
PILOT SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES INTEGRATION WITH MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 6.5

PILOT DECISION SUPPORT SUITE, VERSION 5, WILL SUPPORT NEW MICROSOFT DATA WAREHOUSING ENHANCEMENTS TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED OLAP SOLUTION

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. APRIL 15, 1996 - Pilot Software, Inc., a company of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and a leading global supplier of interactive business analysis and reporting tools, today announced that the Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, will support the new OLAP query extensions in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, a high performance database management system for Windows NT Server-based systems. By integrating powerful visualization, business modeling and data management capabilities, these products will provide a powerful data warehouse solution.

"We are pleased to partner with Microsoft, securing our commitment to offer the most complete, extensible OLAP solution built on open standards to our joint customers," said John Fleming, vice president of marketing and business development. "This partnership combines the rich visualization and dynamic OLAP capabilities of the Pilot Decision Support Suite with the highly scalable data management features of Microsoft's SQL Server 6.5 to provide a very flexible data warehousing environment for Windows NT Server."

The enhancements to the Pilot Decision Support Suite will include support for SQL Server 6.5's new OLAP query extensions, simplifying information retrieval for analytical purposes. Pilot will also utilize SQL Server's new "data pipe" feature, which allows programmatic retrieval of information from multiple sources and populates SQL Server tables with the results. This feature will be extremely useful in building "materialized views" of information for data warehousing applications.

"With its parallel processing architecture, advanced query optimization and open interoperability, Microsoft SQL Server is a proven platform for data warehousing applications," said Jim Ewel, group product manager for Microsoft SQL Server. "The availability of the Pilot Decision Support Suite for SQL Server 6.5 and its integration with SQL Server's new OLAP extensions delivers a powerful solution for customers building data warehousing applications."

PILOT DECISION SUPPORT SUITE

The Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, is designed to enable very complex business analysis to be deployed quickly and affordably. Its breakthrough architecture overcomes many of the limitations of traditional multi-dimensional and relational OLAP approaches by providing the ability to define dynamic dimensions and hierarchies. The recently announced Pilot Decision Support Suite consists of five components - Pilot Desktop", Pilot Analysis Server", Pilot Designer", Pilot Analysis Library" and the Pilot Excel Add-in", that can be purchased separately or together. Users can install the products in a single-user, workgroup or multi-tier distributed configuration.

ABOUT PILOT SOFTWARE

Pilot Software, Inc., a company of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, develops interactive decision support software for managers and analysts in large organizations who need to make time-critical decisions based on quantifiable information. The Pilot Decision Support Suite" is the only complete, extensible on-line analytical processing (OLAP) environment built on open standards. It accelerates the analysis of corporate data to improve understanding of current key indicators, past performance and future trends, resulting in better business decisions. Pilot's global headquarters is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company has a strong international presence with offices throughout North and South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. For more information, Pilot can be reached at HTTP://WWW.PILOTSW.COM.


Next Gen Decision Support Suite from Pilot
PILOT LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION DECISION SUPPORT SUITE

BREAKTHROUGH DYNAMIC OLAP ARCHITECTURE REDUCES RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR VERY COMPLEX BUSINESS ANALYSIS BY 50 TO 500%

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - APRIL 15, 1996 - Pilot Software, Inc., a company of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, today announced the launch of the Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, a comprehensive on-line analytical processing (OLAP) environment with a breakthrough dynamic, multi-dimensional architecture that significantly reduces consolidation time and server size. This new release is designed to enable very complex sales and marketing analysis, like consumer segmentation, merchandise mix and category management, to be deployed quickly and affordably.

"Version 5 is a milestone release for Pilot," said Eric Kim, president and CEO. "We have integrated our recognized LightShip EIS, DSS and OLAP capabilities to deliver the only complete, extensible decision support environment built on open standards. It provides dimensionally rich visualization and modeling capabilities with an OLAP engine that outperforms any competitive product in the industry. Version 5 makes the complex business analyses that organizations need to effectively acquire, retain and maximize business with their customers both practical and affordable."

"Version 5 demonstrates precisely the kind of customer appeal, ingenuity and innovation we expect from Pilot," said Robert E. Weissman, chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, and future chairman and CEO of Cognizant Corporation. "Pilot will play a vital role in Cognizant's strategy when we spin off from D&B this fall."

The breakthrough architecture of Version 5 overcomes many of the limitations of traditional multi-dimensional and relational OLAP approaches by providing the ability to define dynamic dimensions and hierarchies. These unique capabilities allow complex analyses to be performed against hundreds of dimensions, such as flavor, package size and consumer demographics, at instantaneous response times while minimizing consolidation time and server size. Initial benchmarks have shown reductions in resources ranging from fifty to five hundred percent.

According to Paul Olson, research analyst at Database Decisions, "With Version 5, Pilot demonstrates a clear understanding of the scalability requirements in the OLAP marketplace. More complex business models can now be supported while still delivering the consistent response time required by these applications. Pilot's approach draws on a solid foundation which has supported dynamic consolidation of time-series data for many years."

PILOT DECISION SUPPORT SUITE

The fully integrated Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, represents the next generation of Pilot's LightShipR Suite. It consists of five components - Pilot Desktop, Pilot Analysis Server, Pilot Designer, Pilot Analysis Library and the Pilot Excel Add-in, that can be purchased separately or together.

The client components support Windows 95, NT and 3.1 and the server components are available for NT and leading UNIX platforms. Users can install the products in a single-user, workgroup or multi-tier distributed configuration.

NEW OLAP CLIENT SUPPORTS ANALYSIS ANYWHERE

Pilot Desktop provides a complete OLAP environment that can be used stand-alone or as a client in a network application. Unlike other OLAP clients which use memory-based architectures, Pilot Desktop includes a built-in multi-dimensional engine with the same analytical capabilities as Pilot's powerful multi-user OLAP servers. This provides significant flexibility and scalability by allowing business models developed with Pilot Desktop to be seamlessly scaled to a multi-user server and for portions of a large enterprise model to be snapped onto a mobile desktop.

Pilot Desktop includes a new graphical model builder and rich array of dimensional tools for ad-hoc, ranking and exception analysis. These tools allow users to quickly build, navigate and analyze multi- dimensional business models. Pilot Desktop also includes a new portfolio tool for saving, organizing and sharing analyses. It includes direct connectivity to leading relational databases as well as any ODBC- compliant data source.

SCALABLE OLAP SERVER PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY

The scalability and performance of the multi-platform Pilot Analysis Server have been dramatically enhanced through support for more structural dimensions, very large member sets, dynamic dimensions and dynamic hierarchies. These new capabilities allow users to define complex business models with large numbers of attributes while minimizing consolidation time and server size.

With these dynamic capabilities, business users can develop or modify models on the fly allowing more flexibility in the development process. Smaller models and faster consolidation times make meeting daily update requirements in areas like sales and marketing analysis significantly easier.

The Pilot Analysis Server also provides a new library of built-in predictive modeling functions that include advanced statistical forecasting methods and smoothing techniques. This allows complex business rules to be defined by the business user and maintained at the server which makes large distributed applications easier to manage.

TOOLS AND LIBRARIES PROVIDE RAPID IMPLEMENTATION AND EXTENSIBILITY

Version 5 includes an optional design environment and a pre-built analysis library for customizing and extending the Pilot Decision Support Suite. This allows solutions to be deployed very quickly and then incrementally enhanced.

New capabilities in Pilot Designer include an object manager, a toolbar control, drag-and-drop events and an integrated debugger. The Pilot Analysis Library includes enhanced modules for complex ranking, 80/20 Pareto analysis, BCG quadrant analysis and trendline forecasting.

OPEN STANDARDS PROVIDE PLUG AND PLAY COMPATIBILITY

Version 5 extends the open architecture of the Pilot Decision Support Suite with enhanced support for industry standard interfaces including OLE 2.0, ODBC and MAPI. These new interfaces allow Pilot's advanced OLAP capabilities to be seamlessly integrated with other key components of corporate IT architectures.

OLE 2.0 support allows thousands of components to extend Pilot Designer. The properties and events of the component appear in Pilot Designer as if the object were a standard part of the environment. ODBC support allows any ODBC-compliant tool to be integrated into the Pilot Decision Support Suite. This new capability allows users to create presentation quality reports through client/server report writers. MAPI support allows workgroups to share analyses through MS-Mail and other MAPI-compliant mail packages.

The new Pilot Excel Add-in allows Pilot's OLAP capabilities to be integrated into spreadsheet solutions. The add-in provides dimensional selection, drill down and rotate facilities that allow the user access information in multiple dimensional models from Excel.

In addition, the open architecture of the Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, is being extended with a set of Internet components that will enable commercial Web browsers to access the powerful analytic capabilities of the Pilot environment. These components will be available after the commercial availability of Version 5.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Pilot Decision Support Suite, Version 5, is scheduled to be available by Summer 1996. A five concurrent-user configuration will start at $30,000 in the United States. A range of flexible upgrade options will be available for existing customers.

ABOUT PILOT SOFTWARE

Pilot Software, Inc., a company of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, develops interactive decision support software for managers and analysts in large organizations who need to make time-critical decisions based on quantifiable information. The Pilot Decision Support Suite is the only complete, extensible on-line analytical processing (OLAP) environment built on open standards. It accelerates the analysis of corporate data to improve understanding of current key indicators, past performance and future trends, resulting in better business decisions. Pilot's global headquarters are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company has a strong international presence with offices throughout North and South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. For more information, Pilot can be reached at HTTP://WWW.PILOTSW.COM.


Phoenix Technologies Battery Mgmt Solution
PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES COMPLETE BATTERY MANAGEMENT SOLUTION FOR PORTABLE COMPUTERS

BatteryScope provides

 Optimized battery information for the user

 Greater design flexibility

 Faster time-to-market for computer manufacturers

Santa Clara, CA (April 18, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC), a leading supplier of essential software for PC manufacturers, announced the release of BatteryScope, an integrated firmware and software package for intelligent battery management. It is shipping now to portable computer developers and manufacturers. BatteryScope provides Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 users with an intuitive tool for viewing accurate and comprehensive battery information with controls for the battery alarm system. BatteryScope allows PC manufacturers to include these benefits for mobile users with maximum design flexibility and minimum time-to-market.

Some of the key features of BatteryScope include support for up to four batteries in a system, a user interface optimized for Windows 95, and flexibility in selecting batteries from numerous suppliers.

"BatteryScope is a prominent milestone in Phoenix's dedicated and ongoing effort to provide improved battery management solutions to the notebook market," said Gayn Winters, vice president and chief technology officer at Phoenix Technologies. "We can now enable notebook designers to offer useful advantages to consumers independent of their choice of battery and without any development time tradeoffs."

The introduction of BatteryScope follows the successful June 1995 launch of Phoenix Smart Battery Manager; (PSBM), shipped by several key OEMs including Canon and Hitachi. Building on the expertise attained in the PSBM development, BatteryScope offers battery management capabilities above and beyond the earlier software.

"Phoenix has been playing an important role in the advancement of the Smart Battery System standards in the industry," said Norm Allen, president, Duracell's New Products and Technology Division. "BatteryScope gives notebook manufacturers the flexibility to choose from a variety of batteries as well as the ability to upgrade to advanced battery chemistries, ensuring users the longer run times they demand."

BatteryScope end-user benefits:

Accurate battery information: The information displayed is derived from data provided by onboard intelligent batteries.

Flexible Windows 95 display options: BatteryScope provides convenient and non-intrusive views of useful battery information such as "time to empty" and "time to full charge" as well as a choice between audible or on-screen alarms. BatteryScope also supports Windows 3.1.

Customizable alarm system: A Battery Alarm Wizard allows the user to choose any number of "low battery" or "full-charge" alarms. Alarms can be set for individual batteries or total power available (on multiple battery systems).

Longer system life: By using the data communicated by the battery, BatteryScope provides NoteBIOS 4.0 power management the ability to further extend the life of the system, the main objective from the user's perspective.

New flexibility for notebook users: BatteryScope automatically detects additional batteries. SMBus batteries of different brands with the same form factor are interchangeable.

BatteryScope manufacturer benefits:

Support for up to four batteries: BatteryScope allows the integration of up to four batteries in one system.

SMBus-compatible: BatteryScope fully supports the SMBus industry specification. This allows the OEM to integrate any smart battery or smart charger that are SMBus-compatible.

Dallas one-wire compatible: BatteryScope allows OEMs to integrate Sony Lithium Ion (Li Ion) Intelligent Batteries by using Dallas one-wire protocol.

Flexibility in battery selection: Designers using BatteryScope are free to choose from a variety of Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or Li Ion batteries in various sizes, including: Duracell Rechargeable Batteries with PowerSmart, Sony Li Ion Intelligent Battery, Sanyo SMBus Compatible Li Ion Batteries, Energizer SMBus Compatible Batteries and any other battery with embedded SMBus-compatible battery gauge chips.

End-User benefits are independent of battery configuration: Regardless of the OEM choice of battery type and number of batteries present in the system, BatteryScope end-user benefits are always available.

Standard building blocks shorten time-to-market: BatteryScope provides an integrated package of standard building blocks, including BatteryScope user interface, BatteryScope NoteBIOS extensions, and BatteryScope MultiKey extensions.

Micron Computer is currently shipping an early version of BatteryScope on its Millennia Transport P120 notebook designed by Sanyo.

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is a worldwide leader supplying essential software to PC manufacturers such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, Phoenix PowerPanel, PhoenixPICO, and PhoenixCard Manager. Capitalizing on its unique position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.


New Phoenix Technologies Division
Phoenix Technologies Announces New Division to Address Expanded Market Opportunities

Three Product Lines Within New Division to Focus on Special Purpose PCs, PC Card System Software, Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Interconnect Standards and Peripherals

SANTA CLARA, CA (April 15, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC), a leading supplier of system-level software, today announced a new business unit that will address major rapidly growing and evolving PC-related technology markets. The Special Products Division combines several existing product lines including Phoenix PICO, for special purpose PCs, and Phoenix PC Card, PCMCIA software. The new division will introduce a new focus on emerging interconnect standards and other technologies and standards currently under development.

To head the new division, Craig Slayter has been appointed vice president and general manager, Special Products Division. Mr. Slayter, 45, was formerly vice president, Asia Pacific Operations for Phoenix. He has been with Phoenix since 1987, when the company he founded was acquired. SoftStyle, Inc., where he served as president, was a leading developer of peripheral compatibility software for PCs.

"Entering new markets through our special purpose PC and PCMCIA product groups has brought exciting, high-growth opportunities to our business," said Jack Kay, president and chief executive officer of Phoenix. "The formation of the Special Products Division, headed by Craig who has significant experience in this area, underscores our commitment to these and other major new market opportunities, such as Universal Serial Bus. It demonstrates our commitment to the new USB standards, and provides a framework for us to grow our business by developing and supporting a growing array of other new emerging standards."

The Special Products Division is chartered to provide a dedicated engineering effort to enable new technologies, and develop and deploy these new products and support services. It will address a wide range of new product opportunities, including specialized products and services for special purpose PCs, PC Cards, and interconnect standards including Universal Serial Bus (USB), and other emerging technologies. USB is currently under development by many of the major PC industry leaders. USB is an interconnect technology that allows peripheral devices to be connected to a PC simply, without opening the PC case or needing to fumble with cumbersome software drivers and install programs that intimidate many consumers.

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is the world's largest supplier of compatibility software to the personal computer industry. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, PhoenixPICO, and PhoenixCard Manager, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market as well as cut internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products for consumers such as Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.


Key Solutions for Systems Based on SPIC Tech
PHOENIX ANNOUNCES KEY SOLUTIONS FOR MANUFACTURERS BUILDING SYSTEMS BASED ON SIPC TECHNOLOGIES

Phoenix's Advanced Power Management Tools and Silent PC Technology Aid PC Makers In Building OnNow (instant use) PCs.

SAN JOSE, CA (April 1, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd.(NASDAQ: PTEC), announced today at WinHEC 96 several key solutions for manufacturers building the next generation of low-power, low-noise PCs with appliance-like ease of convenience. This coincides with Microsoft Corp.'s announcement of OnNow - an initiative to make PCs instantly available and power efficient.

Phoenix was a key contributor to Microsoft and Intel's APM 1.2 specification, a new advanced power management standard that allows Windows 95 operating system-based PCs to remain on - in a low power mode, yet activate instantly with a keystroke, mouse click, a modem ring, or when prompted by internal scheduling software. APM 1.2 builds on several key features that are already part of Phoenix's most recent system-level software, and is broadening them into a new industry specification. Arman Toorians, engineering manager, power management at Phoenix is addressing APM 1.2 in the OnNow - Power Management Forum at WinHEC 96.

"Users are demanding that these PCs become more convenient - with instant access 24-hours a day, while consuming little or no power when not in use," said Carl Stork, director of the Windows Hardware Platform Group at Microsoft. "It is also becoming increasingly important for new PC designs to advance and provide a quieter, less obtrusive presence in the home."

"This new specification allows the operating systems and high level applications to be more involved in the overall power management of the PC ," said Toorians. "This way, the computer can maintain system readiness while consuming the least amount of power."

Phoenix and Silent Systems, Inc. are announcing a new noise specification for home computers, in a forum entitled "The Silent PC Initiative". The forum will address the pressing need for PCs to run as quietly as a VCR or telephone when in the home environment. SilentPC is a joint development of Phoenix and Silent Systems Inc. Gregory Wyler, President of Silent Systems will be discussing the new specification and answering questions on what the PC manufacturers can do to meet it at the WinHEC 96 Industrial Design Opportunities Forum. The solutions developed by Silent Systems and offered by Phoenix to PC manufacturers include reductions in noise from on-board fans, hard disk drives, and design changes in computer chassis to make them quieter.

"Most PCs today make a lot of noise - up to 40 decibels on average," said Wyler. "We make them quiet, around 28 decibels. The PC appears solid state, literally as quiet as a VCR. Using the solutions we've developed, manufacturers can improve their multimedia capabilities and make their PCs work better as a stereo and digital video disk player with little added cost per unit."

Phoenix is now providing APM 1.2 (Beta release) and SilentPC solutions to manufacturers worldwide.

Silent Systems, located in Burlington, MA , is fast becoming the leading authority on acoustics and thermals in the PC industry. Their proprietary technology allows PCs to fit comfortably in the quiet environs of the home.

Phoenix is a worldwide leader supplying essential software to PC manufacturers. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, Phoenix PowerPanel, Phoenix SmartBattery Manager, PhoenixPICO, PhoenixVIEW, MultiKey and PhoenixCard Manager, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market and reduce internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.


New Orleans Jazz Festival Enters Cyberspace
QUARTERDECK HELPS THE 1996 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL ENTER CYBERSPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Quarterdeck and House of Blues to Sponsor Online Chats and Other High Tech Events

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF., APRIL 17, 1996 --- HTTP://WWW.QDECK.COM/ (NASDAQ: QDEK) IS WORKING WITH THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL TO TAKE THIS YEAR'S MUSIC FESTIVAL TO A HIGHER LEVEL WITH ONLINE CHATS, THE FIRST JAZZ AND HERITAGE WORLD-WIDE WEB SITE, AND THE QUARTERDECK AREA, CALLED CYBERFEST, A PAVILION OF TERMINALS THAT WILL ALLOW FESTIVAL ATTENDEES TO ACCESS THE INTERNET. AS THE WORLD'S FOREMOST CHAMPION OF LOUISIANA MUSIC AND CULTURE, THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL HAS LONG HAD THE MISSION OF ENRICHING THE PRESENT BY PRESERVING THE PAST. WITH THE HELP OF QUARTERDECK, THE FESTIVAL IS EMBRACING THE FUTURE. THE 27TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL, A CORNUCOPIA OF MUSIC, FOOD, AND CRAFTS, WILL NOW HAVE ONRAMPS TO THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY, WITH POINTERS TO MUSIC AND CULTURAL-ORIENTED SITES ON THE INTERNET.

The Jazz Festival Web site, developed and operated by the House of Blues New Media, is currently online at http://www.nojazzfest.com. Quarterdeck, based in Marina del Rey, California, is sponsoring Cyberfest and daily online chat events. Cyberfest will consist of 15 workstations, loaded with Quarterdeck's acclaimed Internet software and staffed by Quarterdeck employees to help novice users. This will enable attendees to chat with other attendees, friends back home, and artists at the festival on Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and directly via WebTalk, Quarterdeck's real-time voice over the Internet tool.

"We're excited to be moving into the Information Age," said Festival Producer/Director Quint Davis. " The world is moving ahead quickly, and we want to move ahead with it -- without losing sight of our amazing heritage. The Web site will give us a year-round presence and allow people to give us their feedback directly. The Quarterdeck Cyberfest area will expose Festival visitors to incredible new technology. And both will enhance our original goal: to spread the word about Louisiana's rich culture. "

"The Cyberfest is not just for festival attendees. People who can't make it to Louisiana can also access the many musical and cultural sites from the Internet," said Steve Tropp, senior vice president and general manager of Quarterdeck's Internet Services business unit. "With this new technology, the Festival promoters and artists will be able to embrace a much larger audience and bring the musical experience to many more people, in a new and innovative way."

The Quarterdeck Cyberfest area will be housed in the Grandstand Tent at the Fairgrounds. In addition to the workstations, large monitors will let others view the interaction. A staff of technicians from Quarterdeck will help both novices and experts utilize the systems. In addition to IRC and WebTalk, the Cyberfest workstations will come loaded with Quarterdeck's WebCompass meta search tool, which will have special pointers to music and cultural-related sites. Visitors to the Jazz Festival Web site will also find complete information on Festival performers, food, crafts, and much more -- including a gallery of classic photos from previous festivals, as well as a full-color library of official Jazz and Heritage Festival posters dating back to 1975.

The Web site will be updated daily and will even feature short biographies of each performer. Plans for the future include live music and still- photo transmissions of Festival performances by photographer Jim Marshall. After the festival, the Web site will continue to grow, with updates on plans for the 1997 event. It will also serve as a forum for visitors to post personal Festival experiences and offer feedback to event organizers.

About Quarterdeck

Quarterdeck Corporation is a pioneer in the development of software products in four strategic business areas: Utilities, Internet Solutions, Internet Services, and Communications. The company has led the industry in bringing utilities solutions to the Windows and DOS environments with its award-winning QEMM memory management software. The company also offers an entire line of powerful, next-generation Internet tools for corporate, small business and individual users, including the award-winning WebCompass, and the company's first product in the Communications market, WebTalk.

Quarterdeck Corporation's headquarters are located at 13160 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 The Dublin, Ireland office serves as its European headquarters, with offices in England, France, Germany, and Australia. Further product availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (310) 309-3700, by accessing Quarterdeck's Internet Web site at http://www.quarterdeck.com/ , or by sending an e-mail request to info@quarterdeck.com


Quarterdeck Ships WebSTAR 1.2.5 for Mac
QUARTERDECK SHIPS WEBSTAR 1.2.5 FOR MACINTOSH WITH SUPPORT FOR OPEN TRANSPORT'S POWERPC NATIVE TCP/IP DRIVER

Free Update Offers Up to 40% Increase in Performance

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF., APRIL 8, 1996 -- QUARTERDECK CORP. (NASDAQ: QDEK) ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS MADE WEBSTAR 1.2.5 FOR MACINTOSH AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOADING OFF THE INTERNET TO CURRENT LICENSEES OF THE SOFTWARE. THIS UPDATE FOR THE INDUSTRY-LEADING MACOS WEB SERVER WORKS NATIVELY WITH APPLE'S RECENTLY RELEASED OPEN TRANSPORT TCP/IP DRIVER AND, AS A RESULT, OFFERS SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPORT FOR MANY MORE SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS THAN PREVIOUS VERSION 1.1, WEBSTAR 1.2.5'S THROUGHPUT INCREASES UP TO 40% WITHOUT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THE SERVER'S CONFIGURATION.

"WebSTAR has been a multi-threaded, PowerPC native application since it shipped almost a year ago," said Chuck Shotton, Quarterdeck Fellow and principle architect of WebSTAR. "Now that both the server and its underlying TCP/IP stack are executing natively on the PowerPC, WebSTAR is truly the most robust Web server platform for the Macintosh."

Recommended for Open Transport 1.1 users only, WebSTAR 1.2.5 supports up to 150 simultaneous connections, breaking through the previous limit of 50 connections running under MacTCP. Due to the PowerPC native execution of TCP/IP transactions in Open Transport, WebSTAR 1.2.5 now supports up to 40% more connections per minute than WebSTAR 1.2.4. The support for greater numbers of simultaneous connections places WebSTAR 1.2.5 in the same league as UNIX-based Web servers.

WebSTAR 1.2.5 is available at http://www.starnine.com/ for downloading by current WebSTAR owners.

About Quarterdeck

Quarterdeck Corporation is a pioneer in the development of software products in four strategic business areas: Utilities, Internet Solutions, Internet Services, and Communications. The company has led the industry in bringing utilities solutions to the Windows and DOS environments with its award-winning QEMM memory management software. The company also offers an entire line of powerful, next-generation Internet tools for corporate, small business and individual users, including the award-winning WebCompass, and the company's first product in the Communications market, WebTalk.

Quarterdeck Corporation's headquarters are located at 13160 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

The Dublin, Ireland office serves as its European headquarters, with offices in England, France, Germany, and Australia. Further product availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (310) 309-3700, by accessing Quarterdeck's Internet Web site at http://www.quarterdeck.com/, or by sending an e-mail request to info@quarterdeck.com.


Quarterdeck IWARE Internetsuite
QUARTERDECK ANNOUNCES IWARE INTERNETSUITE, A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND ADMINISTRATION PACKAGE FOR NOVELL NETWARE NETWORKS

Product Will Help Companies and Schools Implement Internet Access Policy

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF., APRIL 1, 1996 --- Quarterdeck Corp. (NASDAQ: QDEK) TODAY ANNOUNCED THE SHIPMENT OF IWARE INTERNETSUITE FOR NOVELL NETWARE, THE MOST POWERFUL, INTEGRATED INTERNET/INTRANET ACCESS SOFTWARE FOR NOVELL NETWARE NETWORKS AT ITS PRICE POINT. IWARE INTERNETSUITE IS THE MARRIAGE OF QUARTERDECK IWARE CONNECT, A SECURE, EASY-TO-USE INTERNET/INTRANET ACCESS GATEWAY FOR NETWARE NETWORKS AND INTERNETSUITE 2, A COMPLETE COLLECTION OF GUI BASED TOOLS FOR ACCESSING THE INTERNET. THE COMBINATION OF IWARE'S IPX-TO-IP GATEWAY AND INTERNETSUITE INTERNET APPLICATIONS PROVIDES USERS WITH A COMPLETE, SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR ACCESSING THE INTERNET WITHOUT REQUIRING A TIME-CONSUMING INSTALLATION.

Quarterdeck's IWare products install on top of a Novell NetWare server's existing TCP/IP and on NetWare clients, eliminating the need for installing and configuring a TCP/IP stack on every workstation. In addition to providing a security firewall for Novell NetWare networks, IWare products provide extensive GUI based tools to view, record and control access to different Internet sites and to help network administrators implement Internet security and access policies.

IWare InternetSuite 2.0 also comes with a full suite of Internet applications that can be installed from the NetWare server and are licensed on a concurrent user basis. The bundled applications include Quarterdeck Mosaic with Adobe Acrobat, Apple Computer's QuickTime for Windows and Real Audio applets, Quarterdeck Message Center with integrated Email and News reader, Quarterdeck FTP, Telnet and Global Chat to communicate worldwide in real time.

"IWare InternetSuite will save administrators a great deal time and money by simplifying the process of installing TCP/IP, Internet applications, and a security firewall for their NetWare installed base," said Emerick Woods, Vice President and General Manager of Quarterdeck's Internet Solutions business unit. " By bringing an attractive price point with a full featured, easy-to-use product, we are offering a compelling solution to Novell NetWare customers who have shied away from connecting to the Internet due to high price, difficulty of installation or lack of tools to implement Internet security policy."

Quarterdeck and Novell recently announced an agreement whereby Novell would use Quarterdeck's IPX-to-IP gateway technology in a future Intranet publishing solution, to be announced at Internet World in late April.

IWare InternetSuite is available through Quarterdeck resellers and Quarterdeck's corporate sales channels, starting at $1,195 for a five-concurrent license and $10,995 for a 100-user concurrent license.

About Quarterdeck

Quarterdeck Corporation is a pioneer in the development of software products in four strategic business areas: Utilities, Internet Solutions, Internet Services, and Communications. The company has led the industry in bringing utilities solutions to the Windows and DOS environments with its award-winning QEMM memory management software. The company also offers an entire line of powerful, next-generation Internet tools for corporate, small business and individual users, including the award-winning WebCompass and the IWare family of NetWare products, and the company's first product in the Communications market, WebTalk.

Quarterdeck Corporation's headquarters are located at 13160 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

The Dublin, Ireland office serves as its European headquarters, with offices in England, France, Germany, and Australia. Further product availability and pricing information can be obtained by calling (310) 309-3700, by accessing Quarterdeck's Internet Web site at http://www.quarterdeck.com/ or by sending an e-mail request to info@quarterdeck.com or info@internetware.com


Crystal Reports Embedded in Solomon IV
Solomon Software Extends Industry Standards; Embeds Crystal Reports In Solomon IV (SQL Server Edition)

Industry-Standard Report Writer To Be Integrated With Solomon IV

FINDLAY, OHIO (April 12, 1996) - Solomon Software today launched an unprecedented move toward accounting technology standards by announcing it will embed Crystal Reports, the industry-standard SQL report writer, in every System Manager module of its award-winning Solomon IV for Windows accounting software. Independent research in the accounting market indicates a significant client preference for Crystal Reports' features and functionality in the mission-critical task of financial and accounting report writing.

"Solomon Software has taken the leadership position once again by being one of the first middle-market client/server accounting software vendors to embed Crystal Reports in its SQL-based accounting products," said Gary Harpst, President of Solomon Software. "By offering Crystal as an integral component of Solomon, we're offering enterprises an easy-to-use reporting tool for client/server financial computing," said Harpst.

"This announcement is consistent with our product design objective, which is to incorporate `best of breed, industry-standard, non-proprietary' technologies into our Solomon IV product line to meet the needs of our customers," said Pat Fitzhenry, vice president of independent developer programs at Solomon Software. "We intend to lead the accounting software market in terms of industry-standard `technology adoption', and this newly announced relationship with Crystal is an excellent example," said Fitzhenry. The agreement enables Solomon Software to embed Crystal Reports - at no extra charge - with every Solomon IV System Manager module.

SOLOMON IV EMBEDS BEST-OF-BREED INDUSTRY-STANDARD TOOLS

"Solomon Software is well-recognized for its commitment to industry- standard technology and open architecture," said Greg Kerfoot, president of Crystal, a Seagate software company. "We are very pleased that Solomon Software has selected Crystal as their report writer of choice for their SQL Server Edition. The use of Crystal Reports across all Solomon IV platforms brings a flexible and comprehensive reporting solution to accounting departments in companies of all sizes and complexities."

ABOUT CRYSTAL REPORTS AND CRYSTAL INFO

Crystal Reports 4.5 is optimized for SQL data access and reporting, drill-down reports and heterogeneous cross-database reporting. Crystal Reports Professional 4.5 has a built-in graphics engine with twelve graphic styles, a 32-bit OLE Control and Report Engine, plus an easy- to-use "tab" interface and long filename support. Crystal Info is Crystal's comprehensive 3-tier client/server reporting system building on the power of Crystal Reports to provide automatic sharing of report information for business users. Crystal info will be offered as an optional add-on product to Solomon IV clients.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

A special version of Crystal Reports 4.5 will be embedded in the Solomon IV System Manager module beginning with Release 2.1, the SQL Server Edition of Solomon IV, expected to be released late May, 1996. For the convenience of existing Solomon IV client sites, a conversion utility will be made available - at no charge - shortly after the release of Solomon IV Release 2.1, enabling users to easily convert their existing Solomon IV report formats to the Crystal Reports format The System Manager for Solomon IV (SQL Server Edition) is priced from $7,595 for 6 users, to $24,995 for unlimited users.

Established in 1984, Crystal, a Seagate Software Company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seagate Technology, Inc. Crystal shipped the first report writer for the Windows operating system in 1992. Crystal Reports is the No. 1 award winning reporting tool with over 2 million units shipped, and is bundled with over 110 shrink wrapped products. Crystal's product line includes Crystal Reports Standard, Crystal Reports Professional, Crystal BackOffice Reports CD, and Crystal Info. To find out more about Crystal's line of products visit Crystals Web Page at http: //www.seagate.com/software/crystal/ or contact at 4th Floor, 1095 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2M6, 1-800/877-2340. Facts-On-Demand 604-681-3450


Multiproc Support for Specular Backburner
SPECULAR AND DAYSTAR ANNOUNCE MULTIPROCESSING SUPPORT FOR SPECULAR'S 3D RENDERING APPLICATION, BACKBURNER

Genesis MP Turns Designer's Tools into Production Workhorses

Atlanta, Georgia -- April 12, 1996 -- DayStar Digital and Specular International have announced multiprocessing support for BackBurner, a popular batch and distributed rendering application. DayStar Digital is the creator of Genesis MP, the first Mac OS-based multiprocessor system. BackBurner, designed for use with Specular Infini-D, provides Infini-D users with sophisticated control over the computer-intensive process of rendering 3D images and animations.

"We want to show high-end professional shops the potential that the emerging parallel processing Macs offer to 3D production. With Genesis MP accelerating functions from 300 to 350% faster than single processor systems, the artist's favorite tools can now be the production workhorses, too," said David Feldman, Vice President and Chief Strategist for Specular.

The technology being developed supports rendering on a single MP machine or on a mix of MP and non-MP machines across a network. Of particular benefit is the high-speed processor bus linking the four processors in the Genesis MP, which reduces the communications bottlenecks that sometimes emerge on local area networks. The BackBurner technology uses the Apple/DayStar multiprocessing API, and will be compatible with all of the emerging MP hardware.

DAYSTAR AND SPECULAR TO DEMO TECHNOLOGY AT NAB

People will get a chance to see BackBurner MP in action this week during the National Association of Broadcasters Expo, in Las Vegas. Specular will be showing technology demos of BackBurner's MP rendering speeks during the show at their booth: M4042/Multimedia Pavilion. The technology demo will be running on DayStar's Genesis MP, harnessing the power of four 132 MH-z PowerPC processors to render scenes and animations for Specular Infini-D.

ABOUT DAYSTAR DIGITAL

DayStar Digital, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets high performance Mac OS-based workstations for professionals engaged in media-publishing. Additionally, DayStar offers a full line of performance upgrade products for Apple Macintosh computers. The company maintains a Home Page on the World Wide Web at: http://daystar.com/

ABOUT SPECULAR

Specular is a leading producer of 3D modeling and animation software for the Macintosh. Specular's flagship 3D program, Infini-D, has become an industry standard and has won numerous awards for its innovative design and power. Specular's commitment is to create sophisticated, easy-to-use and affordable graphics tools. For more information about Specular, see the Specular Website at: http://www.specular.com.


Specular 3D Web Workshop
Specular Announces 3D Web Workshop; Integrated Studio Package with Adobe PageMill Provides One-Stop Solution for Easy High-Impact 3D Web Page Design

(Amherst, MA) -- April 15, 1996 -- Specular announced today its development plans for a 3D Web page design and layout package for the Macintosh platform, Specular 3D Web Workshop, to be released May 15, 1996. Targeted at new Web page designers who want to build 3D imagery, animation and colorful graphic elements into their Web sites, 3D Web Workshop provides powerful tools and high-quality, web-oriented artwork for creating high-impact web pages with speed and ease. The package will contain four primary components: Specular TextureScape, Specular LogoMotion, Specular's new WebHands, and Adobe PageMill. Users can drag and drop 3D buttons, bullets, horizontal rules, banners, text, objects and background textures from TextureScape, LogoMotion or the WebHands collection directly into PageMill, the industry's premiere WYSIWYG Web publishing tool.

"The relationship between Adobe and Specular is complimentary because we are both committed to providing mainstream computer users with powerful, easy-to-use solutions for their desktop graphic needs," said Adam Lavine, President and CEO of Specular. "By integrating PageMill into our 3D Web Workshop, we are now able to deliver to the marketplace a completely integrated professional-quality Web page design environment."

FEATURES

* Over one thousand "live" clip graphic elements: customizable 3D

  buttons, banners, horizontal rules, background textures and

  animations -- each one fully editable, optimized for fast

  download times, and supplied in files for immediate placement

  onto a web page

* Intuitive web page layout -- no HTML knowledge required

* Drag and drop convenience

* Instructive, informative documentation by Specular's knowledgeable

  Web Masters, covering basic and advanced web page design techniques,

  such as how to create animated GIF files for easy 3D animation

  on the web

* Macromedia Shockwave support

INCLUDED IN 3D WEB WORKSHOP

SPECULAR WEBHANDS

WebHands, designed specifically for the Web Workshop by Specular, are pre-made customizable graphic elements for web page design. Over 1000 WebHands ship on the Web Workshop CD-ROM, and are accessible both as GIF files in an html browser format, for easy drag-and- drop additions to web pages, or as editable files, for unique, custom 3D graphic elements without the need to start from scratch. Among the different classes of WebHands are: 3D buttons, 3D titles, horizontal rules, tileable background images, preset camera styles for dramatic 3D text and object viewing, and animations. All WebHands are organized into style "families" for easy locating and editing, and include: Awards, Commercial/Office, Communication, Construction, Glass, Metallic, Renaissance, Tech/Computer, Transportation, Animated WebHands and much more.

SPECULAR TEXTURESCAPE WEB-EDITION

TextureScape's ability to create tileable images makes it perfect for background images. The easy shape manipulation, text tool, layering, and beveling also enable TextureScape to make beautiful buttons, titles, horizontal rules, and other web-oriented graphics. All TextureScape WebHands files can easily be edited for instant customization, and dragged directly into PageMill.

SPECULAR LOGOMOTION WEB-EDITION

LogoMotion's simple and intuitive text editor creates instantaneous 3D text from any Type 1 or TrueType font. LogoMotion's WebHands provide an extensive variety of preset camera angles for unlimited possibilities of text presentation, and the Web-edition Hand Tool allows for drag and drop precision placement into PageMill. In addition, LogoMotion's extensive animation capabilities are now tuned for Macromedia" Shockwave. LogoMotion Web-Edition also includes a selection of non-dithering background colors, full control over the bit-depth of images, a complete array of rendering choices, and full drag and drop interactivity with PageMill.

ADOBE PAGEMILL

Adobe PageMill Web publishing software was specifically designed to address the needs of mainstream computer users who want to create and maintain graphically righ content on the Web. Adobe PageMill software is easy-to-use, fast, and includes everything needed to create Web pages. Adobe PageMill is currently ranked the second-best selling Internet software product with more than 30,000 units shipped in November 1995, its first month of availability.

PRICING

The suggested retail price of Specular 3D Web Workshop is $399. A "lite" version of the package, which does not include PageMill, will be available for the SRP of $249.

INFORMATION

For more information about Specular and Specular products contact Dorothy Eckel, Manager of Press Relations at Specular, 7 Pomeroy Lane, Amherst, MA, 01002. Phone: 413-253-3100; E-Mail: press@specular.com.


Spyglass Web Technology Kit Supports Java
New Spyglass' Web Technology Kit Supports Sun Microsystems Java

Spyglass WTK Offers The Most Technology Choices for Developers

Naperville, Ill. -- Monday, April 15, 1996 -- Touting the most choices of embeddable World-Wide Web technology, Spyglass announced support for Sun Microsystem's Java programming language and JavaScript scripting language in the newly introduced Spyglass Web Technology Kit (WTK) for client applications.

The new Spyglass WTK breaks out Spyglass' client technology into components for easier integration of Web technologies. The WTK is the most comprehensive Web technology offering available today because it covers multiple platforms and offers a complete, high-quality set of premium Web technologies that developers can "mix and match" for their solution.

"We're pleased to see that Java has received another vote of confidence with Spyglass' support," said Jon Kaunegaard, vice president of JavaSoft. "With its strong distribution network, wide deployment of technology in a number of applications and large number of client/partners, Spyglass will accelerate acceptance of Java in the marketplace."

Spyglass Web client and server technology is pervasive, with more than 60 client partners who embed Web technology in more than 150 branded applications, services and devices, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser, MicroTouch's kiosk systems and SmartServe's Web-enabled telephone systems. Spyglass technology is now easier to embed in a variety of applications, services and devices that employ the Web with the WTK.

"Spyglass is providing developers and integrators with the easiest, most flexible and most economical way to Web-enable new applications, services and devices," said Marc Miller, executive vice president of marketing for Spyglass. "We offer the best embeddable technology for Web applications. With Java support, we give developers the option of two-way integration to create dynamic Web applications."

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 60 customers, including AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp., IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Triteal. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 150 Internet-based products and services.

Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., and Cambridge, Mass. and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. (Headquarters: telephone -- 708.505.1010; fax: 708.245.6693; press email inquiries: Randy Pitzer; Web server, Internet: www.spyglass.com.


Software AG Data Mart (Dmart) Package
SOFTWARE AG Announces Data Mart Package

Dmart Offers Low Cost, Easy-to-Use, Scalable Data Access Solution for Business Users

RESTON, Va., April 15, 1996 -- Software AG, one of the world's largest independent software companies, today at DB/Expo announced Dmart, its low-cost, data mart package. Dmart bundles ESPERANT, an easy-to-use query and reporting tool, and ADABAS D, a low-cost, high-powered database, with consulting and educational services that can deliver a working data mart within 10 days.

Data marts store data that has been tailored to a specific group of users or applications on a single database where it can be quickly analyzed, speeding up the decision making process. Typically, data marts are driven by business units such as marketing, customer information systems, finance or sales departments, which require an easily available, consistent and ready-to-use format for data access.

"With Dmart, departmental users have a data mart package that is available today to deliver easy data access to solve their business problems," said Mike Schiff, director of Software AG's Data Management Program. "Unlike other data mart products, Dmart comes with a services component that includes data modeling to ensure that the data content will satisfy users' information requirements. In addition, our services package customizes the design so that users populate the data mart with the data they need, enablling them to immediately address their decision support requirements."

Software AG's ADABAS D provides an ideal database for data marts, as it offers a high level of functionality at a low cost, and can be administered and maintained by end-users. Introduced in the US in August 1995, ADABAS D is the only relational database management system (RDMS) designed with data distribution built-in, not added on. ADABAS D is a fast, high-performance database, recently achieving record-setting results in an SAP/DEC Alpha benchmark test. Easy to use, Windows NT, UNIX and OS/2 platforms. Additionally, ADABAS D's ODBC interface makes it open to the most popular desktop tools, and with its OfficePlus client product, allows for seamless integration with the Microsoft Office suite of products for query and reporting, Dmart uses ESPERANT, an award-winning tool featuring expert technology that allows business users to access data without learning SQL. ESPERANT displays queries as clear English sentences, guiding end-users through an intuitive process that transparently joins data from multiple sources into a single query. SQL Expert, ESPERANT's powerful, rule-based system, assures query accuracy and protects users from generating incorrect information. Using ESPERANT's Executive Desktop function, users can build icons for frequent queries and instant, point-and-click accessibility.

Dmart is available now. Pricing for a fully-implemented system starts at $25,000, and includes software and 10-days of on-site consulting, data modeling and training services. ADABAS D requires a Windows NT, UNIX or OS/2 server; and ESPERANT requires a 386 (or faster) IBM compatible PC, MS-DOS 3.3 and Microsoft Windows 3.1.

For more information, call (800) 843-9534 ext. 150, or access http://www.sagus.com.


Tangram Asset Insight for IT Asset Tracking
Tangram's Asset Insight Provides Intelligent IT Asset Tracking

RALEIGH, N.C., April 16, 1996 -- Tangram Enterprise Solutions, Inc., a leading developer of asset tracking software, today announced Asset Insight, the first business management tool for information technology executives. Asset Insight offers managers intelligent decision support, enabling them to identify all hardware and software assets currently installed throughout the enterprise, to plot historical trends and to project future changes to their asset base.

"Behind closed doors, CIOs will admit that their IT asset inventories are only 30 percent accurate at best," said Chris Jesse, President and CEO at Tangram. "To survive today, IT executives must manage to a new business model, and, frankly, 30 percent won't cut it."

At the heart of Asset Insight is a unique analysis function that guides IT executives toward better informed decisions. Asset Insight automatically analyzes asset data and distills the results into one-page reports that highlight exceptions, costs and trends to facilitate intelligent business decisions.

Asset Insight automatically inventories virtually any server and workstation platform and transports the asset data across the existing network to an open relational database. At each inventory, Asset Insight detects and stores only changes to the asset base, compiling historical information while minimizing database size. With an easy graphical interface that walks users through the query process, the user can view any cross section of the asset data as well as drill down on a single workstation. Through it's open architecture, Asset Insight can share data with other corporate systems and enable decision makers throughout the organization to access the data through standard query tools.

With Asset Insight, Tangram will also launch a new indirect channel program. Initially, Tangram will offer Asset Insight through CompuCom Systems, Inc. Headquartered in Dallas, CompuCom is a leading provider of PC products and network integration services for large corporate customers nationwide. CompuCom's services include LAN/WAN projects, help desk design and implementation, network management, field engineering, asset and procurement management, configuration and product distribution. In 1995 CompuCom's revenue grew 41 percent to $1.44 billion.

"This partnership is a perfect fit, linking a revolutionary new product with an extensive distribution channel," said Steve Marcus, Vice President of Bid Services at CompuCom. "Recognizing the magnitude of savings possible, we were eager to make enterprise-wide asset tracking available to our customers, and when we examined what the market had to offer, Asset Insight was the clear choice. No other product captures history or transforms raw data into intelligent analysis."

Asset Insight is currently undergoing beta testing and will be available for general delivery later in this quarter.

For more than a decade, Tangram Enterprise Solutions, Inc. (OTC:TESI) has provided asset tracking and electronic software distribution solutions for major organizations throughout North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Tangram's product lines support the leading, industry-standard client/server and local area network environments, including Solaris, HP-UX, SCO OpenServer, AIX, OS/2, Macintosh, DOS, Windows, Windows NT, Windows 95, NetWare and MVS, as well as a myriad of connectivity options such as APPC, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS, SDLC, X.25 and asynchronous communications. Tangram is a member of the Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. partnership of companies.


New TI Extensa 570CD & 570CDT Models
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS ANNOUNCES EXTENSA 570: FASTER, MORE STORAGE, STILL VALUE-PRICED

DALLAS -- April 15, 1996 -- Expanding its widely successful value line, Texas Instruments today announced the new Extensa 570CD and 570CDT models to provide customers with a high quality, value-priced Pentium processor-based color multimedia notebook computer. The Extensa series offers the ultimate selection in high performance processing with leading edge features that include advanced Nickel Metal Hydride (NiHM) battery technology for extended battery life, large hard drive capacity, SVGA LCD screens and the latest in CD ROM and multimedia capabilities.

"The Extensa 570CD series was developed by Texas Instruments to meet our customers' need for a Pentium processor-based notebook computer with desktop replacement capability at an affordable price," stated Steve Lair, vice president, worldwide marketing and sales for Texas Instruments' Personal Productivity Products. "The Extensa 570CD series is ideal for customers requiring a notebook PC for both portable and desktop replacement applications. Small to medium business users - as well as cost-conscious corporate professionals - whose application needs include sales force automation, training, communications and personal productivity will find tremendous value in the Extensa series with high performance, vast expandability and portability."

Power Package

The new Extensa 570CDT notebook computers include many advanced features such as a high performance 100MHz Pentium processor, PCI bus architecture, 8 MB of RAM (expandable to 40MB), 256K L2 cache, a large 1.2 GB HDD, 4x CD ROM standard, infrared port compliant with the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standard, a brilliant 10.4 inch high-resolution SVGA TFT active matrix display and an advanced nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery for up to 2.5 hours of use per charge - all in a sleek 6.4 pound box.

The 570CD features a modular 6X CD ROM drive for ultra-fast retrieval of information. This model also has all the key features, speed and multimedia capability of the 570CDT, but its 810 HDD and 11.3" SVGA DSTN display make it even more affordable for cost conscious small and medium sized companies.

Full Multimedia Capability on Both New Models

Every 570CD and CDT model sports a complete multimedia package with on-board 16-bit sound and a built-in microphone and speakers. "The mobile professional who needs to impress customers with spectacular presentations can rely on the Extensa 570CD series which are powerful enough for real-time video playback. The new Extensas also have Sound Blaster Pro compatibility to enable users to incorporate .WAV and MIDI audio functions into almost any file or document," said Lair. "With the Extensa, you can actually interweave .AVI video files with music, special effects or voice-overs to create stunning presentations," continued Lair.

Modularity Increases Productivity

Texas Instruments was the first to recognize the need for modularity to give customers the ability to upgrade their notebook computer easily as technology moves forward. The 570CD and 570CDT both are fully modular, and with one quick step, users can switch between a second hard drive, the floppy drive or CD ROM. Another benefit to a modular design is that users can easily upgrade components as technological advancements make them available.

Pre-loaded Software With a Choice

Each Extensa 570Cd series is pre-loaded with the most preferred software packages for added convenience. Providing users with a choice, the Extensa 570CD and 570CDT has a dual-installation option of Windows 95 with its plug and play simplicity and its on-line documentation or Windows for Workgroups/MS-DOS. The Extensa 575CD retail version adds the Lotus Organizer, Quicken SE, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Entertainment Pack.

More Than Notebooks

Texas Instruments has a unique worldwide warranty service. There is no registration required to activate it and it is honored in any country where there is a service operation. In addition, to meet service and support needs of customers, TI offers a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, toll-free service and support line. The service line gives owners of any TI mobile computers free technical support anytime they need it. TI also guarantees a three day "desk-to-desk" repair service so customers never have to be without their computer for long.

Every customer has different needs, and TI offers a selection of accessories to let customers create a custom notebook that is perfect for their particular needs. From carrying cases that double as a briefcase to extra batteries for the truly mobile professional, TI customers can order accessories easily from the TI Express catalog.

With the Extensa 570CD series, a port replicator is also available for customers who have a "home base" office where they want to make their notebook a replacement for their desktop. They can take advantage of Extensa's mobility and still use their current monitor, mouse and keyboard.


TI Extensa 510 Color Notebook Computer
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS ANNOUNCES EXTENSA 510: COLOR NOTEBOOK COMPUTER

A High Quality, Value-Priced Pentium Processor Based Notebook with Advanced Performance Features

Extensa 510/515 Key Features

 * 100MHz Pentium processor for maximum performance

 * 810Mb removable hard disk drive (525MB in Europe)

 * PCI-bus architecture for faster input/output

 * 8MB EDO RAM, expandable to 40MB

 * 10.4" DSTN color display

 * Full size Windows 95 keyboard with touchpad pointing

   device and palm rest

 * 5.9 lbs. carrying weight

 * Duracell DR35 NiMH battery for outstanding battery life

 * Two Type II PC Card slots

DALLAS - April 15, 1996 - In an effort to continue pushing the envelope for high performance notebook computers at a true value, Texas Instruments is today announcing the new Extensa 510 notebook computer. Sporting an Intel Pentium processor and a large capacity hard disk drive with aggressive pricing, even buyers at any level can now afford a high-value Pentium notebook computer.

"The introduction of the Extensa 510 notebook computer expands mobile Pentium processor computing beyond the corporate market and into the small office/home office segment. These users can now afford to utilize the power of the Pentium processor and experience the quality of TI's mobile notebook solution," stated Steve Lair, vice president, worldwide marketing and sales for Texas Instruments' Personal Productivity Products. "TI has established a strong position in the value segment of the notebook market by offering users high quality, value-priced notebooks with the Extensa product line. The advanced feature set and competitive pricing of the new Extensa 510 will strengthen the company's leadership position in this market segment."

The new Extensa 510 notebook includes many advanced notebook features such as a high performance 100MHz Pentium processor, PCI Bus architecture, 8MB of EDO RAM (expandable to 40MB), 810MB of removable hard drive space (525MB in Europe), stacked PC Card slots, a brilliant 10.4 inch Dynamic-STN dual-scan color display, a fast video subsystem supporting 256 colors at 1024 x 760 on an external monitor (640 x 480 on the internal LCD), and the long lasting Duracell DR35 nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery.

The Extensa 510 is designed with the Duracell DR35 battery for exemplary battery life. The DR35 is a standard-size rechargeable battery by Duracell for use in notebook computers. For computing on the go, Extensa users have the convenience of readily available replacement or spare batteries from select retail channels including computer and office product super stores and traditional computer dealers across the country.

Texas Instruments also includes built-in 16-bit sound, audio in/out, microphone in and speaker; and two PC Card slots (one Type II and one Type III) in the Extensa 510. TI is continuing its strategy by providing the integrated TouchPad pointing device that users find convenient and effective to use with any application. In addition, the ample palm rest area and full size Windows 95 keyboard make typing on the Extensa 510 a very comfortable, trouble-free experience.

"Today's consumers are looking for maximum features at a value-level price. When you look at what's inside the new feature-rich Extensa 510 and the small price tag, you know you've found true value," says Lair. "The value of the Extensa does not stop with the purchase; the proven TI technology integrated into each of our notebooks gives users the added security that they're using a solid, reliable product."

Pre-loaded Software With a Choice

Each Extensa 510 is pre-loaded with the most preferred software packages for added convenience. Providing users with a choice, the Extensa 510 has a dual-installation option of Windows 95 with its plug and play simplicity and its on-line documentation or Windows for Workgroups/MS-DOS. The Extensa 515 retail version adds the Lotus Organizer, Quicken SE, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Entertainment Pack.

Worldwide Service and Support, 24 Hours a Day

Texas Instruments has a unique worldwide warranty service. There is no registration required to activate it and it is honored in any country where there is a service operation. In addition, to meet service and support needs of customers, TI offers a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, toll-free service and support line. The service line gives owners of any TI mobile computer free technical support anytime they need it. TI also guarantees a three day "desk-to-desk" repair service so customers never have to be without their computer for long.

Customized Notebooks

Every customer has different needs, and TI offers a selection of accessories to let customers create a notebook that fits their particular needs. From carrying cases that double as a briefcase to extra batteries and chargers for the truly mobile professional, customers can order accessories easily from the TI Express catalog.

The Extensa 510 is the perfect notebook for travel, office or home use. Real estate, insurance, and sales professionals, as well as students can benefit from the Pentium performance, light weight and low cost that the Extensa 510 offers.


TI Unveils 28.8 Cellular Data/Fax Modem
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS UNVEILS 28.8 CELLULAR DATA/FAX MODEM

Faster Communication for Mobile Executives

DALLAS - April 15, 1996 - Continuing its effort to allow users to customize their notebook computers, Texas Instruments today added a cellular-ready data/fax modem to its accessory line of products. Fully compatible with all TI notebooks, the new TI 28.8 Cellular Data/FAX Modem is two modems in one allowing mobile executives and field professionals the ability to quickly and conveniently use their notebook computers from hotel rooms, airport lounges or from the car to send and receive data when they're using their cellular phone or from a standard phone line.

The new modem is ideal for remote LAN access, faxing, e-mailing, and other mobile applications where fast transmission speeds are required. Most modems operate at 14,400 bits per second (bps), but with a speed of 28,800 bps, the new modem provides improved connectivity performance and reduces the connect time and cost to our customers.

"The new 28.8 Cellular Data/FAX Modem is a must for mobile executives or corporate users who need high-speed remote access to a network for e-mail, file transfers and other applications; even when they are not near a traditional network connection," said Linda Sanders, director of worldwide accessories marketing for Texas Instruments, Personal Productivity Products. "The new modem's speed also makes dial-up inter-networking for workgroups and remote access to graphics files practical because it lowers the cost of access time."

The 28.8 Cellular Data/Fax Modem is cellular ready, providing wireless communications with an optional cellular cable that connects to Motorola, Nokia and other selected cellular phones. Two modems in one, it provides the ability to send and receive data at speeds in excess of 14.4 kbps rapidly, efficiently and reliably over cellular phone networks or at 28.8 kbps on standard telephone lines so users stay connected no matter where they may need access.

Texas Instruments has included with the new TI 28.8 modem an XJACK connector, making it easier to access a world of information. Designed for standard telephone transmission, the XJACK modem provides 14.4 kbps data transmission with up to 57,600 bps throughput with v.42 and MNP error correction and V.42 bis and MNP 5 compression. The XJACK connector pops out of the modem for a direct connect to a standard RJ-11 telephone jack. The connector simply slips back in place when the user completes communications.

By providing the most advanced cellular and landline communication capabilities in a convenient, user-friendly package, the new TI 28.8 modem enables toady's mobile users to achieve reliable and convenient communication capabilities. With the most advanced technologies available, the 28.8 uses little power so it does not affect notebook performance.

Texas Instruments has included the latest software with its cellular modem, the BitFax Professional 3.11T, and it also has Windows '95 Plug & Play compatibility. Users can fax directly from any Windows or Windows '95 document or transfer data files with point and click simplicity. The modem's upgradable firmware allows users to stay current with the latest drivers. As with all TI products, the 28.8 Cellular Data/Fax Modem is backed by TI Service and Support.


Tippecanoe TECUMSEH NT-based WWW Search Eng.
Tippecanoe announces new NT-Based WWW search engine at DB/EXPO `96, . . . . and its FREE!. . . .

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, DB/EXPO, MOSCONE CENTER, APRIL 16, 1996......... Tippecanoe Systems, Inc. today announced that it will make available a free version of its powerful TECUMSEH search engine. Called TECUMSEH SCOUT, the new search engine is designed to give Web sites full-text plus concept searching capability.

TECUMSEH SCOUT provides two functions important to any web site which contains a sizable collection of documents. This can include web pages, text documents, or even formatted files such as Word for Windows documents and Excel spreadsheets. First, TECUMSEH SCOUT creates a searchable index by reading and indexing every word in the document collection. This is administered using a simple, intuitive, web-enabled interface.

Next, TECUMSEH SCOUT provides a mechanism by which Web browsers can search the index, via a ready-to-run Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program.  The webmaster simply inserts three lines of HTML-tagged instructions in a web page to provide the query box and search button.

TECUMSEH SCOUT is more than a simple keyword search engine. TECUMSEH SCOUTS probabilistic search engine incorporates advanced technology including statistical term correlation and query expansion, number format recognition, and relevancy ranking. Plus, TECUMSEH SCOUT stores index information in a database, not a simple data file. This makes it easy to add newly indexed pages, or to delete obsolete ones, without having to re-index the entire collection.

Tecumseh searches are fast, generally taking a fraction of a second, even for complex Boolean queries on very large databases.

Mike Tyler, President and CEO of Tippecanoe Systems, Inc. states,

Including a professional search capability makes a website much more usable and versatile to visiting browsers and can make the difference in the user finding or not finding what the webmaster wants them to see. Tecumseh simplifies the whole process and provides a world-class search capability.

The TECUMSEH SCOUT allows the user to index up to 4,000 documents at a site, more than enough for most personal or small business websites. For more demanding requirements, Tippecanoe offers: TECUMSEH WORKGROUPS and TECUMSEH ENTERPRISE.

TECUMSEH WORKGROUPS, designed for workgroup/departmental requirements, lists for $995 and can index up to 64,000 documents per database.

TECUMSEH ENTERPRISE, designed for enterprise requirements, lists for $3,995 and can index up to 1,000,000 documents per database index.

All three TECUMSEH Information Indexing and Retrieval products, run under Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. TECUMSEH is scaleable, providing search solutions spanning single and multiprocessor NT platforms.

Available immediately, the TECUMSEH SCOUT Indexing and Retrieval system for NT (Intel version) is free, and includes the TECUMSEH server, a ready-to-run CGI (Common Gateway Interface) program, and a Web-enabled administration client. Customer training classes and support plans are available.

Tippecanoe Systems, Inc., headquartered in Pleasanton, California, designs and distributes information management software products. Tippecanoe Systems, Inc. maintains a website at http://www.tippecanoe.com.


TechSmith SnagIt/32 V3.0.1 Print Utility
See It? SnagIt!

TechSmith Releases SnagIt/32, Version 3.0.1

EAST LANSING, MI, APRIL 12, 1996 -- TechSmith has released an update of SnagIt, "the print utility that Microsoft Windows forgot."*

SnagIt/32(TM), version 3.0.1 has successfully passed the requirements and testing for the "Designed For Microsoft Windows 95" logo. Additionally, this new version offers the following enhancements:

 An uninstall option for Windows 95 and Windows NT.

 Support for long file names (up to 80 characters) has been

 added to the Automatic File Naming feature.

 The image of the mouse cursor has been improved in the Include

 Cursor option.

 The Include Cursor option is now active for the Last Active

 Window input selection.

 While a 32-bit MAPI mail client is still required for the Send

 Mail option, SnagIt/32 no longer requires that the mail client

 is loaded prior to starting SnagIt/32.

 as well as minor changes to enhance stability and performance.

SnagIt/32 v 3.0.1 is available both as a software patch, for current registered users of the SnagIt Twin Pack, and in the current evaluation copy of the SnagIt Twin Pack. Both products are available, free of charge to registered users, from our web site, http://www.techsmith.com.

Download a fully functional evaluation copy of SnagIt/32 (or the 16-bit version) from TechSmith's World Wide Web site, or ftp server, ftp.TechSmith.com. SnagIt is also available from the WUGNET and other forums on CompuServe and many other locations world-wide.

The single-user copy of SnagIt/32 is priced at $39.95. Multi- user, OEM, corporate and site licensing options are also available. For additional sales information, please contact TechSmith by e-mail at SnagIt@TechSmith.com or call 1-517-333- 2100 ext. 145.

TechSmith Corporation is a technology leader in desktop and network solutions. Since 1987 our mission has been to help users maximize the benefits of distributed computing and shared resources. TechSmith has designed its family of products to meet the requirements of organizations needing to support not only their employees, but their customers and business partners as well.

* Brian Livingston, Windows 3.1 Secrets, IDG Books, pg. 835


Leading Edge Storage Module & Drive Tech.
UNISYS, SEAGATE, AND SUN TEAM TO PROVIDE LEADING EDGE STORAGE MODULE AND DRIVE TECHNOLOGY

Leading the Market in Advanced Single Connector Technology Standard

MISSION VIEJO, CALIF., APRIL 16, 1996 -- Unisys Corporation's Storage Systems Division (SSD), Seagate Technology, and Sun Microsystems Computer Company today announced a new storage solution that addresses the rapidly expanding needs of the open systems marketplace.

The Unisys OEM implementation of its industry leading Open Storage Module (OSM) with high reliability and hot plugable drive technology from Seagate is integrated with Sun's new SPARCstorage Array Model 214 RSM.

Recognizing the needs of leading enterprise server providers, Unisys SSD developed the OSM. The module offers high reliability with lower cost by providing enhanced throughput SCSI interfaces, as well as the SCA2 (single connector attachment, second generation) technology features of hot plugability, redundant components and fewer cables.

"By working together, Unisys, Seagate and Sun have developed a flexible package that addresses the rapidly expanding marketplace for high reliability open storage subsystems," said Roger Klein, Director of Storage Platforms for Unisys SSD. "The OSM addresses the need of business critical, high capacity applications involving data warehousing, large OLTP systems, imaging and voice that are being moved to enterprise servers."

"To fulfill our vision of the complete I/O strategy for high-end storage, Seagate has focused on developing new technologies for the server market such as 'SCA' (single connector attachment), Ultra SCSI and Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop", said Gary Gentry, Seagate's senior director of marketing and planning. "Unisys is sharing this vision by developing versatile server cabinetry. With industry leaders like Sun, Unisys and Seagate working together, we can be sure of 'time to market' Ultra SCSI and FC-AL success in 1996."

"Sun developed the original SCA connector with Seagate to provide the most reliable, highest density drive mounting for the SPARCstorage Array product line, which was introduced in 1994,"said A. Edward Turner, director of marketing for Sun's Storage Products Business Unit. "We are pleased to be at the forefront of this significant advancement of the SCA technology."

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY

Seagate Technology, Inc. is a data technology company that provides products for storing, managing, and accessing digital information on the world's computer and data communications systems. Seagate is the largest independent disc drive and related components company in the world. Seagate's home page address on the World Wide Web is http://www.seagate.com.

SUN MICROSYSTEMS COMPUTER COMPANY

Sun Microsystems Computer Company (SMCC) is a world leader in the design, manufacture and sales of network computing systems and is a division of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Recognized for quality and innovation, the company's SPARC workstations and multiprocessing servers each hold the Number One UNIX marketshare position. These systems are used primarily by businesses, educational institutions and governments worldwide for technical, commercial, industrial, and software development applications.

UNISYS STORAGE SYSTEMS DIVISION

Unisys Storage Systems Division (SSD) provides storage products for Unisys enterprise systems and multi-vendor client/server platforms. With its background as a storage provider for Unisys enterprise, and client/server platforms, Unisys SSD brings extensive storage subsystem experience to the OEM market. The division is headquartered in Mission Viejo, California. For more information about Unisys storage products, please call 1 (800) 854-0609 or access Unisys SSD on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com/products/ssd/.

THE UNISYS COMPUTER SYSTEMS GROUP

The Computer Systems Group (CSG) is the Unisys technology business. The people of CSG design, develop, produce and sell the advanced hardware, middleware and system software that serve as the building blocks for traditional and advanced information management solutions. CSG works with clients, with Unisys services groups, and with outside integrators and consultants, independent software developers, distributors and resellers in providing these technology building blocks to help them better serve their customers. Few other companies have the breadth of experience of the Computer Systems Group -- from enterprise servers to parallel processing to PCs, with all the software and peripherals in between.

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Unisys is one of a select group of companies with the portfolio of services, technologies and third party alliances needed to deliver the benefits of information management -- helping clients use their information asset to enhance their competitiveness and responsiveness to customers. Our expertise in information management is founded on the strengths of our three global businesses: consulting, solutions and systems integration; industry-leading technologies, and comprehensive services and products supporting distributed computing environments. Access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com -- for further information.


Unisys 10-Processor Pentium Servers
UNISYS UNVEILS HIGH PERFORMANCE 10-PROCESSOR INTEL PENTIUM & PENTIUM PRO MULTIPLE OS SERVERS

APRIL 15, 1996, BLUE BELL, PA -- Unisys Corporation today said that it will begin shipping the industry's first 2-10 Intel Pentium Pro ready symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) servers in April 1996. Called ClearPath SMP61000, the new servers are, according to the company, designed to deliver high availability and RISC performance while providing the economic advantages of mass produced Intel processors..

The Unisys SMP 61000 incorporates the 'future ready' Synchronous Coherent Memory (SCM) bus and offers outstanding scalability for multiple speeds of Pentium or Pentium Pro processors. With the Pentium Pro processors, available in the third quarter 1996, ClearPath SMP61000 servers will be able to run one of a wide variety of leading operating systems, including Windows NT, SCO UnixWare, SCO ClearView, or Unisys UNIX System V, Release 4.

Intended for the mid-to-large replicated server market, the SMP61000 servers are ready for commercial applications with mission critical OLTP requirements. Additionally, they are broadly adaptable platforms for companies rightsizing or surrounding enterprise host applications and for a wide variety of business and government mission critical applications. Based on its advanced integration of hardware and software capabilities, the new SMP platforms work as extremely effective application, database, and decision support servers.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES The new SMP61000 servers will include:

* Fully scalable architecture for 2 to 10 Pentium or Pentium Pro

  processors

* Pentium processors matched with 2MB of Second Level Cache

* Pentium Pro processors matched with 4MB of Third Level Cache

* Mix and match multiple speeds of Intel Pentium Pro processors

  (200MHz and faster) within the same system

* High availability features including hot removable in-cabinet

  disk drives, N +1 Power, RAID 0,1,5.

* Up to 4 GB of ECC System memory initially supported with Pentium

  Pro processors

* A533 MB/second SCM bus with 7 standard PCI and 5 EISA expansion

  slots

* With the availability of Pentium Pro processors, customers can

  run one of many operating systems from a selection including,

  Microsoft NT version 4 (available early in Q3'96), SCO UnixWare

  2.1, Unisys UNIX System V Release 4.0, and SCO OpenServer

TECHNOLOGY BASIS

David McCann, vice president of Unisys ClearPath SMP Server product marketing stated, "We built these new servers on the success of our earlier SCM based servers. The engineering development on SCM began during the early stages of the Intel Pentium processor R & D and has enabled us to add new Pentium processors to our systems as the devices became available. We have progressed from the 60MHz Pentium processor of 1994 to the 150MHz Pentium and 200 MHz Pentium Pro processors of 1996.

"In addition, with the SMP61000 Pentium Pro ready design, we'll add an innovative third level cache to our own dual processor boards. The design, code named Sierra, matches the power of the Pentium Pro with 4MB of third level cache and enables us to configure up to 10 Pentium Pro processors in one system. Other vendors are having to resort to the NUMA/SCI technology to get above 4 processors. This will, naturally, entail some changes to their existing operating systems and applications once that technology is available."

CLEARPATH SMP61000 INDUSTRY COMMENTS

Richard French, Oracle vice president of Intel based servers, stated, "Oracle is pleased to offer our latest version of Oracle7 on the ClearPath SMP61000 running either SVR4 or UnixWare. We have made significant progress optimizing Oracle for the Pentium Pro based SMP systems and we look forward to a successful deployment of Oracle on the new Unisys ClearPath solution."

Gene Lee, Research Manager, Midrange Systems, International Data Corporation stated, "The new Unisys SMP61000 server, particularly when equipped with 200 MHz Pentium Pro processors running on Unisys' 533MB/s SCM system bus, will be a system to reckon with. It will challenge the best UNIX or NT midrange price/performance from any competitor."

UNISYS CLEARPATH SMP SERVERS

In addition to the ClearPath SMP61000, the Unisys ClearPath SMP server family includes the ClearPath SMP 5200 (1-2 Pentium processors) and the SMP5400 (2-4 Pentium processors). The basic strength of Unisys ClearPath SMP servers is that they are all based on Intel processors. They will also host any one of the leading operating systems, including Microsoft NT, SCO UnixWare, or Unisys UNIX System V, Release 4. Additionally, Unisys SMP servers are all PCI and EISA ready and have an comprehensive suite of communications software options for enterprise-wide data communications.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Customer shipments of the ClearPath SMP61000 will begin in April 1996. Pricing varies according to configuration, but typical pricing ranges from $90,000 to $150,000 for a system with 4 Pentium processors and from $190,000 to $240,000 for a system with 8 Pentium Pro processors.

THE UNISYS COMPUTER SYSTEMS GROUP

The Computer Systems Group (CSG) is the Unisys technology business. The people of CSG design, develop, produce and sell the advanced hardware, middleware and system software that serve as the building blocks for traditional and advanced information management solutions. CSG works with clients, with Unisys services groups, and with outside integrators and consultants, independent software developers, distributors and resellers in providing these technology building blocks to help them better serve their customers. Few other companies have the breadth of experience of the Computer Systems Group -- from enterprise servers to parallel processing to PCs, with all the software and peripherals in between.

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Unisys is one of a select group of companies with the portfolio of services, technologies and third party alliances needed to deliver the benefits of information management -- helping clients use their information asset to enhance their competitiveness and responsiveness to customers. Our expertise in information management is founded on the strengths of our three global businesses: consulting, solutions and systems integration; industry-leading technologies; and comprehensive services and products supporting distributed computing environments. Access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com -- for further information


Unisys ClearPath HMP Series
GENESIS OF A NEW PROCESSING PARADIGM -- UNISYS CLEARPATH HMP SERIES

APRIL 15, 1996, BLUE BELL, PA --- Unisys today announced the ClearPath HMP Series, which ushers in an entirely new processing paradigm -- Heterogeneous MultiProcessing. This innovative computing model leverages the strengths of the enterprise server and combines them with the attributes of open platforms. The result is a highly scalable server that protects current software investments while expanding opportunities for reengineering, modernization and new applications.

Many organizations employ multiple operating systems to support a diversity of applications. Extracting, coordinating and consolidating information from each of these environments can be complex and error prone, due to inadequate interoperability and integration technology. Each operating environment defines to its own set of standards, but these standards are seldom consistent when moving from one operating environment to another. As a result, significant investment is required just to begin to unify needed resources.

Heterogeneous MultiProcessing was designed to address this dilemma.

CLEARPATH HMP SERIES

The ClearPath HMP Series is the first generation of Unisys new open enterprise servers. These unique systems seamlessly integrate -- in a single server --the properties and attributes of open operating systems and enterprise operating environments. The HMP Series is the first server product line to implement heterogeneous multiprocessing, the industry's newest computing paradigm.

The importance of this new paradigm lies in the general requirement to achieve seamless integration across multiple operating systems. Interoperability facilities of various types have been used to move toward this objective. However, integration using these interoperability facilities is far from easy or transparent. The new HMP technology provides a predefined, pre integrated environment that does not require extensive definition by the customer -- it's an inherent attribute of the heterogeneous operating environment.

This new industry architecture actually introduces the second generation of client/server computing. It incorporates a server to server element, permitting the client to get needed information and processing resources across disparate operating systems, with far less effort and complexity.

INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT ELEMENTS

The ClearPath HMP Series provides immediate support for applications and tools that function under Windows NT and UNIX (SVR4 and UnixWare). In addition, applications developed under Unisys Enterprise Server operating systems, MCP/AS and OS2200, will function without redesign or modification on the ClearPath HMP Series. Extensive integration services between the open and enterprise server environments permit them to be viewed as a single image.

Len Bizzarro, Vice President of Marketing, indicates that "Value Added Resellers and Independent System Vendors will find this platform very accommodating, due to the integrated multiple operating system environment. Many have already qualified their products on this new server series."

In order to meet expanding application requirements, each of the processing environments can be independently scaled to meet increased application demands of virtually any magnitude, with exceptional levels of system availability. This is a prerequisite for any server designed to keep pace with the enterprise.

"The new HMP computing paradigm offers new opportunities for dealing with complex enterprise requirements," said Leo Daiuto, vice president and general manager of Unisys enterprise server division. "Integration at the enterprise level increases the value of the organization's total computing resource and information. It also provides increased personnel productivity and reduces costs".

As an example, conventional server file services can be supported under the enterprise operating system, as well as Windows NT or UNIX. Support at the enterprise level expands authorized access of information across the entire organization. Enterprise administrative services, such as data archiving and disaster recovery planning, are now applied to these server files, just as they are for the organization's most important data. Server based PC files in many organizations are considered mission critical and require this level of support. In addition, enterprise applications can easily access and update this server information without developing complex interoperability schemes.

TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION

The HMP Series platform utilizes Pentium and PentiumPro processors as well as powerful 0.5 micron CMOS technology. This addresses an extremely broad performance range. The basic system design assures a continuously contemporary platform, positioned to take advantage of the most recent processor technology innovations as soon as they become available.

All HMP operating environments support multiprocessor services to accommodate flexible growth options and increased system availability. When organizations exceed the performance of the maximum multiprocessor complex, clustering is used to deliver even more capacity. These servers are capable of dealing with the largest enterprise processing requirements.

Processor configurations consist of:

OPEN OPERATING SYSTEM (UNIX AND WINDOWS NT) PROCESSOR

* Pentium processor, PentiumPro 3Q96

* Multiprocessor complexes of 2 to 10 instruction processors for

  UNIX

* Multiprocessor complexes of 1 to 4 instruction processors for

  Windows NT (up to 10 processors in late 1996)

ENTERPRISE OPERATING SYSTEM (MCP/AS AND OS2200) PROCESSOR

* High performance CMOS technology

* Multiprocessor complexes of 1 to 8 instruction processors

* High performance I/O subsystem

Internal integration services are addressed via a 10M bit switched connection or through a fiber based 100 M bit switched connection. A channel based integration technology will be added later in 1996. For organizations requiring even higher performance internal integration, ATM and memory integration will be options in the future. Thus, organizations can scale their integration technology to meet immediate and long term requirements, without application changes.

NETWORKING AND INTERNET INTEGRATION

The HMP Series is capable of accommodating large scale enterprise networks supported by a variety of networking protocols. While the primary focus is on TCP/IP, networks based on SPX/IPX, BNA, DCA and SNA are also accommodated. ATM technology has been introduced to support high capacity network requirements. This technology complements a spectrum of cost effective LAN and WAN networking technologies, across a wide performance range.

Internet integration is also a focus of this new server series. Inexpensive accessibility, high-speed connections, and Windows-based browsers for the WorldWide Web all have stimulated the Internet's phenomenal growth. The commercialization of the Internet has created business opportunities that didn't exist as little as two years ago. To address this new electronic marketplace, Web server capabilities have been incorporated into all ClearPath HMP open enterprise servers.

HMP servers are ideally suited to meet the rapidly expanding demands for enterprise-wide Internet integration, based on their high-volume and business-critical online transaction processing strengths.

ClearPath Web Server software makes this platform a high-performance HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) server, enabling access and distribution of hypermedia documents. The ability to incorporate so many types of hyperlinked multimedia objects (text, graphics, audio, video) into a single message improves the quality of the information delivered.

IMMEDIATE SUCCESS

The strengths of the ClearPath HMP Series are evident in the first day order activity. First day orders in excess of $100 million have already been recorded. This worldwide activity includes customer orders in Japan, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

General customer availability of the ClearPath HMP Series will vary by model. The NX4600 and NX4800 will initiate customer shipments in June. The IX4800 will begin customer shipments in August.

THE UNISYS COMPUTER SYSTEMS GROUP

The Computer Systems Group (CSG) is the Unisys technology business. The people of CSG design, develop, produce and sell the advanced hardware, middleware and system software that serve as the building blocks for traditional and advanced information management solutions. CSG works with clients, with Unisys services groups, and with outside integrators and consultants, independent software developers, distributors and resellers in providing these technology building blocks to help them better serve their customers. Few other companies have the breadth of experience of the Computer Systems Group -- from enterprise servers to parallel processing to PCs, with all the software and peripherals in between.

UNISYS -- THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Unisys is one of a select group of companies with the portfolio of services, technologies and third party alliances needed to deliver the benefits of information management -- helping clients use their information asset to enhance their competitiveness and responsiveness to customers. Our expertise in information management is founded on the strengths of our three global businesses: consulting, solutions and systems integration; industry-leading technologies; and comprehensive services and products supporting distributed computing environments. Access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com -- for further information.


Remedy for Small to Medium Help Desk Market
Vantive Announces Comprehensive Strategy To Enter Small To Medium Size Help Desk Market

Targets Remedy as Principal Competitor

SANTA CLARA, CALIF., APRIL 15, 1996 -- The Vantive Corporation (NASDAQ: VNTV), the fastest growing public software company in the emerging customer interaction software market, today announced its entrance into the small to medium size help desk market. As result of the initiative, Vantive will be the first vendor to provide an economic help desk solution for small to medium size help desk departments in large organizations that is both rich in functionality and highly customizable.

"We are seeing a huge demand for robust, out-of-the box help desk products for companies with help desk departments of all sizes," said Carter Lusher, vice president and research director, Gartner Group.

"With Remedy as our key competitor in this space, we believe there is a huge market opportunity for Vantive. Providing an alternative solution for the market combining high-end functionality at a cost- effective price underscores Vantive's commitment to offer customers the broadest range of choices," said John Luongo, president and CEO, Vantive. "With the success and industry acceptance of Vantive's high performance product in large help desk organizations, we are well positioned to address the needs of businesses with help desk departments in the 5-to-50 user seat range. This strategy enables Vantive to effectively market a competitively priced product in this arena."

VANTIVE'S MARKET STRATEGY

Vantive's offering comprises a four-pronged strategy that addresses the market demand for the company's help desk software. First, Vantive is starting this drive with Vantive HelpDesk, a proven, feature-rich product that is widely accepted in the market across all industries.

Second, Vantive has made changes to its pricing structure to accommodate the needs of this market without altering the functionality, flexibility or customizability of its product. This model accommodates the growing needs of an organization which can scale Vantive HelpDesk to meet specific requirements. For example, a typical 10-seat system is available for less than $25,000. The customer has the ability to add as many seats as needed as their help desk department grows.

Third, Vantive has developed a new, cost-effective distribution model that includes telesales and telemarketing to complement Vantive's existing distribution channels. Vantive will continue to sell direct and is integrating this new effort into its business model.

Fourth, in an effort to address the needs and provide cost effective services to customers in this market, Vantive is providing a variety of service and support offerings through its strategic business partnerships with leading systems integration firms. Specifically, Vantive and the Computer Task Group--a leading consulting and systems integration company--are working closely to address the needs of small to medium size help desk organizations.

"We're excited to be part of the Vantive team and value the tight relationship that we have with them," said Terry Bay, director, Computer Task Group. "We've seen a growing demand in this market for a help desk product and believe Vantive HelpDesk will best serve the needs of customers in any organization."

"We see the help desk as the center point to an organization's support infrastructure. Functionality, ease of use and customizability are key issues faced by today's IT departments," added Bob Tate, vice president of marketing, Vantive. "Vantive offers users a complete help desk solution, not just a tool kit. With this solution, customers are getting a competitively priced product that is rich in functionality."

VANTIVE HELPDESK PROVIDES BEST OF BREED SOFTWARE

Vantive HelpDesk is an internal help desk application that logs, tracks and assists in handling employee information with technology, human resources and facilities-related issues. Vantive HelpDesk provides the most function-rich, scalable and customizable solution to meet a company's requirements. Vantive HelpDesk is the industry's first application designed to address the enterprise-wide requirements of today's organizations such as automatic case creation from network management systems, asset and employee tracking, change and problem management as well as access to pre-packaged experience bases such as those provided by ServiceWare Inc. and Knowledge Brokers Inc.

Vantive HelpDesk can be used with Vantive's VanWeb application for promoting employee self-service and improved communication over the Internet. Additionally, Vantive HelpDesk is fully integrated with all other Vantive Enterprise applications including sales, marketing, customer support, defect tracking and field service functions. Vantive HelpDesk, like all Vantive applications share a common data model and are based on a three-tier client/server architecture.

ABOUT THE VANTIVE CORPORATION

The Vantive Corporation (NASDAQ: VNTV) is the fastest growing public software company in the emerging customer interaction software market. The company develops, markets and supports the Vantive Enterprise, a suite of software applications that enable businesses to enhance customer satisfaction by automating internal help desk, sales, marketing, customer support, defect tracking, and field service functions. It delivers the enterprise scalability, rich functionality, flexibility, security and rapid implementation required by today's competitive market. Vantive applications are used by world-class, customer-centric companies across all industries to achieve total customer service. Vantive can be reached by calling 1-800-582-6848 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.vantive.com


WDC Completes Sale of Connectivity Group
WESTERN DIGITAL COMPLETES SALE OF CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GROUP, FINALIZES STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH ADAPTEC

IRVINE, CA -- April 14, 1996 -- Western Digital Corporation (NYSE:WDC) today announced the completion of the sale of its Connectivity Solutions Group (CSG) businesses in separate transactions with Adaptec, Inc. of Milpitas, California and Vixel Corporation of Broomfield, Colorado.

The CSG divestiture now focuses Western Digital solely on its fast-growing storage business. Today, the Company ranks as the world's third-largest independent manufacturer of hard disk drives based on the success of its Caviar product line for desktop personal computers. In 1996, the Company will broaden its product line to include hard drives for the network/server environment and for the portable PC market, both incremental businesses.

Adaptec has acquired, for approximately $35 million in cash and a royalty agreement, certain assets and the ongoing operations of Western Digital's input/output device business. The two companies have also entered into a strategic agreement for Adaptec to design and supply advanced storage control technology for Western Digital's Enterprise Storage Group, which will begin shipping hard drives for the client/server market later this year. Approximately 95 former Western Digital employees have joined Adaptec, many of whom will be based at a new Adaptec location in Irvine, California.

Separately, Western Digital has finalized the sale of its fibre channel products operation to Vixel Corporation in exchange for financial considerations, including an equity interest in Vixel. Fifteen employees from Western Digital's former location in Lynnwood, Washington have joined Vixel.

As a result of these divestitures, Western Digital is taking steps to bring overhead costs into line with its new business structure through reductions in programs and staff, including the elimination of approximately 130 positions at the Company's Irvine headquarters. Each of the employees being laid off has been provided with a severance package including extended benefits as well as job placement assistance. Approximately 25% of those laid off have already found employment in Orange County's robust market for technically skilled workers.

Chuck Haggerty, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Western Digital, said: "These transactions conclude a three-year process of sharpening the Company's focus on the core business of storage. Our track record and leadership in quality, technology, and time-to-market will serve us very well as we expand into the enterprise and portable storage markets and intensify our efforts in the desktop storage arena. The strategic alliance with Adaptec will be key to our successful entry into the enterprise storage arena."

Western Digital Corporation is a leader in information storage management. The company designs and manufacturers hard disk drives for personal and enterprise-wide computing, and markets them to leading systems manufacturers and selected resellers under the Western Digital and Caviar brand names. Western Digital is the first U.S.-headquartered, multinational company to have been awarded company-wide ISO9001 registration, linking all WD organizations with a consistent global standard for quality processes. The company was founded in 1970 and has long been noted for its storage and end-market systems-level design knowledge. The company's World Wide Web home page can be found at http://www.wdc.com, on America OnLine by using the keyword Western Digital or WDC and on Microsoft Network by using the "go" word WDC.


New PIX Router Functions in Xylan Products
Xylan extends OmniSwitch and PizzaSwitch routing to IPX

XYLAN HAS PUT IPX ROUTING CAPABILITY INTO ITS OMNISWITCH AND PIZZASWITCH FAMILIES OF SWITCHING PRODUCTS.

Calabasas, California, April 17, 1996 -- IPX routing is needed to interconnect LANs that use Novell's NetWare protocol stack. The new IPX router function in the Xylan products forwards IPX frames between NetWare networks. Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) and the forwarding of Novell NetBIOS frames carried within IPX frames is included.

IPX routing complements Xylan's existing TCP/IP routing capability. Between them, IP and IPX cover the great majority of installed networks.

Routing is a natural extension of AutoTracker, Xylan's powerful virtual LAN capability. Xylan's products switch within virtual LANs and route between them. Any OmniSwitch or PizzaSwitch can contain multiple IPX routing processes, and any IPX routing process connects virtual LANs. Combining routing and switching in a single networking tool eliminates the need for complex virtual LAN trunk interfaces. And, since the OmniSwitch and PizzaSwitch are inexpensive network building blocks that can replace hubs, the aggregate routing power in a Xylan network becomes very large.

The new IPX routing function (including RIP and SAP) builds and maintains an IPX routing table capable of supporting a minimum of 2,000 routes and 2,000 server entries. There is also a fast-path cached routing mechanism. The OmniSwitch and PizzaSwitch support both dynamic and static routing.

Xylan's IPX routing supports token ring source route capability.

IPX routing is available now. The feature is included in the price of the standard OmniSwitch software.

Headquartered in Calabasas, California, Xylan Corporation is a leading provider of high-bandwidth switching systems that enhance the performance of existing local area networks and facilitate migration to next generation networking technologies such as ATM. Its OmniSwitch and PizzaSwitch products connect Ethernet, token ring, FDDI, CDDI, 100BaseT, and ATM, at wire-speed, with automatic any-to-any translation. Low cost is coupled with powerful software features, including: AutoTracker virtual LANs; ATM PVCs, SVCs, and LAN Emulation; IP and IPX routing; and graphical network management on a broad set of standard management platforms. Xylan provides a wide range of platforms, all of which use the same hardware technologies and run the same code. Extensive redundancy and reliability features are integrated into the products. Xylan anticipates that OmniCell, Xylan's cell switching capability, will be integrated into the OmniSwitch backplane in the first half of 1996 and that modules to support 25Mbps, OC-3, and OC-12 rates will be available in the second half of 1996. Xylan anticipates that the OmniSwitch with OmniCell will be both a powerful backbone ATM switch and a cost-effective ATM desktop switch.


Whittaker Completes Acquisition of Xyplex
WHITTAKER COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF XYPLEX, INC. FROM RAYTHEON FOR $117.5 MILLION IN CASH AND STOCK

Newly named Whittaker Xyplex division to offer full line of networking products and turn-key networking integration solutions. Step makes Whittaker among leading networking firms worldwide and creates balanced aerospace and communications company.

SIMI VALLEY, CA., APRIL 11, 1996--Whittaker Corporation (NYSE:WKR) headquartered here announced today it has completed the acquisition of Xyplex, Inc., from Raytheon Company (NYSE--RTN), Lexington , MA. for $117.5 million in cash and stock. Closure of the deal, announced on March 4, included necessary approvals under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. The acquisition makes Whittaker one of the top providers of networking products in the world and expands the firm's market leader position in healthcare networking, one of several vertical markets the company supplies.

"With the addition of Xyplex our communications business has the products, distribution channels and technology, all the ingredients to successfully compete on a world scale," said Thomas A. Brancati, president and CEO Whittaker Corporation. "We are in a fast growing and highly competitive portion of the networking marketplace. Whittaker Xyplex will be a powerful force in the networking industry providing our customers with the full product and integration solutions they demand," Mr. Brancati said.

Located in Littleton and Boxborough, MA. the Xyplex unit, which makes a wide range of internetworking and access server equipment for computer networks and the Internet, will be integrated with the Whittaker Communications' division located in Santa Clara, CA. Operations will continue at all locations within the U.S. and at foreign offices.

The new combined organization will be renamed Whittaker Xyplex to maintain the brand names and industry recognition of the two firms under the same umbrella organization. Whittaker Xyplex will be headquartered in Santa Clara. In addition to his position as Whittaker CEO, Mr. Brancati will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Whittaker Xyplex and Michael S. Gardner, president of Whittaker Communications since May 1995 will serve as division president.

Customers will draw upon a product line ranging from remote access devices that allow them to connect business networks and computers to the Internet to high speed switching hubs and access devices using Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology.

The Xyplex acquisition underscores Whittaker's strategy to create and grow as a well-balanced company operating in two principal business segments, aerospace and communications. In fiscal year 1996 ending Oct. 31, Whittaker expects to post over $280 million in total revenues with 50% from each of the two primary business units. In 1995, Whittaker had sales of $159.5 million.

The product lines, technology, manufacturing, marketing, sales and other operations of the two units are currently being integrated into the single Whittaker Xyplex division which will operate from two business units. The Switching Product Division will be located in Santa Clara, CA. and the Internetworking Products Division will be located in Littleton, MA. Whittaker Xyplex holds major and growing market positions in the healthcare, education, banking/finance and government markets and strong distribution channels for its products, which includes some 300 resellers and systems integrators worldwide.

Whittaker is a global, customer-driven company providing products and services with a high technology or engineering content to the aerospace and communications markets. Founded in 1942, the company employs some 1,500 people in offices around the globe. Further information on Whittaker may be obtained by contacting the company's Home Page at URL address http://www.whittaker.com and Xyplex may be reached at URL address http://www.xyplex.com


Zenith 100MHz Pentium Z-NOTE MX Portables
Zenith Data Systems moves into Pentium 100 MHz market with enhanced Z-NOTE MX portables

Drops prices up to 16 percent on existing 75 MHz Z-NOTE MX notebooks

BUFFALO GROVE, ILL. -- April 15, 1996 -- Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) has started shipping two enhanced models of the popular Z-NOTE MX portable computer featuring Pentium 100 MHz performance. One of the first to deliver a notebook system with the latest Pentium CPU, ZDS has also included select technologies typically found in premium products an IrDA infrared serial port and SVGA DSTN display in the additions to the mid range priced Z-NOTE MX portable line. ZDS also announced price reductions of 11 - 16 percent on existing Z-NOTE MX 75 MHz notebooks.

"The new Z-NOTE MX models reflect Zenith Data Systems' successful strategy to bring leading edge technology to an affordable price point for our customers as quickly as possible," said Mike Wilson, senior director of portable product marketing at ZDS. "Now our customers can enjoy the latest in Pentium technology -- 100 MHz performance -- at a mid-range price early in the processor's life cycle."

ENHANCED PORTABLE PERFORMANCE AND COMMUNICATIONS

The Pentium 100 MHz CPU in the new Z-NOTE MX systems brings unprecedented performance to the mid range price notebook class. Equipped with 256K L2 cache, PCI local bus video and a Windows accelerator, the systems' power and speed allows users to tackle intensive computing tasks typically relegated to high end portables. A standard 810MB hard disk drive, 8MB of upgradable RAM and an NiMH battery also make the enhanced Z-NOTE MX notebooks a worthy match for heavy weight uses. In addition, the new model featuring the SVGA DSTN display lets users view more information at one time to further enhance productivity.

"The latest Z-NOTE MX models combine a unique mix of features that fit the performance requirements and price range of professionals in information- intensive fields like finance, accounting, engineering, manufacturing and sales," said Wilson. "ZDS has also built communications into the systems as a cornerstone of their functionality." The IrDA serial port on the 100 MHz Z-NOTE MX portables provides the capability for users to conduct convenient wireless printing and file transfers. Netscape Internet browser software is pre installed, and an optional 14.4 or 28.8 PCMCIA (PC Card) modem with CommWorks software is available to complete the communications link. "We've done everything we can to make the new Z-NOTE MX notebooks the ideal communications platform for traveling professionals," commented Wilson. "The keys to successful computing on the go are all covered. The new Z-NOTE MX notebooks are powerful, compact, light- weight and efficient. And innovations like our AccuPad interface make them especially easy to use."

The touch sensitive AccuPad on the Z-NOTE MX portable functions both as a pointer and a mouse. It allows users to intuitively control cursor movements by tracing a finger along the AccuPad surface. The Pentium 100 MHz notebooks also feature an integrated 16 bit Sound Blaster compatible stereo sound system with high quality microphone support that enable hands free recording of sound or voice messages for added convenience. Dual on board stereo speakers, external headphone and microphone line jacks further extend Z-NOTE MX multimedia capabilities.

ABUNDANT OPTIONS AND SOFTWARE IN A SLEEK PHYSIQUE

Like the previous Z-NOTE MX models, the new Pentium 100 MHz systems feature an integrated AC adapter module for a lighter load that swaps easily with the floppy disk drive module. It can be operated external to the system while the floppy drive is inserted, or traded for a second battery module to instantly double the notebook's battery life.

Dual scan systems with the battery installed weigh only 5.9 pounds, while active matrix units with a battery weigh 6.1 pounds. Users can expect over four hours of battery life with two batteries installed. The sleek Z-NOTE MX notebook measures 11.1 x 8.7 x 1.9 inches (WDH). The Z-NOTE MX line also supports PC Card flexibility, with room for two Type II or one Type III PC Card. In addition, the optional ReadyDesk port replicator offers a cost effective bridge between stationary office peripherals and the notebook. Like the previous Z-NOTE MX models, the new configurations ship with a Windows 95 optimized keyboard, and a completely integrated software suite for increased productivity and value. Systems preconfigured with the Microsoft Windows 95 package include Netscape Navigator Personal Edition and Norton Navigator, plus CoSession for remote ZDS support and ZDS EZ Companion custom designed software to make using the system even easier and to help users take full advantage of Windows 95's robust features. Microsoft Windows for Workgroups/MS DOS configurations of the Z-NOTE MX notebooks include Netscape, PC Tools for system management and CoSession.

Z-NOTE MX PENTIUM 100 MHZ PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The new Pentium 100 MHz Z-NOTE MX models are configured with 8MB RAM, an 810MB hard disk, a choice of Windows 95 or Windows for Workgroups/MS DOS with the appropriate integrated software suite described above, and an NiMH battery. A system featuring a 10.4 inch SVGA DSTN display has an estimated street price of $2,799 *. A Pentium 100 MHz Z-NOTE MX with a 10.4 inch SVGA TFT display is competitively priced at $3, 599 *. Both new models are available now through authorized ZDS resellers and distributors.

Z-NOTE MX 75 MHZ PRICE REDUCTIONS

In addition to announcing the new 100 MHz Z-NOTE MX notebooks, ZDS also announced price reductions on the 75 MHz Z-NOTE MX configurations ranging from 11 to 16 percent. A 75MHz Z-NOTE MX with 8MB RAM, 810MB hard drive and TFT display is now $3,099*, down $600 from its previous price of $3,699*. The same system but with a DSTN screen is $300 less than its former $2,799 * price for a current price of $2,499*.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WARRANTY COVERAGE

Zenith Data Systems offers 24 hour, seven days a week toll free customer assistance and product support. When used with a modem, CoSession remote assistance software enables a ZDS technical consultant to provide dial in analysis of a customer's system. Customers can also connect with the ZDS World Wide Web home page at http://www.zds.com for technical information.

Z-NOTE MX notebook computers are backed by a one year limited warranty that includes Z CARE mail in service with 24-hour repair upon receipt by ZDS. All response commitments are based upon commercially reasonable efforts, and all response times may vary depending on availability and/or the nature of the service requested.

ABOUT ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS

Zenith Data Systems offers a full line of personal computer products ranging from high-performance servers and desktops to its award-winning line of notebook computers and wireless mobile products. With more than 1,200 Z-LINK GOLD resellers in the U.S. and sales locations in more than 30 countries, ZDS markets its products to business, education and government. The company is headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Ill., with engineering facilities in Santa Clara, Calif., Billerica, Mass. and Buffalo Grove; and manufacturing facilities in St. Joseph, Mich.

Zenith Data Systems, 2150 East Lake Cook Road, Buffalo Grove, Ill., 60089, (847) 808 5000, Fax (847) 808 4434, Internet http://www.zds.com. Please direct reader inquiries to (800) 533 0331.

* Prices quoted are estimated street prices in U.S. dollars. Reseller prices may vary. Resellers determine their own pricing which may be higher or lower than Zenith Data Systems' prices.


Spyglass Acquires SurfWatch Software
SPYGLASS ACQUIRES SURFWATCH SOFTWARE -- LEADER IN INTERNET FILTERING AND PARENTAL CONTROL

SurfWatch Adds Internet Brand Recognition, Technology and New Enterprise Web Products to Spyglass' Technology Offerings

Naperville, Ill. -- Wednesday, April 24, 1996 -- Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SurfWatch Software Inc., a Los Altos, Calif. vendor of Internet filtering and parental control software. In less than a year, privately-held SurfWatch created the Internet filtering market and has become the industry-standard technology for blocking access to unwanted material on the Internet.

Spyglass will pay approximately $12.6 million (based on the closing price of the stock on Tuesday, April 23, 1996) in a stock pooling transaction in which SurfWatch employees and operations will become a product group of Spyglass and the core of Spyglass' West Coast research and development organization.

"SurfWatch's technology, personnel and distribution channels are an excellent complement to Spyglass' approach to the Internet marketplace," said Douglas Colbeth, president and CEO of Spyglass. "While filtering has become synonymous with parental control of questionable material on the Internet, it is also a technology that has tremendous potential in enterprise applications."

SurfWatch filtering technology will be an important new component of Spyglass' Web Technology Kits which companies will use to Web-enable their products, services and devices. Colbeth said, "The acquisition of SurfWatch will not only improve our component technology offerings, but its name recognition, strong telesales and electronic distribution channels will improve our ability to tap corporate customers. We believe this brings into a single organization the management, marketing and technical talent needed to deliver to the market an exciting range of new options."

"The synergy between the two companies is outstanding," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch. "SurfWatch's award-winning technology, combined with Spyglass' ability to attract premier partners, will deliver SurfWatch to more users -- empowering them to choose which material they wish to receive. SurfWatch and Spyglass technologies can now be leveraged in integrated solutions to corporate and Internet users. The best way to accomplish this is for the two companies to become one."

SurfWatch Software -- founded by Internet pioneer Bill Duvall, formerly of SRI, XEROX PARC, Consulair, Claris and 3DO; Ann Duvall and Jay Friedland -- creates award-winning Internet products for personal computers and licenses Internet access control technology to the industry. The software is available today from Internet and on-line service providers including AT&T, CompuServe, EarthLink and NETCOM. SurfWatch may also be ordered directly from SurfWatch or through selected software distributors and retail outlets.

Spyglass is the market leader in embedded Internet technology. It has agreements with more than 72 customer/partners, including Computer Associates, Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, which use Spyglass technology in more than 170 different products. Spyglass licenses its technology for embedding in applications, services or devices. Spyglass technology, for example, is the underlying technology in Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser.

SurfWatch has led the industry in working to protect free speech on the Internet. "Parents, teachers and employers are using SurfWatch every day to prevent access to inappropriate material on the Internet," Duvall said. "After my recent testimony in the challenge to the Communications Decency Act in Philadelphia, I hope that we have convinced the court that Internet filtering and parental control software like SurfWatch is a much more effective and less restrictive solution than excessive government regulation."

Both companies have been actively involved as founding members of the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) consortium supporting the development of standards-based Internet rating systems. Together they plan to accelerate their efforts to deliver content management solutions for both Internet and Intranet applications.

According to both executives, SurfWatch will continue to rapidly expand its existing business licensing to on-line and Internet service providers, corporate and educational customers, and concerned parents.

About SurfWatch Software Inc.

SurfWatch Software Inc. based in Los Altos, Calif., is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. Founded in March 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products which have a positive impact on peoples' lives, SurfWatch Software Inc. was the first company to ship Internet software for blocking access to inappropriate material and has licensed Internet filtering technology to the on-line services industry. SurfWatch Software can be reached at 415-948-9500, info@surfwatch.com, or via the World-Wide Web at www.surfwatch.com.

About Spyglass Inc.

Spyglass Inc. (NASDAQ: SPYG) licenses World-Wide Web client and server technologies. Spyglass technology is currently licensed by 72 partners, including Computer Associates Inc., Digital Equipment Corp., IBM Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp. Spyglass technology has been licensed for use in over 170 Internet-based products and services. Spyglass' headquarters are located at 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, Ill. 60563, with research and development facilities in Champaign, Ill., Cambridge, Mass. and Los Altos, Calif., and regional sales offices in Cambridge, Mass., Morristown N.J. and San Ramon, Calif. Telephone 708.245.6500; fax: 708.245.6693; press email inquiries: rpitzer@spyglass.com; Web server, http://www.spyglass.com.


Latest News from Telephone Response Tech.
The latest news from Telephone Response Technologies:

VP Broadcaster is shipping!

The latest release of VP Express, V1.2, includes VP Broadcaster, a powerful multi-line fax broadcasting module. Designed as an add-on to the Windows-based VP Express fax-on-demand and voice mail modules, it's a great way for resellers to add significant value to existing or new installations. A Broadcast Wizard makes it possible to set up fax jobs in minutes. Excellent database connectivity lets you use your existing customer or prospect databases (all popular formats supported including Microsoft Access, dBase, and Paradox). A Broadcast Monitor screen shows you, at a glance, how fax jobs are progressing.

Support for up to 10 fax lines is included for the base reseller price of $750. For more details on VP Broadcaster, check out the TRT home page at http://www.trt.com.

VP Express Marketing Success Kit Launched

TRT is now shipping a Marketing Kit for its authorized VP Express Resellers and Distributors. This comprehensive package contains many materials that will enable effective marketing campaigns for VP Express: data sheets, white papers, article reprints, a VP Express screen shot library, product and award logos, a fully-functional VP Express demo, and even a series of Lotus ScreenCam multimedia movies. Most materials like the full VP Express User Guide are also provided in electronic form, including Adobe Acrobat format, making it possible for them to be easily posted on World-Wide Web pages.

The Marketing Success Kit is immediately available to authorized VARs and priced at $150.

VP Express Modification Kit Now Shipping

A cornerstone of the VP Express product line is the authorized reseller capability to make changes to the product. TRT is now shipping the long-awaited Visual Basic Modification Kit, designed to be used in conjunction with TRT's Visual ProVIDE and Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0. This Kit makes it possible for resellers with demonstrated skills in Visual Basic programming to make changes to virtually any aspect of the VP Express modules.

Because of the technical nature of this Kit, pre-qualification is required. Contact a TRT sales engineer for qualification requirements and pricing.

Low-cost VP Express Demo is Available

As a promotional tool for resellers and distributors, TRT now offers a low-cost 1-line demo version of VP Express. It is priced at $45 and available now.

Telephone Response Technologies, Inc.

1-800-878-3947

Visit TRT's home page at http://www.trt.com


Stardock Object Desktop V1.5 for OS/2
STARDOCK ANNOUNCES OBJECT DESKTOP v1.5

FIRST MAJOR UPDATE OF BEST-SELLING OS/2 DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT

Boasts Superior Performance, Better Desktop Management, Internet Integration and More

CANTON, MI (April 15, 1996) Stardock Systems, Inc., is set to release the first major revision of its best-selling Object Desktop, a powerful desktop environment for OS/2 2.11 or later. The new Version 1.5 incorporates enhancements that enable users to seamlessly backup and restore Workplace Shell objects, replicate entire desktops for distribution to coworkers or across an enterprise, integrate Internet Web sites and e-mail operations with the desktop, monitor laptop battery power and much more.

"We have worked to make Object Desktop a must-have product for OS/2 users," said Brad Wardell, President of Stardock Systems. "For this version, we enlarged our original development team to include former IBM Workplace Shell developers, and the new team addressed the Workplace Shell's performance and compatibility as well as new features requested by corporate and SOHO users."

One impressive new feature is Object Package, a new type of Workplace Shell container that stores any object type along with it's custom properties, including tailored icons, folder background changes, view types and program and printer settings. This makes it easy to backup the desktop, share files and objects with other users and quickly clone entire desktops across an enterprise. Standard reports, such as INI.RC files, REXX scripts and hierarchical reports, can also be generated directly from the package file.

A new Internet Shell lets users easily visit internet Web sites, send an e-mail or perform other Internet operations with a simple double-click on any Internet object, eliminating time-consuming sessions with their Web browsers. The product comes loaded with hundreds of built-in Internet objects ranging from software vendors to music, government and trade publications, and it also permits users to add their own with a simple drag-and-drop operation.

Performance has also been increased across the entire system with upgrades that permit faster opening of folders, faster object browsing and batch archive operations.

Other advanced features include:

Object Navigator: This industrial-strength file manager has been enhanced to make it easier to copy files between drives, select files via attributes (e.g. *.txt), create new folders, filter objects, select objects, etc. Object Navigator also now enables users to specify multiple drives and directories as root folders on the Tree pane.

Enhanced Folder: each Workplace Shell folder is given a status bar that summarizes the number of objects stored in the folder, as well as how many objects are selected along with their size. "Browse Mode" eliminates desktop window clutter by displaying a subfolder's content inside the original parent window, then making it possible to browse backward to the original folder with one click. A new Rollup button also helps reduce desktop clutter by permitting users to "roll up" windows by displaying just the titlebar.

Object Archives: The new Object Archive feature makes it easier to work with files within compressed archives by transforming archived ZIP, LZH and ARC files into enhanced folder-like objects for instant access. For example, users can now place all graphics files into one ZIP file called "Graphics.zip," then open it like a folder and doubleclick on the file they want to load.

Control Center: This feature manages multiple desktops, monitors system's resources and launches program and browse folders. A new battery monitor enables mobile users can to track battery level. Another new feature makes it possible to map off part of the screen so the Control Center is always visible to the user. Finally, a feature called "auto-hide" makes the whole Control Center disappear when it is not needed.

HyperCache: This feature lets users cache frequently used folders, then opens them instantly after bootup for rapid access. The related HyperDrive feature speeds presentation of folder content after opening by streamlining the usually lengthy process of file attribute searching.

Object Desktop 1.5 is scheduled to begin shipping at the IBM Technical Interchange (April 22) for a price of $89.95. Users who purchased Object Desktop v1.0 after April 1 can upgrade to v1.5 free of charge. Upgrade price for other v1.0 users is $37.00. Stardock will continue to support v1.0 until the end of the year with technical support and "Fixkits".

The product is available direct from Stardock Systems at 313/453-0328 or 800/672-2338 or via e-mail at sales@stardock.com. For more information, visit the company's World Wide Web site at http://www.stardock.com.


NParse32 Parser Control for Windows 95
NANOWARE ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF NPARSE32

NParse32 Parser Control Improves Productivity of Visual Basic Developers

Largo, Florida, April 19, 1996 - Nanoware, Inc. has released NParse32 1.2, a 32 bit OCX for Windows 95. NParse32 is used for parsing through either text files or strings. Visual Basic 4.0 developers writing for Windows 95 may now easily parse information by adding this control to a form, setting a few properties, and telling it to start. It then fires events that VB can use to process the retrieved data.

NParse32 1.2 is a cost effective solution for any application that requires the ability to read input data. The U.S. suggested retail price is only $29.95 plus $5.95 s&h and applicable tax.

For further information or to download a working version for evaluation, please visit our world wide web site at http://www.nanoware.com.

Nanoware is dedicated to providing tools that developers need to dramatically improve their productivity. By leveraging our knowledge of programming languages, environments, and corporate needs, Nanoware provides components that empower programmers to provide solid solutions under intense time restrictions.

Nanoware, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.nanoware.com

E-Mail: 75451.1443@compuserve.com

Phone: 813-536-3341, FAX: 813-531-0796


NetSpeak Licenses DSP Truespeech Technology
Netspeak Licenses DSP Group's Truespeech Technology For Internet Audio/Telephony Applications

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA -- APRIL 9, 1996 -- DSP Group Inc. and NetSpeak Corp. announced today that NetSpeak has licensed DSP Group's TrueSpeech compression technology to enhance the audio quality of its Internet telephony products.

NetSpeak plans to use TrueSpeech 8.5 in their WebPhone and Business WebPhone Internet telephone software. The WebPhone products enable real-time, full duplex, high quality voice conversations over the Internet as well as over LANs and WANs. NetSpeak plans to start shipping products using TrueSpeech over the next two months.

This version of TrueSpeech operates at 8.5 kilo bits per second (kbps) with a compression ratio of 15:1. It is incorporated into Microsoft's Windows '95 and Windows NT operating systems and will enable WebPhone to be fully interoperable with speech applications built upon these platforms.

NetSpeak joins a number of major companies including MICROSOFT, INTEL, PRODIGY, CREATIVE LABS, US ROBOTICS, SONY, PANASONIC, SHARP, CIRRUS LOGIC, AND SIEMENS who have adopted TrueSpeech for use in a variety of computer and communications applications.

TrueSpeech provides high voice quality with low data rates, and will operate on a 14.4 kbps or greater modem. Thus, it is ideal for Internet audio and telephony applications. DSP Group also offers the TrueSpeech CT8000 family of co-processors which perform speech compression on PC and Server add-in cards to offload the CPU. NetSpeak plans to bundle their software products with cards based on DSP Group's co-processors.

"It is our goal to provide our customers with the best audio quality available so that their WebPhone conversations are equal in quality to the telephone connections they are accustomed to," said Stephen R. Cohen, Chairman and CEO of NetSpeak. "TrueSpeech technology is helping us bring this voice quality to the Internet."

"We are pleased that an Internet audio and telephony leader such as NetSpeak has selected TrueSpeech for their applications," said Yuval Cohen, Vice President of Business development for DSP Group. "Interoperability is key for Internet communications, and with each license we move closer to our goal of making TrueSpeech a standard for high quality communications over the World Wide Web."

About TrueSpeech

DSP Group's TrueSpeech is a family of high quality, low bit rate, speech compression algorithms with compression ratios of up to 40:1. Several different versions of TrueSpeech at different compression rates are available for licensing. In addition to TrueSpeech 8.5 kbps, DSP Group also offers TrueSpeech G.723 (6.3/5.3 kbps). This version of TrueSpeech was recently adopted by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as the G.723 speech coder for the ITU H.324 and ITU H.323 audio and video conferencing/telephony standards. ITU H.323 has been supported by Microsoft, Intel, and over 100 other companies as a standard for communications on the Internet. Within ITU H.323, TrueSpeech G.723 is currently the only speech coder that will operate on a 14.4 kbps modem. H.324 is the ITU standard for videoconferencing/telephony over regular phone lines. It will help enable products from different manufacturers and different countries to communicate with each other.

TrueSpeech G.723 is based on an advanced algorithm that results in excellent voice quality despite the high compression rate, and operates at 6.3 kilo bits per second (kbps) and 5.3 kbps with compression ratios of 20:1 and 24:1, respectively. It also includes silence compression which can bring the effective rate down to less than 3.7 kbps. In Dynastat quality tests, TrueSpeech G.723 received a 3.98 Mean Opinion Score (MOS) where a score of 4.0 is considered full toll quality - the quality that is heard through a regular telephone line.

DSP Group also offers the TrueSpeech Internet Encoder and Player. The TrueSpeech Internet Encoder enables developers to easily add audio to their websites - without the need for special server software. The TrueSpeech Internet Player enables an end-user to listen to these TrueSpeech files in real-time, streaming through the Internet. DSP Group's TrueSpeech Internet products were recently awarded a PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award.

Over 150 websites currently use TrueSpeech. The TrueSpeech Internet Player has been bundled with several different Internet browser products, and each day over 1500 copies are downloaded from the DSP Group website (www.dspg.com).

About The Companies

DSP GROUP, INC.

DSP Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSPG) is a leader in the development and marketing of high-performance, cost-effective digital signal processing solutions for the consumer telephone, computer telephony and personal computer industries. By combining three key technologies -- speech processing algorithms, telephony algorithms and digital signal processors -- the company has delivered a wide range of enabling application-specific digital signal processors (DSPs) to these markets. DSP Group is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. For more information about DSP Group, contact http://www.dspg.com or (408) 986-4300.

NETSPEAK CORP.

NetSpeak Corp. is a company focused on developing and marketing full-featured computer telephony for business users over the Internet as well as corporate LANs and WANs. NetSpeak's WebPhone family of products is a series of easy-to-use network-based desktop telephones with all the features and functionality of sophisticated business phone systems. WebPhone technology is designed to drastically reduce the cost of long-distance business phone usage and to extend business communication into the realm of collaborative multimedia telecommunications. Founded in 1995, NetSpeak is headquarterd at 902 Clint More Road, Suite 104, Boca Raton, FL; (407) 997-4001; http://www.netspeak.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING TRUESPEECH, PLEASE CONTACT:

 YUVAL COHEN

 DSP GROUP, INC.

 (408) 986-4300

 YCOHEN@DSPG.COM

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING TELESCAPE, PLEASE CONTACT:

 GLENN HUTTON

 V.P. MARKETING

 NETSPEAK CORP.

 (407) 997-4001

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RELEASE, PLEASE CONTACT:

 PETER ROSS/RICHARD BURGER

 MILLER/SHANDWICK TECHNOLOGIES

 (415) 962-9550

 PROSS/RBURGER@MILLERWEST.COM

DSP Group, Inc. 3120 Scott Boulevard

Santa Clara, CA 95054-3317

Phone: (408) 986-4300

Fax: (408) 986-4323


American Software Signs SoftM as Partner
AMERICAN SOFTWARE SIGNS SOFTM AS BUSINESS PARTNER

Alliance provides significant resource for companies embarking on supply chain management

ATLANTA (April 22, 1996) -- SoftM Software and Consultancy (SoftM), a leading Germany-based provider of AS/400 software, has become an American Software business partner to provide supply chain planning and management solutions in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

SoftM will incorporate Supply Chain Planning into an integrated supply chain management solution. The solution will be marketed and implemented by SoftM's Centre of Excellence for Supply Chain Planning in Stuttgart.

Supply Chain Planning is architected around "business events" to provide a hands-on tool that proactively alerts managers to events that will impact their business. Features of the product include highly accurate forecasting based on six forecasting models, ranging from moving average to dynamic winters model. The system automatically selects the most accurate model for every required forecast "on-the-fly," depending on seasonality, flexibility requirements and other factors, and copes automatically with abnormal demand. These forecasts can incorporate information from multiple levels of the business and factor in such events as promotions, seasonality or unexpected budget constraints.

"Awareness of supply chain planning and management is growing to new heights across Europe," said Hannes Merten, managing director of SoftM. "Our experience and expertise combined with American Software's advanced capabilities can enable companies to substantially cut costs and enhance responsiveness and service to their customers."

The addition of SoftM as a business partner continues a strategy of expanding American Software's presence worldwide. Recently, Distribution Logistics & Management (DL&M) of Belgium, Data Management Services of Bahrain and Colman Computer Services of Ireland have begun relationships with American Software to sell supply chain planning and management solutions.

"SoftM brings a wealth of talent and knowledge about supply chain management that any company can leverage to improve its operations," said Mike Edenfield, chief operating officer of American Software. "This gives American Software and its customers in Germany a large partner with extensive supply chain expertise."

Providing software, consulting, project management and training, SoftM implements its solutions in a wide variety of industries, with special focus in pharmaceuticals, food and freight forwarding. SoftM was established in 1973 in Munich and currently has more than 170 employees with regional offices in Hamburg, Berlin, Munster, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Zurich.

American Software develops, markets and supports the industry's most comprehensive offering of integrated supply chain management and financial control systems. As a leading provider of multi-platform enterprise software solutions, the Atlanta-based firm offers state-of-the-art business solutions across a wide range of industries internationally. Its product line encompasses integrated business applications such as demand forecasting, logistics planning, warehouse management, order management, manu-facturing, financial control and outsourcing. The company's common shares are listed on the U.S. NASDAQ stock market under the symbol AMSWA.

For more information, contact: American Software; 470 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305 USA. (404) 261-4381. FAX: (404) 264-5206. SoftM; SoftM Stuttgart GmbH; Seewiesenstrasse 25; 71334 Waiblingen; Republic of Germany. +49 (0) 7151 93 330. FAX: +49 (0) 7151 93 33 44.


Personal Computers in 34% of US Households
Personal Computers Now in 34% of U.S. Households

Software Publishers Association Fifth Annual Consumer Study Finds PCs in More Homes andUsed More Often

April 22, 1996 (Washington, D.C.) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today the results of its fifth annual study of computers in the home. The random digit telephone survey queried home PC owners on software use and PC configurations. Survey results show the use of home personal computers increased slightly in 1995, with penetration of PCs reaching 34 percent by January 1996, representing 33.9 million households, up from 32.6 million the same period a year ago.

Word processing is still the software application used most widely in the home. It has held first place since 1993 when 80 percent of home users reported using it, compared with 89 percent this year. At least 50 percent of PC households use seven application types, up from 5 percent in 1994. Overall, respondents reported using an average of nearly nine different types of software, with online and Internet users reporting more than 11 types.

Among other key survey findings:

o  Multimedia capabilities clearly spurred PC purchases in 1995. Of all PCs purchased in 1995, 83 percent were equipped with CD-ROM drives, compared with 55 percent in 1994. Currently more than 70 percent of both Apple and Intel PC primary (most-used) installed base PCs report CD-ROM capability.

o  Online and Internet use increased. Seventy percent of PC households reported owning a modem. Of modem owners, 46 percent subscribe to an online service, and an additional 26 percent use the Internet through another type of gateway, such as an office, educational institution or gateway provider. Seventy-seven percent of Internet users report accessing the Web. Once there, research/reference, entertainment and education sites are visited by the greatest number of respondents.

o  Macintosh/Apple share holds steady, while Windows base strengthens. Although 79 percent of respondents reported their primary computer is an IBM/compatible, the share of households with an Apple II, Macintosh or Power Mac remained at 16 percent. Of households with Intel-based machines, only 15 percent do not run Windows or Windows 95 on their primary computer. Eighteen percent of home users reported running Windows 95, and 35 percent of the nonusers planned to upgrade within the next six months.

o  Faster is better, even for consumers. Twenty-four percent of PC households report owning a Pentium as their primary computer, with processors slower than a 286 down to less than 15 percent of the most-used computers. Last year, only 4 percent of primary PCs held a Pentium chip.

SPA's "1996 Consumer Survey" is free to members and $500 for nonmembers. To order, call (202) 452-1600, ext. 341. There are charts available on SPA's Web site http://www.spa.org.

The Software Publishers Association's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 press releases are available 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


Leading Internet Swr for Windows NT on CDROM
LEADING INTERNET SOFTWARE FOR WINDOWS NT ON CD-ROM AVAILABLE FROM DIGITAL

New CD is "one-stop" resource for building Windows NT based Internet Solutions

MAYNARD, Mass., April 24, 1996 -- Digital Equipment Corporation today announced the availability of the Digital Internet Road Map for Microsoft Windows NT, a CD-based collection of software for implementing Internet solutions for the Windows NT environment. The Internet Road Map CD allows customers to easily develop complete Internet solutions with "try-before-buy" evaluation software that can then be licensed without reinstallation.

"Our customers are increasingly demanding Internet solutions based on Microsoft's Windows NT," said Rose Ann Giordano, Vice President of Digital's Internet Business Group. "The goal of Digital's Internet Road Map is to provide customers with a single source to access, test, and purchase the industry's best Internet software for the Windows NT platform."

The Internet Road Map for Windows NT contains commercial software applications that have been pre-tested on Digital's hardware platforms. Both Intel and Alpha versions of the software are contained on the CD. Because Digital individually selected and approved each software program, users are assured the highest quality of pre-tested, reliable Internet software.

Each of the commercial products on the Road Map has a 30-day trial license so users can test, evaluate and integrate software to construct a customized Internet solution. All of the products distributed via the CD are fully functional versions and each contains instructions on how to purchase a full user license from the vendor. When a license is purchased, the software does not have to be reinstalled, so the user does not lose all the work accomplished during the time the product was evaluated.

The Internet Road Map for Windows NT will be released regularly to provide additional software choices, upgrades to existing software, and new categories of Internet applications.

Road Map Contents

The current release of the Internet Road Map CD contains Internet software for SMTP and POP3 mail services, Internet list and news services, and domain name services. In addition, an extensive collection of Windows NT freeware and shareware for the Internet is included. Specifically, the following commercial products are on this release of the CD:

Microsoft's Internet Explorer

     Digital has negotiated with Microsoft to include on the CD,

     both the Windows NT version 1.5 release of Microsoft's Internet

     Explorer browser and the Windows 95 version 2.0 release.

     Internet Explorer is a full function World Wide Web browser

     that supports all of the current HTML standards.  Internet

     Explorer is provided for both accessing the contents of the CD

     and for exploring the World Wide Web.

NTMail and NTList

     NTMail is a feature rich set of programs and services that

     allows users to access their mailboxes via dial-up or LAN based

     connection with maximum flexibility.  NTList automatically

     manages a list of e-mail addresses and can be integrated into

     NTMail so users can set up one or more mailing list managers,

     controlling one or more lists.

DNews

     A dynamic NNTP server, DNews implements a unique form of

     loading that dynamically and automatically only pulls news

     groups that are actually read on a server.

DNS

     DNS is a robust solution to naming services that gives network

     administrators greater control over name resolution and

     assignments by bringing naming services within the local

     network.

Workgroup Web Forum

     Workgroup Web Forum combines team collaboration with Internet

     technology to provide file sharing and online conferencing

     anywhere in a corporate network of the Internet by letting

     teams of users easily upload, organize and distribute

     information in a variety of formats.

Pricing and Availability

Digital's Internet Road Map for Windows NT is now available and is included at no cost with all the Microsoft Windows NT based systems purchased from Digital. Also, the Road Map can be ordered through the Literature Order System (LOS) using the part number (EE-E6292-41). To order, Digital Business Partners should use the following telephone and fax numbers: US/Canada - Telephone 1-800-365-6696; FAX 1-800-235-2105; Outside US/Canada - Telephone 1-708-918-6696; FAX 1-708-918-3001.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


GNN Unveils First Virtual Places Community
GNN Unveils First Virtual Places Community: Integrates Chat and Live Programming With its Web Offering

Avatars. Live Chat.

Join the GNN Virtual Places Community for a Journey Around the Web.

Berkeley, CA - April 24, 1996 -- GNN, an America Online Inc.(AOL) company, today announced the launch of the first Virtual Places community, complementing its Internet-wide Web offering with live chat, programmed live events, and interactive guided tours of the Web. Virtual Places is client-server software that enhances the Web experience with immediate human presence and live interaction. With Virtual Places, Internet users can roam the Web using graphic avatars (thumbnail images), which represent users on screen. Utilizing this dynamic technology, they now can find, meet and collaborate with other people on the Web, facilitating the building of communities of interest, centered around Web content.

During the open beta test of Virtual Places beginning today, any Internet user can become a member of the GNN Virtual Places community by enhancing a standard Web browser with the Virtual Places software, available for free from the GNN Web site (http://gnn.com).

"GNN is bringing warmth to the Web," stated Ted Leonsis, President of America Online Services Company. Now, GNN allows people to surf the Web with friends and meet people in their Web treks. When they spot other people's avatars, they know they are not alone. We are excited to add the Virtual Places technology and our AOL chat expertise to our total package of Internet offerings."

Virtual Places provides the Web with community building features such as instant messages and open chat sessions with other Netizens on the same Web page or allows them to share their enjoyment of programming, information and content on a variety of sites. Virtual Places enables users to craft a tour and invite others to join them on a journey around the Web.

GNN is dedicated to building programming that is supported by Virtual Places. Already underway are three such programs, CAPTooNs, Tubetime Theatre and Ballot Boxers which leverage the conferencing capabilities of Virtual Places to create innovative Net programming with value. With CAPTooNs, users on a robot-conducted Internet tour get to stop for 40 seconds while supplying satirical captions to photographs of celebrities supplied by GNN. Virtual Places enables participants of Tubetime Theatre to watch their favorite television programs together from their homes in any part of the country by gathering on "CyberDen" pages dedicated to television shows such as the X-Files, Melrose Place and Seinfeld. Ballot Boxers is a Crossfire-like political chat room with two famous Democratic and Republican co-hosts that features a weekly debate. Other Virtual Places supported programs are planned in the near term.

"Virtual Places adds dimension for audiences who flock to the Web," stated Lisa Gansky, GNN vice president of programming. "Virtual Places and avatars allow studios to extend storylines and characters beyond their sites and reach into the Web at large. Studios can extend the pallet of what's possible and advertisers can increase impact as they will be able to directly engage existing and prospective customers on the Web."

GNN Studio Partners Provide Interactive Programming

The combined involvement of GNN and their partners lends added muscle to the implementation of Virtual Places. A number of partners will be integrating voice, video and other technologies into the Virtual Places architecture. GNN partners have agreed to create original interactive programming for users with the Virtual Places client. The Web sites of these partners will feature events which are designed for Internet users with a standard web browser and the Virtual Places client. Virtual Places is available from the GNN site or on the AOL service at keyword GNN. The first partners to have Virtual Places areas and events on their Web sites include: CyberSurfer DreamTeam Studios, Inc.; Hecklers Online; iGolf; iVillage, Inc.; NetNoir,Inc.; nFX Inc.; OnRamp; Songline Studios, Inc.and Virtual Entertainment.

About GNN Partners

CyberSurfer DreamTeam Studios, Inc. is a new media studio whose first property is the Internet's first interactive city which will be distributed by GNN and will launch at the end of June. The city contains several Virtual Places areas, including a movie theatre, a martini bar, a cigar lounge and sushi bar.

Hecklers Online is interactive attitude. It's comedy, creativity, talent, fun, sarcasm, cynicism, politics, pot-shots, and antagonism all rolled up into one online Mardi Gras. Hecklers Online Virtual Tours will include real-time interactive games and chat, as well as good-natured heckling of sites that span the World Wide Web.

iGolf provides consumers the latest information on professional tours, including players results and schedules, as well as online pointers from industry gurus.

iVillage, Inc., an independent production studio, is devoted to creating targeted communities of interest that address the real needs of real people. Parent Soup (http://www.parentsoup.com) is the first online support community where all kinds of parents can talk to each other and the experts about the things they care about the most.

nFX Corporation develops tools and applications which enable "Living Graphics" - giving users the ability to create, transmit and manipulate original, dynamic images and animations in real time. nFX's goal is to enable the emerging markets for on-line communities, electronic "Graphic Communications" and multimedia applications with content that is controlled by the users' imagination and personality. Working with AOL and GNN, nFX is providing the members of the Virtual Places virtual community the ability to create custom, personal and professional "Avatars" to represent themselves in VP "Chats". VP users can create an unlimited number of their own custom Avatars on-line using the nFX "Living Art Server" and Cartoon-O-Matic(TM) - as simply as pushing a few buttons.

On Ramp is a premier creator and provider of new media, "interactive solutions", the foremost among them being content and applications for the Internet http://www.metaverse.com

NetNoir, Inc. is a promoter, developer, digitizer, archiver and distributor of distinctive afrocentric programming and commercial applications for all forms of interactive media.

Songline Studios, Inc. is an interactive content production studio whose properties include Web Review, an online magazine that covers the World Behind the Web, and Ferndale, an interactive multimedia soap opera.

Virtual Entertainment is an educational software company that develops publishes and markets personal computer software for children and young adults which are used in homes and schools. Their products build core learning skills, inspire creativity and original thinking.

About GNN

GNN, a service provided by America Online, Inc., has offices in Berkeley, California and Vienna, Virginia. The first fully-integrated Internet service for consumers, GNN offers its more than 200,000 subscribers national Internet access, e-mail, Web-publishing tools, original programming and navigational services. Personal computer owners can obtain GNN software by calling 1-800-819-6112, or through the GNN site on the Internet at http://gnn.com.

About America Online

America Online, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, Virginia, is the largest and fastest growing provider of on-line services in the world. AOL offers its more than 5 million subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and on-line classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Time Warner, ABC, Knight-Ridder, Tribune, Hachette, IBM and American Express.


AOL Brings Chat & Community to the Web
America Online Brings Chat and Community Experience to the Web; Launches Virtual Places on the GNN Internet Access Service

Vienna, VA, April 24, 1996 America Online, Inc., well known for its interactive chat and online communities today unveiled Virtual Places, an open, innovative and user friendly environment for chat and community on the Web. Virtual Places, which will be freely available as an open beta through GNN, provides the web with the popular core community features of AOL --- Chat Rooms, Instant Messages, Live Auditorium, Road Trips, Locate Members Online --- and more within an open Web-centric architecture. Future plans include providing Virtual Places on the AOL service, extending the AOL community to the web and allowing members to chat on the web.

"Until now, you've had to explore the Web by yourself. Even though hundreds of people might be looking at the same Web page as you, you'd never know it," said Ted Leonsis, President of America Online Services Company. "Building community experiences is what AOL is all about. We've built the largest online community and we are excited to extend our expertise to provide chat and community to the Web with Virtual Places."

Virtual Places is an open and flexible, web-centric architecture which will allow content providers to create unique multi-dimensional programming on the Web. America Online and GNN plan to work with content partners like McMillan Digital to create interactive communities on their web sites, and eventually through AOL, using Virtual Places.

"Our partnership with America Online marries our premier content with their community building skills," said Kevin Howat, VP and Publisher of Macmillan Digital USA. "The flexibility of Virtual Places allows us to create a web presence that extends the content and reflects the characters of our brands. For our Politically Correct Bedtime Stories website we will be making our characters come alive for consumers. With the Virtual Places road trip feature, we can actually take our characters out on the web where they can interact with the content and with the consumers of that content, building new communities of interest that literally grow out of that interactive experience."

The Virtual Places architecture allows users to chat on any Web site, anywhere in the world. Technology partners will be able to use the published APIs to extend Virtual Places to include new web technologies such as voice, video, multiplayer games and 3-D worlds. VDONet, a leading developer of audio and video communications technologies for the Web, including the VDOPhone, has already agreed to provide voice technologies that will allow users to speak to each other within Virtual Places environments.

Virtual Places is developed by Ubique Ltd. a wholly owned subsidiary acquired by America Online, Inc. in September, 1995. GNN, the first truly national, fully integrated Internet service for consumers, is a service provided by America Online, Inc.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than 5 million subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.


AOL Road Trip of Olympic Proportion
FOR 84 DAYS, ACROSS 15,000 MILES, AND WITH 10,000 TORCHBEARERS:

America Online Embarks On A Road Trip of Olympic Proportion

Sends Its Lost in America Travelers to Cover the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay to Atlanta

Vienna, VA April 24, 1996 - Swimming. Gymnastics. Basketball. Rowing. Now, thanks to America Online, add road trip to this list of Olympic events. The nation's leading commercial online services company announced today that Lost in America, its interactive travel adventure forum and a service of The AOL Greenhousex, will travel across America to cover the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay. Beginning April 27 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and culminating with the arrival of the torch in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Stadium on July 19, four travelers will chronicle the memory-making moments of the relay and provide daily online updates from the road for AOL's more than 5 million members.

The travelers, all young journalists selected through a nationwide online search, are armed with laptop computers, digital cameras, and portable communications equipment. As they follow the relay route, this virtual travel guide will provide AOL members with an in-depth look at this age-old Olympic tradition. Lost in America is available in Clubs & Interests on America Online and at Keyword: Lost.

"The Olympic Games is an honored tradition that epitomizes community spirit. What better way to begin our in-depth coverage of the Olympics than by having Lost in America's travelers, a community-focused forum, chronicle these Olympic moments for AOL's members," said Ted Leonsis, President of America Online Services Company.

Selected for their sense of adventure and humor, as well as their creative writing and journalism skills, the four newest travelers are: Heather Hartin from St. Louis, MO; Michael Locke from Raleigh, NC; David Nielsen from Washington, DC; and Laura Zucco from Los Angeles, CA.

The Lost in America Olympic Relay journey will also be supported by Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels (HI-AYH), a nonprofit membership organization which promotes international understanding through educational travel. HI-AYH will provide free accommodations for the travelers throughout the duration of the trip.

Lost in America is the inspiration of Alexander Okuliar, David Shelton, and Patrick Crowley, three men in their early twenties, who relocated to Vienna, VA to establish a base of operations close to America Online. All accomplished travelers, the partners combined their enthusiasm for the open road with their creative talents to develop Lost in America. The Olympic Relay trip is the third cross-country journey that LOST has taken since its inception in September, 1995.

"We wanted to challenge the truth about the American dream with American reality by sending a diverse group of young travelers to explore what this country really has to offer," explains Alexander Okuliar, President of Lost in America. "With the Olympics, we felt that we could provide members an opportunity to follow the torch relay from home, gain interesting, pertinent travel information from the group and grow to trust them as friends."

The AOL Greenhouse provides Lost In America with online production support including full utilization of AOL's publishing tools, Internet publishing support, seed equity funding, marketing resources, online promotion, and an audience of more than 5 million America Online subscribers. Partners in The AOL Greenhouse are given the opportunity to team with interactive marketing partners to assist in the development of new revenue streams.

America Online, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, VA is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than 5 million subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-653-4488.

Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels (HI-AYH) is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1934 to promote international understanding through educational travel via an operating network of nearly 5,000 hostels in more than 70 countries and a variety of special programs.


AOL & VDOnet Extend Virtual Places
AMERICA ONLINE PARTNERS WITH VDONET TO EXTEND VIRTUAL PLACES WITH AUDIO AND VIDEO COMMUNICATION

PALO ALTO, CA & VIENNA, VA -- America Online (AOL) and VDOnet Corporation today announced that the two companies have reached an agreement for AOL to license a version of the VDOPhone to enable multimedia capabilities of Virtual Places (also announced today).

Virtual Places is AOL's new user friendly environment for chat and community on the Web. The addition of the VDOPhone capability will allow all Virtual Places users to be able to talk to their correspondents. With additional enhancements -- which will be available from VDOnet -- users will also be able to have videophone conversations with each other.

"Virtual Places is designed to open up worlds of communication to users of the Net," said Udi Shapiro, president of the Ubique Ltd., an America Online company, which developed Virtual Places. "The VDOPhone, with its Internet voice and video telephony capabilities, can dramatically enhance this experience by allowing participants of Virtual Places to talk to and see each other, if they choose to."

The VDOPhone was launched in mid-April and was the first product to enable anyone with a dial-up modem and regular phone lines to have full-color videophone conversations over the Internet. With the VDOPhone -- which is a software product that can be easily downloaded from the Internet -- Internet users can see and talk to colleagues, business associates, or friends and family all over the world. To date, nearly 10,000 users all over the world have downloaded the VDOPhone from VDOnet's Web site.

"Virtual Places is a unique way to enjoy the community aspects of the Net," said Asaf Mohr, president and CEO of VDOnet. "It is an excellent tool to bring people together."

Specifically under the terms of the agreement between AOL and VDOnet, AOL has licensed the audio-only version of the VDOPhone and will work closely with VDOnet to make the fully capable version of the VDOPhone available to Virtual Places users. VDOPhone capabilities will be available with Virtual Places later this quarter.

"Virtual Places is an excellent, flexible, and extendible open platform," Mohr said. "Its API's allow us to easily add video telephony, extend the power of our software, and thereby enhance the community-building aspects of Virtual Places."

The VDOPhone uses VDOnet's unique technology, which is optimized for the Internet, since it adjusts to the available bandwidth on-the-fly. This is called "bandwidth scalability" and is important because video being transmitted over the Net needs to be able to accommodate any connection, any time. To accomplish this, VDOnet uses two core technologies. The first is a set of scalable algorithms that not only can compress video down small enough to run over the small bandwidth portions of the Internet, but also allows the quality of the video to increase with the size and quality of the connection at the other end. The second core technology -- the heart of VDOnet's overall technology -- is a set of protocols which maintains the integrity of the video as it makes its way through the "bumpy roads" of the Internet. The relative benefit of these combined technologies is that motion video from VDOnet's products can be used by virtually anyone on the Internet, regardless of their connection.

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ: AMER), based in Vienna, VA., is the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than five million subscribers a wide variety of services including electronic mail, conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and newspapers and online classes, as well as easy, affordable access to services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom, Bertlesmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain American Online software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling (800) 827- 6364.

VDOnet Corporation, based in Palo Alto, CA, has developed and markets technology and products for Internet video broadcasting and desktop video conferencing on the Internet and over regular telephone lines. The company was founded in 1995 and has offices in California, New York, and Israel. VDOnet's Web site can be located on the Internet at http://www.vdolive.com. VDOnet is a private company and has raised $10 million from Battery Ventures and private sources.

For more VDOnet customer information, please contact: VDOnet Corp., Palo Alto, CA, (415)846-7700/Fax: (415)846-7900; info@vdolive.com


Samsung Intros Split Keyboard on SENS 810
SAMSUNG INTRODUCES UNIQUE SPLIT KEYBOARD DESIGN ON ITS SENS 810 HIGH-END, MULTIMEDIA NOTEBOOK

April 15, 1996 -- RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ -- Samsung Electronics America's Information Systems Division introduces the first adjustable, ergonomic keyboard designed for a portable PC on its new SENS 810 Multimedia Notebook. In addition to providing a new level of keyboard comfort and flexibility, the feature-packed SENS 810 offers mobile executives the longest available battery life (up to 10 hours with the second battery) and an ultimate array of today's most essential desktop, multimedia and communications capabilities. The SENS 810 will begin shipping in May.

The SENS 810 is targeted to high-end retail and cost-conscious corporate buyers with configurations starting at $2,999 featuring a 100MHz Pentium processor, a quad-speed CD-ROM drive, an 11.3-inch SVGA Dual Scan color screen, 8MG of EDO RAM, an 810MB hard drive and a Lithium battery. Higher end configurations pack a Pentium 120MHz or 133MHz processor, a 12.1-inch SVGA Active Matrix screen, 16MB of EDO RAM, and a 1.3GB or 2.1GB hard disk drive.

According to Howard Shoobe, Senior National Marketing Manager for Portables at Samsung's Information Systems Division, "Samsung is very serious about its commitment to the notebook market and that means offering standout product like the SENS 810 which combines the most advanced technology and performance with distinctive features such as the split keyboard. To that end, we conducted extensive research with notebook users to find out exactly what mix of features needed to be incorporated in the ultimate notebook product for use at home and on the road."

The innovative SENS 810 introduces Samsung's unique, ergonomically-designed Signature adjustable keyboard with 19mm pitch full-size keys. When expanded and angled out from the middle, the ergonomic keyboard allows users to more comfortably position their wrists and elbows. This more natural positioning reduces the ulnar deviation problem caused by the linear layout of the standard PC keyboard.

The user-configurable keys are programmable for Windows 95 and additional keys are provided to address specific Windows 95 commands. The SENS 810 utilizes a high-resolution Touchpad, the third-generation pointing device that is preferred for its maintenance-free performance and ease of use.

Addressing the biggest concern of the mobile computing executive, the SENS 810 offers up to 5 hours of primary battery life via its smart lithium battery and enhanced power management system. When coupled with the optional 2nd battery pack, the SENS 810 delivers up to 10 hours of uninterrupted portable computing time, more than enough to handle a cross-country or trans-Atlantic flight.

For desktop PC power and speed on the go or at home, the SENS 810 is available with the latest 2.9 volt Intel Pentium CPU's at clock speeds ranging from 100MHz up to 133MHz and featuring PCI Bus architecture. Matching the SENS 810's speed and power with maximum storage capacity, Samsung offers removable hard disk drives ranging from 810MB up to 2.1GB. All SENS 810 configurations feature 256KB of pipeline burst mode L2-SRAM cache and either 8MB or 16MB of next generation EDO memory.

For peerless multimedia presentations the SENS 810 utilizes Samsung's own designed and manufactured 11.3 or 12.1-inch color SVGA Active Matrix and Dual Scan displays. Video capabilities include simultaneous display on both the SENS 810's LCD and an external video device. For impressive big screen TV presentations, the SENS 810 provides Enhanced Video Out in the NTSC TV format enabling easy connection to any TV.

A quad- or six-speed internal CD-ROM drive is standard on all SENS 810 configurations. The CD-ROM drive pack is interchangeable with an optional 2nd battery pack, floppy disk drive, or TV tuner offering users endless flexibility to meet their changing needs. Matching its extensive video capabilities with the latest in mobile sound technology, the SENS 810 features stereo speakers and integrated 16-bit stereo sound for unparalleled audio presentations.

The top-of-the-line (133MHz model) SENS 810 includes a 28.8Kbps internal fax/modem, the fastest available on the market today, for on-the-go access to a home office system or the internet.

Meeting the growing demand for infra-red connection capabilities, the SENS 810 incorporates an IrDA compatible infra-red port for efficient wireless communication with a host of peripherals that are either on the market today or soon to be available such as printers, remote pointing devices, network interfaces and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

The SENS 810 comes packaged with a full range of "mobile-centric" software, including Windows 95, online system tutorial, system diagnostics, CompuServe, America Online, Presentation F/X, Personal Journal, Cosession, Official Airlines Guide, Puma TranXit, Follow FAX, and enhanced battery management.

Samsung backs the SENS 810 with extensive service and support including' free, one-year membership in the company's Executive Support Program (ESP), which is an express pick up and repair service offering 24-hour turnaround. The SENS 810 is also backed with 24 hours a day/7 days a week toll-free technical support and a 3-year warranty.

For additional information on the SENS 810 or for the name of the dealer nearest you, call toll-free at (800) 933-4110 or via the internet at http://www.sosimple.com.

The Company

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America's (SEA) Information Systems Division markets a broad range of computer products including color monitors, notebook PCS, storage products and laser printers.

SEA is a division of Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd. (SEC) in Seoul, Korea, which is a silicon-to-systems manufacturer of electronic products, including telecommunications systems, semiconductors and peripherals. A leading manufacturer of computer products since 1982, SEC is currently the world's number one producer of DRAMs and color monitors. SEC is part of the Samsung Group, a multinational organization with $64 billion in sales.

Samsung Electronics America Inc

105 Challenger Road

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660-0511

201-229-4000


ProSTEP GmbH Chosen by Computervision
ProSTEP GmbH Chosen by Computervision for STEP Development

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - The ProSTEP GmbH STEP Toolkit (PSstep_Caselib) has been chosen by Computervision Corporation for STEP interface development on their CADDS, PELORUS and Optegra product lines.

Computervision is a leading international supplier of desktop and enterprise-wide product development software and services. The decision to use ProSTEP's product was made after an intensive benchmark. Vice President of Product Strategy at Computervision, Salahudin Khan outlined the arguments for the ProSTEP product as "High flexibility with a maximum of stability. Flexibility means for Computervision the capability to process different EXPRESS schemes including all Application Protocols and the possibilities of high level access and navigation. With its conformance of the standard and the strong customer base, we are sure that we made the right decision in order to meet our users requirements."

The PSstep_Caselib

The PSstep Caselib is a powerful software tool for the development of STEP translators that conform to the ISO 10303 (STEP) standard. With its powerful functionality, it is now the most widely used STEP toolkit in the CAD/CAM world. Currently, the Psstep_Caselib is being used by over eighty companies and institutions in Europe and the United States for developing STEP solutions.

About ProSTEP

ProSTEP Product Data Technology GmbH was founded in 1993 and is a jointly owned subsidiary of BMW, Bosch, Daimler Benz, General Motors, Siemens, Volkswagen and the ProSTEP Association for the advancement and support of international product data standards. Their head office is in Darmstadt Germany and their software development center is in Berlin. As the leading European initiative for the introduction of product data technology, the goal of the organization is to optimize data flow in the data exchange process. ProSTEP is the only company in the world utilizing an integrated approach to this issue by being active on all three levels of product data technology.

On the standardization level, ProSTEP is strongly involved in the development of the STEP Application Protocols 214 and 212 to solve the problems of product data exchange and sharing in the automotive industry. (AP 214 is Core Data for Mechanical Design Processes; AP 212 is Electrotechnical Design and Installation).

On the second level, ProSTEP offers the PSstep_Caselib, ACIS Husk, IGES to STEP and VDAFS to STEP Migrators, to help to speed up the availability of STEP translators on the market.

On the third level, ProSTEP supports the users by offering solutions for automating the data exchange process. ProSTEP offers solutions for viewing and correcting IGES and VDAFS data. Their goal is to migrate the users to STEP technology in order to solve the problems at root level. In many projects, ProSTEP has installed data exchange highways by using the above mentioned products and the extensive technical expertise of the ProSTEP team.

About IDA and ProSTEP

IGES Data Analysis, Inc. (IDA) is the official United States distributor for ProSTEP's PSstep Caselib, IGES to STEP converter and the VDAFS to STEP converter. Established in 1984, IDA specializes in the sharing, access and exchange of digital product data using national and international product data standards. Our focus is on the effective utilization of product data used in the CAD/CAM/CAE manufacturing and data management systems.

Editor Contact (International):

Uwe Stelter

ProSTEP Produktdatentechnologie GmbH

Julius-Reiber-Str. 15

64293 Darmstadt, Germany

Tel. ++ (49) 61 51/92 87 15

Fax. ++ (49) 61 51 /92 87 26

IGES Data Analysis, Inc.

2001 N. Janice Avenue

Melrose Park, Illinois 60160 USA

Phone (708)-344-1815,  Fax (708)-344-2840


ProSTEP & MacNeal-Schwendler Partnership
Development Partnership Announced Between ProSTEP GmbH and MacNeal-Schwendler

MUNICH, DARMSTADT, March 1996 - MacNeal-Schwendler GmbH, a subsidiary of The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation (MSC), announced their decision to develop a STEP interface for their MSC/PATRAN program within the framework of the ProSTEP P3 project headed by ProSTEP GmbH. Development of the interface will be based on the ProSTEP Toolkit PSstep_Caselib and will comply with the Application Protocol 214 (Core Data for Automotive Mechanical Design Processes) specification.

"AP 214 is increasingly important to the German Automotive Industry", says Thomas Grassinger, Product Marketing Manager at MacNeal-Schwendler. "Involvement with The ProSTEP P3 joint project and participation in the ProSTEP Round Table will bring many advantages to our developers, not least in helping to ensure compatibility with existing AP 214 processors. Furthermore, the toolkit being used, PSstep_Caselib, with its ability to process any EXPRESS schemata, provides us with maximum flexibility"

The PSstep_Caselib

PSstep_Caselib is the most frequently used STEP toolkit for developing standard (ISO 10303) STEP interfaces. Today, almost 80 companies and institutions world-wide are in the process of developing STEP solutions with this ProSTEP tool. This total includes 20 of the worlds largest CAD/CAM system vendors.

"As The Market Leader for engineering analysis solutions, MacNeal-Schwendler's decision underlines the success of ProSTEP", says a delighted Uwe Stelter, Managing Director of Commercial Affairs at ProSTEP GmbH. "It is important to us that we be seen as a partner to the system vendor. This is why, with PSstep Caselib we are providing a tool that makes it possible to develop an executable STEP processor within a short period of time. At the same time, the Standard Data Access Interface (SDAI) ensures that the investment made in development can be utilized in other projects."

MSC/PATRAN

MSC/PATRAN is an easy-to-use, open MCAE (Mechanical Computer Aided Engineering) environment for simulating product performance and manufacturing processes.

In conjunction with integrated engineering analysis programs, MSC/PATRAN allows the user to examine the behavior of designs very early in the development process. The integration of new STEP processors will increase the already extensive geometry handling capabilities of the program. Once the design geometry has been either created or imported from a CAD system, users are able to build an analytical finite element (FEA) model. Direct access to the material information system MSC/MVISION, enables the user to access a large materials data resource with a known high quality pedigree. The analysis process can now be started using the MSC/PATRAN Analysis Manager.

The powerful results visualization tools of MSC/PATRAN enable the user to identity critical information including minimums, maximums, trends, and correlations. Isosurfaces and other advanced visualization tools help speed and improve results evaluation. Tools are also available to help correlate the analysis results with test results. In addition to the fully integrated analysis systems from MacNeal-Schwendler (including MSC/NASTRAN, MSC/DYTRAN, and MSC/FATIGUE), integrated interfaces are provided for the following analysis programs: ABAQUS, ANSYS, CFDS-F3D, LS-DYNA3D, MARC, PAM-CRASH and SAMCEF.

MSC/PATRAN is based on the UNIX, Motif and X-Windows standards and is available on most workstations. With a completely menu-driven graphical interface and online help, MSC/PATRAN represents the industry's most advanced and easy-to-use pre and postprocessing solution.

MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation

MSC, The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation (AMEX:MNS) is the leading supplier of CAE software used by engineers throughout the world to analyze the performance of their designs without the need for time-consuming and expensive physical prototypes. MSC's family of products, MSC/NASTRAN, MSC/PATRAN, MSC/ARIES, MSC/EMAS, MSC/MVISION, MSC/FEA, and MSC/DYTRAN, have played a role in the design of virtually every major automobile, aircraft and space vehicle developed in the past decade. MSC products are marketed and supported throughout offices in the United States, Europe and the Far East. For more information on MSC, visit Internet Web Site http://www.macsch.com.

STEP Application Protocol 214

AP 214 (Core Data for Automotive Mechanical Design Processes) is part of the STEP standard (ISO 104303) and describes the mechanical product data in the process chains of the manufacturing industry. Its functional scope greatly exceeds that of the previous relevant product data in the manufacturing industry. AP 214 was initiated in 1991 by the German automotive industry under the auspices of the VDA. In August 1995, the specification had achieved Committee Draft (CD) status. This means that there is a stable implementation base for STEP processors with regard to geometry information, including solids. The standard as a whole will be completed in 1997.

Leading system vendors are already in the process of developing AP 214 processors. Eight of these vendors have already released products that include the first partial scope (geometry) onto the market. In the automobile industry, these STEP interface processors are already being used for exchanging geometry models in the first productive projects. The next level of implementation will involve drawing data and tolerance information.

The ProSTEP Round Table

The ProSTEP Round Table was set up by the ProSTEP Association for the advancement of system vendors and users who are working together to reach an agreement on the next implementation level for AP 214. Another important aspect of the Round Table is coordinating the implementations of the 16 participating representatives of system vendors with the aim of avoiding interpretative differences in the implementations. Compatibility tests are performed in order to ensure the exchangeability of product data between the various systems. Not only the beta versions, but also the released products are coordinated and checked.

ProSTEP GmbH

The ProSTEP Produktdatentechnologie (product data technology) GmbH is active on all three levels of product data technology.

On the standardization level, ProSTEP is heavily involved in standards development for the STEP Application Protocol 214 (Core Data for Automotive Mechanical Design Processes) and Application Protocol 212 (Electrotechnical Design and Installation). This work is carried out at ISO level with the aim of solving the problems involved in the areas of data exchange and data management using vendor-neutral descriptions.

On the second level, ProSTEP offers products and services such as the PSstep Caselib, AP 214-ACIS Husk, IGES-STEP, VDAFS-STEP migrators and support services for developers with the aim of making high-quality STEP interface processors available on the market as quickly as possible.

On the third level, ProSTEP provides end users with solutions for automating the data exchange process, viewers, adapters and quality assurance tools. ProSTEP is also working on solutions to problems involving IGES and VDAFS at this level. The company is also very successful in the area of data exchange highway installation, offering not only the above-mentioned products but also their specialized know-how. ProSTEP is the only company world-wide following this 3-level strategy, contributing to the optimization of the data flow in the process chains of the manufacturing industry by implementing practical solutions.

About IDA and ProSTEP

IGES Data Analysis, Inc. (IDA) is the official United States distributor for ProSTEP's PSstep_Caselib, IGES to STEP converter and the VDAFS to STEP converter. Established in 1984, IDA specializes in the sharing, access and exchange of digital product data using national and international product data standards. Our focus is on the effective utilization of product data used in the CAD/CAM/CAE manufacturing and data management systems.

Editor Contacts (International):

Uwe Stelter

ProSTEP Produktdatentechnologie GmbH

Julius-Reiber-Str. 15

64293 Darmstadt, Germany

Tel. ++ (49) 61 51 / 92 87 15

Fax. ++ (49) 61 51 / 92 87 26

Thomas Grassinger

MacNeal-Schwendler GmbH

Innsbrucker Ring 15

81612 Munchen, Germany

Tel. ++ (49) 89 / 43 19 87 0

Fax. ++ (49) 89 / 43 61 71 6

IGES Data Analysis, Inc.

2001 N. Janice Avenue

Melrose Park IL 60160 USA

(708)-344-1815,  Fax/(708)-344-2840


ViewSonic Adds 21 Inch SonicTron Monitor
ViewSonic Adds 21" (19.5" viewable) SonicTron Monitor to Its High-Performance Professional Series

WALNUT, Calif - ViewSonic Corporation's new 21" color monitor (19.5" viewable) features a SonicTron high contrast screen. Both PC and MacX compatible, the ViewSonic PT810 delivers exceptional image quality and bright colors rarely found in a large screen monitor.

This new SonicTron screen is a vertically flat, square-cornered display that produces distortion-free images even in the corners. SonicTron's incredible sharpness and color fidelity are especially important in applications such as prepress and desktop publishing, where fine lines must be razor sharp and color vivid. And, in critical applications such as medical imaging, color clarity can be crucial.

The ViewSonic PT810 utilizes a fine 0.30mm aperture grille that produces vertical bars of color instead of dots for exceptionally bright, high contrast images, even at the highest resolutions. Its Super Contrast screen incorporates glass with-a lower transmission rate to minimize color wash-out. As a result, pixels are well defined, creating greater contrast, more depth and brilliant colors.

ViewSonic's exclusive ARAG coating is an anti-reflection, antiglare screen that utilizes a multi-layer treatment to refract light from the viewer while maintaining high quality screen images.

With the OnView control feature, all screen adjustments are made via an on-screen menu. OnView offers a choice of up to 20 settings including brightness, contrast, size, positioning, convergence and more. The ViewMatch control adjusts color temperature and intensity to match printer output.

The ViewSonic PT810 offers resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200 at 73Hz, and 1,280 x 1,024 at 85Hz. Also, this new 21" monitor provides Plug and Play compatibility to support Windows 95 (with a DDC-compatible video card). And it comes with integrated BNC connectors that allows users to switch between two PC or two Mac systems, or toggle between a Mac and a PC.

By incorporating the strict Swedish TCO standard, the monitor automatically reduces heat emissions and power consumption, as well as decreases exposure to electromagnetic fields. It also is superior to MPR-II and EPA Energy Star requirements.

With an MSRP of $2,195(US), the ViewSonic PT810 is ideal for CAD/CAM, imaging, desktop publishing, prepress and other applications requiring a high-resolution 21" monitor. It is backed by ViewSonic's outstanding three-year warranty on parts, CRT and labor.

For further information, contact ViewSonic Corporation, 20480 Business Parkway, Walnut, California 91789; Tel: (909) 869-7976 or (800) 888-8583; Fax: (909) 468-3756. Internet:http://www.viewsonic.com


Optiquest Value Line Monitors by ViewSonic
Optiquest Value Line Monitors by ViewSonic Expands to Affordable 17" (16.0" viewable) With 0.26mm Dot Pitch

WALNUT, Calif - ViewSonic Corporation has expanded its Optiquest Value Line of monitors with this new ultra-sharp color monitor. The Optiquest V775 provides a flat-square 17" screen (16.0" viewable). It offers an ultra-fine 0.26mm dot pitch for high-definition displays, and delivers a maximum non-interlaced resolution of 1,600 x 1,280 for sharpness and clarity. The Invar Shadow Mask keeps electron beams aligned with proper target location, and dramatically reduces color convergence error. Plus, the ARAG anti/glare, anti/static coating makes viewing easier without compromising image quality.

The Optiquest V775 includes many features not commonly found on such an affordable monitor, like the one touch OnView control system designed to easily adjust screen images, and ViewMatch to match screen colors to printer output. It also offers an overscan capability that allows viewers to use the entire screen as a display area, and digital controls providing 20 custom-programmable modes for automatic screen adjustments.

Another important feature is Plug and Play+, which supports Microsoft's Windows 95. This feature permits automatic monitor installation when used with a Window 95 compatible video card.

In keeping with today's concern for safety and the environment, the monitor meets or exceeds energy certification and radiation standards including VESA DPMS and MPR-II.

The MSRP for the 17" (16.0" viewable) optiquest Value Line V775 monitor is only $745, and backed by a three-year limited warranty on parts and the CRT; one year labor.

The Optiquest V775 is part of the Value Line of Monitors by ViewSonic, which range from 14-inch to 17-inch (various viewable) and combines high standards of quality, value and energy efficiency. Optiquest is one of only three monitor lines honored by the EPA as a 1994 Outstanding Energy Partner for having 100% of its entire product line meeting or exceeding EPA Energy Star guidelines.

For further information, please contact ViewSonic Corporation at 20480 Business Parkway; Walnut, California 91789; Tel: (800) 888-8583 or (909) 869-7976; Fax: (909) 869-7958. Internet:http://www.viewsonic.com


ViewSonic Intros Midrange SonicTron Monitors
ViewSonic Introduces Two Midrange SonicTron Monitors for Macintosh and PCS

WALNUT, Calif -- To further enhance its presence in the Macintosh and PC graphics/desktop publishing market, ViewSonic Corporation is adding two mid-priced monitors to its growing SonicTron aperture grille line the ViewSonic GT800 and the GT770. These products compliment the Professional SonicTron Series by offering aperture grille technology for pre-press, DTP, advertising design and advanced graphics at a cost-effective price. Both monitors are compatible with PCS and are priced lower than most competitive displays.

The 20" (19.1" viewable) ViewSonic GT800 monitor's 0.30mm aperture grille pitch delivers precise, sharp images and excellent color saturation. Its SonicTron CRT is a vertically-flat, square-cornered display that delivers superb focus from center to corner. The monitor offers display resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,280 (NI), and 1,280 x 1,024 at a 79Hz refresh rate.

With an exceptionally sharp 0.25mm aperture grille pitch and the SonicTron CRT, the 17" (16.1" viewable) ViewSonic GT770 supports non-interlaced resolutions up to 1,280 x 1,024.

Both monitors are compatible with Microsoft's Windows 95 Plug and Play standard. They feature OnView Controls, an onscreen control system that customizes screen images with an easy-to-use on-screen menu. Users can select and adjust up to 20 different settings including brightness, contrast, size, positioning and pincushioning. ViewMatch controls and Colorific software "included) allow users to adjust both the color temperature and the intensity to match printer output. The Super Contrast screen incorporates glass with a lower transmission rate. As a result, pixels are well defined, creating greater contrast, more depth and more brilliant colors. Both monitors also exceed MPR-II and EPA Energy Star requirements.

The MSRP of the ViewSonic GT800 is $1,899 ($1,799 ESP) and the GT770 is $899 ($849 ESP). Both are backed by an outstanding three-year warranty on parts, labor and CRT. Also, ViewSonic offers an optional 48-hour Express Exchange Service. For further information, contact ViewSonic Corporation, 20480 Business Parkway, Walnut, California 91789; Tel: (909) 869-7976 or (800) 888-8583; Fax:(909) 468-3756; Internet http://www.viewsonic.com.


Serious Business CDROMs for Small Business
SERIOUS BUSINESS SOFTWARE FORMS STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH TRW TO LAUNCH NEW CD ROM SOFTWARE PRODUCTS FOR SMALL BUSINESS

April 15, 1996 -- TAMPA, FL -- Serious Business Software, Inc., a new company dedicated to providing revolutionary software products designed to make small businesses run more efficiently and effectively, has announced that it has partnered with TRW Information Systems and Services to launch its two initial products. TRW, a leading provider of consumer and business credit, direct marketing and real estate information services, is providing source data for two unique new CD-ROM software packages designed to empower the more than 30 million small office/home office (SOHO) businesses in America to compete more effectively with corporate America and stimulate competition in the marketplace.

According to Edward Glaser, Serious Business Software's President and COO, "Our alliance with TRW assures that our products will offer the small business market the highest quality, most up-to-date comprehensive data that was cost prohibitive for small businesses until now. We believe that Business ConnX and Neighborhood ConnX, our first two products, will level the playing field by expanding the capabilities of small businesses and allowing them to compete on a whole new level."

Serious Business Software's two initial product offerings, Business ConnX and Neighborhood ConnX, are slated for May, 1996 delivery to computer and office product retailers across the country.

Business ConnX is designed for business-to-business marketing, containing detailed information and business credit data on over 11 million U.S. businesses. Neighborhood ConnX is designed for business-to-consumer marketing, providing direct marketing information on over 90 million U.S. households. Both products will enhance marketplace competition and create more choice and opportunity for consumers. "Serious Business Software and TRW strongly believe information use should not only create value but also be fair and respectful of individual privacy. The ConnX products balance those interests and give small business the benefits of these powerful information tools," said Martin Abrams, director privacy and consumer policy for TRW.

The CD-ROM products are fully integrated, easy-to-learn, and fun to use, offering leading edge technology, a fast search engine and fully integrated geographic visualization with mapping unlike any other product on the market today. Business ConnX and Neighborhood ConnX give the user access to the same data that large corporations have, giving them the ability to find new customers and increase their sales by conducting sophisticated direct marketing programs at a fraction of the cost.

Serious Business Software and TRW's strategic partnership involves both companies in the marketing of Business ConnX and Neighborhood ConnX, as well as joining forces to develop and roll out additional new products in the future.

"In addition to our strategic partnership to market Business ConnX and Neighborhood ConnX, Serious Business Software and TRW are working together to develop other new products for the increasingly competitive future marketplace," Glaser said.

Serious Business Software is dedicated to developing software solutions that create a new genre of serious business tools to enhance the productivity and capability of the SOHO Market. Serious Business Software is the exclusive licensed agent for the Americas for Optisys AB of Sweden. Optisys provides state-of-the-art search and compression technology for the information industry in Western Europe

Serious Business Software Inc

3965 Henderson Boulevard, Suite 200

Tampa, FL 33629

(813) 288-8548,  FAX: (813) 288-0892


TDI Trading Partner PC/32 Win95 EDI System
TSI Announces Trading Partner PC/32, First EDI System for Windows 95 and NT

World's Most Popular EDI Software for Windows Now in 32-Bit Version

Wilton, CT -- April 1, 1996 The first 32-bit application for EDI translation is announced today by TSI International, the world's leading supplier of Windows-based EDI software. Trading Partner PC/32 is the first EDI system designed to take advantage of the native facilities of Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT. It is the latest version of TSI's popular Trading Partner PC, a product with 86% share of the Windows market for EDI.

Trading Partner PC/32 is a major step forward in EDI software for the PC in terms of ease of use, functionality, and power. Many of its features stem directly from the capabilities inherent in Windows 95. The new system exploits the look-and-feel characteristics of the Windows 95 interface, introduces new options for communications and messaging including built-in access to the Internet, and delivers optimum performance for EDI translation and management.

TSI's announcement was received enthusiastically by the Microsoft Corporation. "We applaud TSI's introduction of a 32-bit application for EDI processing," stated Michael Henderlight, technical evangelist at Microsoft. "Many of the features of Windows 95 and NT, including the ability to run applications concurrently, ODBC and OLE compliance, and expanded support for communications, make them ideal operating environments for EDI," noted Henderlight.

Ease of use, a strong characteristic of TSI's Trading Partner PC product line, is further enhanced in Trading Partner PC/32. The system takes advantage of Windows 95 drag and drop facilities, and makes extensive use of context-sensitive help. Wizards are provided to simplify system installation. including the use of dynamic "cue cards" for prompting. Windows-style documentation is used throughout.

"Our goal is to take ease of use to the next level," noted David Raye, TSI vice president of operations. 'Windows 95 provides the environment to allow this to happen. We've also made provisions to bring our Windows 3.1 customers forward whenever they're ready," stated Raye. "Trading Partner PC/32 is upward compatible with our existing PC product, including all of the Kits we've built for specific EDI trading programs. Given the enormous size of our customer base, we made upward compatibility a requirement."

Trading Partner PC/32 breaks new ground in providing a more open environment for EDI. Point-and-click access is available to the Internet, Microsoft Network, and Microsoft Exchange allowing an extensive range of options for message transport and routing. EDI transactions can be sent and received through secure Internet facilities and Value Added Networks (VANs). E-mail and fax messages can be transmitted both internally and externally through a single interface. Finally, the underlying architecture is fully ODBC- and OLE-compliant, simplifying integration with other applications.

A built-in interface is also provided to TSI's Mercator, a drag-and-drop data transformation tool, and a companion product to both Trading Partner PC and Trading Partner PC/32. Mercator provides any-to-any data mapping capabilities without the need to write code. Map execution is supported on over 14 different platforms, including most of the popular PC, midrange, and mainframe environments.

The ability of Trading Partner PC/32 to support the needs of more advanced EDI users i of particular interest to third party organizations such as systems integrators and Value Added Resellers (VARs). Aaron Gurtman, president of J-Lab Technology in Woodmere, New York, and a TSI VAR, is very positive about the announcement.

"Our business involves developing PC-based EDI solutions in a world that seems to be changing almost daily," remarked Gurtman. "As our clients' requirements become more complex, the tools we use need to keep pace. We see Trading Partner PC/32 as an important addition to our toolset. It will not only deliver the horsepower we need, it comes with a host of new features that will cut the time and expense of building EDI applications. It looks like TSI has another winner here."

Trading Partner PC/32 is currently in beta test with general availability scheduled for third quarter 1996. License fees begin at less than $2,000.

TSI International is a leading supplier of electronic commerce software. TSI products include systems tor EDI translation and management, middleware for integrating electronic data with computer applications. and pre-built desktop solutions tor entire trading communities. Today. TSI software is installed in over 10,000 sites worldwide by companies conducting business electronically or integrating external data with the core applications of their business.

TSI International

45 Danbury Road

Wilton, CT 06897

203-761-8600

Web Site: http://www.tsisoft.com


Panasonic Entry-Level Production Scanner
PANASONIC ADDS ENTRY-LEVEL UNIT TO PRODUCTION-SCANNER LINE

New KV-SS25 Combines Low Price With Nigh-End Features

SECAUCUS, NJ -- Panasonic Computer Peripheral Company (PCPC) announces an addition to its line of production scanners. The new KV-SS25 offers excellent document reproduction, image enhancement tochnology and a maximum scanning rate of 20 pages-per-minute. The KV-SS25 carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price* (MSRP) of under $5,000.

According to Timothy J. Curran, vice president for Panasonic Computer Peripheral Company, "The KV-SS25 is designed to make production scanning affordable. There is a large group of people who could use production scanners, but have been unable to afford them."

Like Panasonic's four other production scanners, the KV-SS25 features a space-saving mini-tower design and is able to process a wide range of paper sizes (from business cards to legal) and weights (from onion skin to card stock). And since Panasonic uses a reverse gravity feed, the scanner boasts an extremely low "misfeed" rate. It also offers simplex (one-sided) as well as duplex (two-sided) scanning modes at speeds of 20 pages-per-minute (ppm) and 10 ppm, respectively. The KV-SS25 has a one million page preventative maintenance cycle and unlimited daily duty cycle.

The KV-SS25 comes standard with state-of-the-art Panasonic Image Enhancement technology (PIE). Images are captured in black and white binary or grey scale mode. Industry standard TWAIN and ISIS drivers are also available.

The scanning function offers operator-selectable resolution from 150 to 300 dots per inch (dpi). It features a one year limited warranty with a next-day exchange program for both in- and out-of-warranty repairs. The program stipulates that after a hotline engineer diagnoses a problem, a replacement unit is exchanged for the defective scanner within 24 hours from when the problem was first reported. Customers requiring service simply call Panasonic's 1-800-PANASYS line, during normal business hours, for technical support.

The KV-SS25 is available through authorized Panasonic resellers and distributors. The scanner is ideal for form processing, optical character recognition (OCR), workgroup and desktop imaging applications.

In the United States, Panasonic Computer Peripheral Company (PCPC), a division company of Panasonic Communications & Systems Company (PCSC) and a unit of Matsushita Electric Corp. of America, markets an extensive line of computer equipment that includes: monochrome and color laser printers, impact forms printers; multifunction devices; multimedia speakers; color monitors; PD/CD-ROM, CD-ROM and CD-Recordable drives; optical disk and high-capacity storage devices; gray scale and color scanners; and electronic filing systems.

* Suggested retail price indicates the price at which we believe our product can be most successfully merchandised. Dealers must decide for themselves the prices at which our products are actually advertised and sold.

Panasonic Communications & Systems Company

Two Panasonic Way

Secaucus, NJ 07094

800-742-8086,  201-348-7000


Archtek ConferencePal V.32 terbo Voice Fax
Archtek Introduces Combination V.32 Terbo Voice/Fax/Modem/Speakerphone/Answering Machine

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif -- Archtek America Corp., manufacturer of external, internal and PCMCIA cards and other fax/modems, has added the 19.2Kbps ConferencePal V.32 terbo Voice Fax Modem with Speakerphone to its SmartLink line of products. This internal card automatically distinguishes between data, fax and voice transmissions, and offers state-of-the-art technology with advanced features to provide high-speed performance, maximum flexibility and optimum reliability.

The SmartLink ConferencePal is bundled with a specially developed voice/fax/modem software, which provides a complete, easy-to-use telecommunications management system for Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or DOS 6.2 or beyond.

This new Archtek product is compatible with virtually all fax/modems and fax machines. Combined with the answering machine feature, it supports broadcast fax and fax-on-demand. The modem transfers data up to 19,200bps, by adding V.42bis MNP 5 data compressions the throughput increases up to 76,800bps.

In addition to the standard way of answering a telephone, with ConferencePal, the user has the option of clicking an icon and responding via the speakerphone. With this hands-free voice response, the user can continue working on other applications without the necessity of picking up the telephone. In combination with a separate, full-duplex speaker and the Archtek microphone, the user is assured of static-free communications. Plus, the microphone can be moved to a spot convenient to the user. This unique communication feature is ideal for desktop teleconferencing, including communicating to locations across the world.

The full-featured answering machine/voice mail can be accessed locally or remotely, and will record digitized greetings and voice messages for up to ten personalized mailboxes. It both records and plays back using 8- or 16- bit audio data at 7.2KHz, 8.0KHz or 11.025KHz. And it supports EIA/TIA IS-101 AT+V voice command, along with 8-bit U-law or A-law compression at 8.0KHz.

The SmartLink ConferencePal is designed to meet the V.32 bis international standard. Conforming to the characteristics of the connection by first probing the channel, then setting the frequency, equalization, symbol rate and transmitted power to maximize data transfer speeds. Based on the fall-forward and fall-back intelligence, the modem will automatically adjust to a higher or lower speed, ensuring a clear, precise connection.

SmartLink ConferencePal has a very low MSRP of only $149, and it is backed by a limited five-year warranty. For further information, contact Archtek America Corp.; 18549 Gale Avenue; City of Industry, CA 91748; Tel: (818) 912-9800; Fax (818) 912-9700. 30-30-30


Archtek PCMCIA 28.8Kbps V.34 Modem/Ethernet
Archtek Brings Out New PCMCIA 28.8Kbps V.34 Fax/Modem + Ethernet Card

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. -- Archtek America Corporation has added two new PC cards to its line of mobile communications devices, which are the 14,400bps and 28,800bps SmartLink fax/modem + Ethernet cards. These Type II PCMCIA cards Archtek's commitment to provide the most technologically advanced combination of functions on a single card.

These fax/modem + Ethernet cards allow users with PCMCIA compliant PC notebook computers to either connect remotely to the LANs, or directly to the LAN via 10Base-T, using either speed modem. They support Novel Netware, IBM LAN Server, Banyan VINES and Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, and are Novell NE2000 compatible.

The EIA Class I and Class 2 fax/modem + Ethernet supports full duplex data transmissions up to 28,800bps, with the Group III fax capable of communicating with virtually all fax machines. As a result, users can use this SmartLink PC card while working on any project, from network applications to data processing, without the necessity of swapping cards.

Using the extended AT set, with its low power consumption (750mw) and auto sleep power management mode (less than 70mw), the user is assured of extended battery life for their portable computer. With cellular connectivity, the Archtek SmartLink fax/modem + Ethernet card is compatible with most cellular telephones.

The PC cards comply with ITU-T V.34 (28.8) and V.32bis (14.4) standards, as well as the V.Fast standard, for automatic rate negotiations and connections at the highest possible speeds. The complete fall-forward and fall-back intelligence allows SmartLink PCMCIA cards to adjust automatically to a higher or lower speed to ensure the clearest connection. Advanced MNP 5 and V.42bis data compression allows data transmissions up to 115.2Kbps, which help lower line charges. MNP 2-4 and V.42 error correction ensure communications accuracy.

In keeping with the Archtek slogan, Technology At Its Greatest, SmartLink fax/modem + Ethernet PCMCIA cards offer the best combination of high-speed performance, maximum upgrade flexibility and optimum reliability at an affordable price.

The MSRP of the PCMCIA 28.8 fax/modem + Ethernet card is $439 and the 14.4 is $299. Both are backed by a limited five-year warranty and a factory-trained technical support staff. For more information, contact Archtek America Corp., 18549 Gale Avenue, City of Industry, CA 91748-1338. Telephone (818) 912-9800; Fax (818) 912-9700. 30-30-30 1


Archtek Mwave V.34 Multimedia DSVD Fax/Modem
Archtek's New Mwave V.34 Multimedia DSVD Fax/Modem For Affordable Videoconferencing

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif -- Archtek America Corporation has just introduced SmartLink Mwave DocuPal V.34 multimedia DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice Data) fax/modem, which allows two or more users to view and revise the same document on-screen simultaneously from various workstations. Revisions to the document can also be verbalized through the hands-free microphone. All this over a single phone line! The versatile DocuPal, designed to meet the growing needs of today's complex on-line communications and multimedia capabilities, also includes telephony and MIDI features.

At the heart of the DocuPal fax/modem is the DSVD technology, which multiplexes voice and data for simultaneous transmission over a single phone line (POTS). The DocuPal automatically regulates the stream so that data transmitting at 28.8Kbps without voice, automatically drops to 14.4Kbps when voice is added. When connected to another Archtek DSVD modem, it becomes the economical choice for desktop videoconferening, telecommuting, whiteboard editing and other emerging communication technologies.

To reduce on-line costs, the DocuPal V.34 modem transmits at speeds up to 28.8Kbps, with maximum throughput of up to 115.2Kbps. The automoding and dynamic rate renegotiation ensure the fastest available speeds, even when connecting with slower modems. Transmitting at speeds up to 14.4Kbps, the enhanced Class 2 fax is compatible with most leading fax software and supports V.17, V.29 and V.27ter.

Archtek's DocuPal fax/modem also offers a full-featured phone and digital answering machine with remote message retrieval. Complete with a full-duplex microphone, (which can be attached to the monitor, sit on the desk or clipped to a lapel) the user is assured of hands-free communication. A built-in discriminator recognizes incoming calls and directs them to the proper function without needing additional phone lines or equipment.

DocuPal is bundled with ArchShare, a proprietary software which provides support for simultaneous communication between up to eight workstations, including full-featured whiteboard editing.

Sound Blaster-compatible audio/MIDI functions support music, voice-over and 3D effects. With its CD-quality audio play, DocuPal can transform a PC into a full-scale mixing board with simultaneous playback of multiple WAV files.

Backed by a limited five-year warranty, the MSRP of DocuPal is only $439, with special quantity pricing available. An optional headset, with volume controls, is available for $25. The fax/modem is compatible with Windows 95/3.1, DOS 5.0 and OS/2 3.0 (WARP) or higher.

For more information, contact Stephen Lu at Archtek America; 18549 Gale Avenue; City of Industry, CA 91748; Telephone (888) 272-4835 or (818) 912-9800; Fax (818) 912-9700. Internet: http//www.archtek.com.tw.


New Media Ships First Game PC Card
NEW MEDIA SHIPS INDUSTRY'S FIRST GAME PC CARD

New Concept In Portable Computing Entertainment

IRVINE, Calif., April 8, 1996 -- New Media Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer of portable computing solutions, today announced it is shipping its GAMEjammer game/sound PC Card, providing a new medium in entertainment for the mobile computing market. Adding a built-in speaker and joystick port to the capabilities of a sound card, this credit-card sized product enables users to get maximum entertainment value from their laptop computers.

"There are thousands of portable computer users who would like to have the flexibility to play games or sound programs on their computer in between meetings or while passing time on long air flights," explained Jay Kerutis, vice president of marketing and sales. "We designed the GAMqammer specifically for portable computer users who relax by catching up on the latest video games or sound programs. This includes the college student who may want to do other applications with their portable computer than just study."

Designed with a built-in speaker, the new PC Card allows any laptop with a PCMCIA slot to have sound. Video games can now come alive on the laptop as the sound emanates from the machine, bringing users more excitement. Additionally, for video game and music enthusiasts, GAMEjammer comes complete with a cable that includes a joystick port, microphone input and lines in and out.

In support of the most popular audio file extensions, GAMEjammer is bundled with Midisoft's Audio Works for complete sound functionality such as recording and playing back .wav, .mid and .avi files. This new PC Card is Adlib compatible and can play Sound Blaster games under Windows and Windows 95.

GAMEjammer Turns Notebook Computer Into Mini Sound Studio

New Media also offers a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) in, out and through port adapter as an option for music enthusiasts that need both MIDI connectivity and portability. Using this adapter, the GAMEjammer supports up to 16 different MIDI devices at once, turning a portable computer into a mini sound studio. By plugging in a MIDI sound device, such as a keyboard synthesizer, users can record and playback MIDI sequences.

Users can also use a microphone or line level music CD player to record analog sounds and manipulate them digitally. The size of the sound file recorded is only limited by the amount of available disk space on the laptop.

Ease-of-Use and Power Efficiency Round Out Feature Set

As with all New Media products, the GAMEjammer comes complete with the company's suite of ease-of-use tools including Auto-Install, Knowledge Bank, CardSleuth, Integrated Messaging and custom designed diagnostic software. Auto-Install is an installation and configuration program which automatically analyzes the machine's PCMCIA software, loads all of the necessary driver and application software, and edits the appropriate system files. Also included is Knowledge Bank, a troubleshooting and information resource; CardSleuth, a general diagnostic utility program; and Integrated Messaging, a program that automatically alerts users to situations in their system that might require their attention.

Designed using the company's proprietary Zero Consumption APM (Advanced Power Management) technology, the GAMEjammer is designed to draw zero power when not in use. PC Card power usage is critical to portable computer users. New Media developed Zero Consumption APM so users can leave the card in the slot without worrying about reducing battery life. With Zero Consumption APM, the card only uses power while accessed. Without Zero Consumption APM, a typical PC Card in standby mode can use as much as 25 percent of the laptop's power -- even when not in use.

Pricing and Availability

The GAMEjammer is available immediately at a street price of under $200. Like all New Media products, the GAMEjammer is backed by a five year warranty and is FCC Class B certified for both home and office use.

Company Information

New Media Corporation, a manufacturer of portable computing solutions headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is the leading designer and developer of PC Cards for laptop computers. New Media's software expertise has enabled the company to quickly build a reputation for supplying the industry's broadest line of easy-to-install and use PC Cards. The company's products address all market segments, from data communications and networking to multimedia and mass storage. New Media's PC Cards are the first PCMCIA products to achieve true plug-and-playability as well as 100 percent compatibility with today's full range of portable computers.

New Media is at the vanguard of PC Card technology. The company's extensive research and development activities have led to many innovative solutions and PCMCIA firsts, which have advanced the state of the industry. New Media's products are sold through OEMs, distributors and retailers, and the company's own international network distributors.

New Media Corp

Irvine Spectrum

One Technology, Building A

Irvine, CA 92718

714-453-0100,  800-453-0550,  fax 714-453-0114


Internet Kids Yello Pages, Special Edition
NOW KIDS HAVE THEIR OWN GUIDE TO THE INTERNET

Exploring Cyberspace Has Never Been So Easy or Safe!

Berkeley, CA, April 16, 1996-From Osborne/McGraw-Hill, the publishers of the original Internet Yellow Pages, comes a version just for kids and families" The Internet Kids Yellow Pages, Special Edition, offers a wealth of child-safe destinations for preschoolers to teens. There is also an extensive collection of resources on Families and Parenting, as well as Education and Homeschooling. Modeled after the original Internet Yellow Pages, this guidebook is jam-packed with more than 1,800 engaging and entertaining listings, organized alphabetically so they are easy and fun to use.

Written in simple, child-friendly language, The Internet Kids Yellow Pages contains carefully selected and annotated lists of quality Internet destinations, chosen by author Jean Armour Polly and her team of professional librarians, teachers, and Internet specialists. No violent or sexually explicit Internet sites here-just a bounty of educational, entertaining, and kid-safe topics.

Polly drew on her experience as librarian, Internet pioneer, and mother in order to capture the right blend of resources for family use. "I believe kids belong on the Net-but I know that there are places on the Net I would not want my son to go without me, just as there are places in the city where I live that I wouldn't let him go alone. So, driven by the types of questions I used to answer at the public library reference desk, I set out to find sites that were either built expressly for children, or places where people of any age could find value."

The Internet Kids Yellow Pages offers a treasure chest of addresses on topics such as pen pals, sports, dinosaurs, science, pets, math, cars, toys, books, and much, much more! Kids can:

* Visit other states or countries around the world

* Exchange art and letters with kids worldwide

* Visit a dinosaur museum in Hawaii

* Watch a hurricane move across the planet in real time

* Control an interactive model train in Germany

According to Scott Rogers, Osborne/McGraw-Hill's executive editor, "The Internet has become phenomenally popular with kids, but-quite rightly-most parents want to ensure that their children only tap into safe, appropriate information. That's why we knew their was a need for The Internet Kids Yellow Pages, and why we were thrilled when someone of Jean's renown brought her project to us. Her unique background makes her the perfect resource for showing young Net surfers where to go on the Internet for fun, interesting, and kid-safe topics."

To help these young computer users learn even more about the Internet, the book includes an assortment of illustrated "Net Files" with questions and answers that provide an entertaining way of learning about, and navigating around, the Internet.

The Internet Kids Yellow Pages, Special Edition, is softcover, 400 pages. Suggested retail price: $19.95. ISBN: 0-07-882197-5. For orders only, phone 1-800-822-8158. Other titles in the series include the best-selling Internet Yellow Pages, now in its third edition with more than one million copies in print; The Internet Science, Research, and Technology Yellow Pages; and The Internet Health, Fitness, and Medicine Yellow Pages.

Jean Armour Polly is an internationally recognized expert on the Internet from a user's point of view. First to use the phrase "Surfing the Internet," she is one of the first of two women elected to the Internet Society Board of Trustees. She is currently an author, speaker, and consultant, as well as the co-moderator of PUBLIB, the Internet discussion list for public librarians. Polly is the former Director of Public Services and Internet Ambassador at NYSERNet, Inc., and was a public librarian for 16 years. Polly lives in New York State-and her ten-year-old son has a direct connection to the Internet in his bedroom.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of computer books that include user and reference guides for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Known for its best-selling Internet titles-The Internet Complete Reference and The Internet Yellow Pages-as well as its Busy People and Oracle Press series, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with the Corel Corporation, the Oracle Corporation, Stream International, and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for developing future computer books.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

510-549-6600,  Fax: 510-549-6603,   orders: 800-227-0900


Wilson Abstracts Added on FirstSearch
WILSON ABSTRACTS ADDED TO APPLIED SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY INDEX ON FIRSTSEARCH

New York, New York -- April 10, 1996 -- H.W. Wilson announced today that abstracts for Wilson Applied Science & Technology Index have been added to the FirstSearch service with records dating from March 1993 forward. Records in the database continue to be updated monthly and the abstract field in each record is now searchable.

In the coming months. abstracts on the five other Wilson databases will be added to FirstSearch: General Science Index, Humanities Index, Social Sciences Index, Art Index, and Education Index.

"The value of quality indexing is that it helps direct users to the appropriate document," said Harold Regan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the H.W. Wilson Company. "Now. with the added value of abstracts to Applied Science & Technology Index, users will be better able to decide whether an article is relevant, thereby conducting more effective research."

"The addition of these abstracts will increase the efficiency with which users will be able to identify helpful sources of information," said Rick Noble, Vice President OCLC reference services.

The FirstSearch service, designed for people who use libraries, has an end-user interface that allows easy movement through the online search process in just a few simple steps, without training or online searching experience. With 60 databases and full text, FirstSearch is one of the fastest growing end-user services in the library community. A World Wide Web interface to FirstSearch is now available.

H.W. Wilson, founded in 1898, is a leading provider of bibliographic references and other library resources in print and electronic formats. The company publishes indexes. abstracts, and full-text databases on CD-ROM, magnetic tape, online, over the World Wide Web and through its information partners. More about H.W. Wilson can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hwwilson.com

OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit computer library service and research organization whose computer network and services link more than 21,000 libraries in 63 countries and territories. The OCLC Web site is located at http.//www.oclc.org on the World Wide Web.

H.W. Wilson

950 University Avenue

Bronx, NY 10452-4442

800-367-6770,  718-588-8400,  fax 718-590-1617


PNY Shipping Memory Upgrades for IBM PC 700
PNY SHIPPING EDO SIMMs, PARITY SIMMS, EDO DIMMS AND PARITY DIMMS FOR IBM PC 700 SERIES SERVERS

Mooonachie, NJ (April 10, 1996) -- PNY Electronics Inc., a global leader in the design manufacture and distribution of memory modules for personal computers, printers, portable computers and workstations, is shipping a variety of memory upgrade options for the IBM PC 700 series of desktop servers.

The IBM PC 700 A and 700 B models come with 16 MB of system memory soldered on the motherboard. These servers utilize four SIMM sockets and one DIMM socket and are upgradeable to 128 MB of maximum system memory.

According to Joe Klein, PNY's director of research and development, "The IBM 700 Series can utilize either EDO SIMMs, parity SIMMs, EDO DIMMs or parity DIMMs. Between IBM's clever design and PNY's extensive product line, corporate buyers and resellers have a tremendous flexibility in selecting memory upgrades for the 700 Series."

EDO SIMMS

Density............PNY Part#................. SRLP

 4MB...............P-92G7318................. $  135.00

 8MB...............P-92G7320................. $  255.00

16MB...............P-92G7322................. $  485.00

32MB...............P-92G7322................. $1,050.00

PARITY SIMMS

Density............PNY Part#................. SRLP

 4MB...............P-92G7308................. $  145.00

 8MB...............P-92G7310................. $  275.00

16MB...............P-92G7312................. $  525.00

32MB...............P-92G7317................. $1,050.00

EDO DIMM

Density............PNY Part#................. SRLP

32MB...............P-92G7335................. $1,150.00

PARITY DIMM

Density............PNY Part#................. SRLP

 32MB..............P-92G7339................. $1,250.00

PNY's memory upgrades for the IBM PC 700 Series are manufactured in its ISO-9001 registered facility in Moonachie, New Jersey. All PNY memory products are 100% tested before shipment and come with a lifetime warranty.

PNY Electronics Inc

200 Anderson Avenue

Moonachie, NJ 07074

201-438-6300,  fax 201-438-9097


JASCA Graphically!! for Presentation Charts
JASCA CORP. INTRODUCES GRAPHICALLY!! SOFTWARE FOR CREATING PRESENTATION-QUALITY CHARTS EASILY

Graphically!! Is Designed Specifically For CPAs And Other Financial Professionals

SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 22, 1996 -- JASCA Corp., a developer of business analysis software programs, is introducing today Graphically!!, allowing CPAs and other financial professionals to quickly and easily chart and graph spreadsheet-based information.

"The main difference between Graphically!! and other charting programs is our 'Chart Art' templates, which provides users with hundreds of professionally designed, preformatted charts, enabling users to produce presentation quality charts and graphs with just a few mouse clicks," said Mark Palaske, president of JASCA. "It is so easy to use that even users with no previous charting experience can take dry financial data and turn that data into attractive graphs in a matter of minutes. This feature also means that users can stop wasting time formatting charts from scratch in Excel or Lotus, and spent that time in more productive activities."

Targeted to CPAs, chief financial officers, financial advisors and small business owners, Graphically!! is a Windows-based program designed to run on IBM PC/compatible desktop systems. The software can operate under Windows 95/NT, and Windows 3.1 and 3.11.

Chart Art Simplifies The Decision Making Process Of Chart Creation

Chart Art is a JASCA-developed collection of commonly-used financial chart templates that allow users to implement professionally designed charts for their specific situation. The Chart Art templates allow users to boil down their decision making to simply what needs to be displayed (subject headings include income, cash, budget, 5-year, current and ratio) and what format and style is to be employed (backgrounds, fonts, colors, layout and chart elements).

In only a few clicks on a mouse, the chart is ready. Then, users can open Excel 4.0 spreadsheets directly in Graphically!! or they can import data from any Windows spreadsheet program, as well as plugging in data manually.

While Graphically!! is very easy to use, the software also provides advanced chart creators with the tools they need to create virtually any kind of chart. Graphically!! enables the user to change any aspect of a graph originating from Chart Art. Tools range from standard formatting commands -- to change fonts and location of the type, for instance -- to advanced features such as 3D chart manipulation, and custom backgrounds and pictographs. All changes are shown on the work-in-progress immediately.

Graphically!!'s also offers a Report Generator, which allows users to take their charts and create a report that includes title, text and charts. Up to four charts can be printed on a single page and separate comments can be added to those charts. A preview function allows users to scroll through the report prior to printing.

Other features include an animated demo of chart examples and an extensive help system featuring a full-text search engine.

Available immediately, Graphically!! is sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee and includes 30 days free technical support. The single-user retail price is $198. For more information, call (800) 816-6537, on the Internet at www.jasca.com or 24-hour Fax-back service (619) 523-0179.

System Requirements

A 486-based PC or better, SVGA monitor, 4 MG RAM miniminum and 10 MB - 24 MB hard disk space.

JASCA Corp.

JASCA Corp., headquartered in San Diego, Calif, was founded in August 1995 to bring business analysis software programs to financial professionals. Graphically!!, under development since 1994, is the first of these programs to offered commercially, and a business modeling program is scheduled for introduction in the second half of 1996.


Easy ROR for Windows Investment Software
EASY ROR for WINDOWS TELLS BUSY INVESTORS HOW THEIR PORTFOLIO IS PERFORMING

April, 1996-Investors wishing to accurately measure their portfolio performance without the tedious record-keeping required by portfolio management programs will appreciate Easy ROR for Windows. Easy ROR requires only deposit, withdrawal, and balance information to calculate exact Rate of Return for any portfolio, regardless of the quantity, type, or diversity of investments. Unlike portfolio managers, which require detailed entry of every transaction for each owned security, Easy ROR enables an investor's performance over any period to be obtained from data entered in just a few minutes.

Both Internal and Time-Weighted rate of return can be calculated before or after taxes and gross or net of fees between any two dates. Monthly, quarterly and annual reports showing both individual and cumulative period results can be produced, as well as graphic displays of performance and investment activity. Easy ROR offers a variety of AIMR-compliant calculation methods, including Daily Valuation, Modified Dietz, and Modified BAI.

Suitable for investment professionals as well as individuals, Easy ROR handles any number of simple or composite portfolios, and provides access to data via account number or other client information. An Asset Allocation version is also available to provide automatic allocation of transactions between Equities, Fixed Income, Cash, and Cash Equivalents.

Easy ROR is the ideal tool for evaluating the performance of a money manager. And while its low price and simplicity make it a time-saving alternative, investors needing more detail can always upgrade to one of Hamilton Software's expandable line of portfolio management and investment analysis programs. Easy ROR for Windows or DOS is available for $59 ($89 for Asset Allocation) from Hamilton Software Inc., 6432 East Mineral Place, Englewood, Colorado 80112, 1-800-733-9607. A demo disk is $5.


Low-Cost Cache DIMM for Power Macs
Low-Cost 1MB Cache DIMM Offered By Newer Technology for Power Mac 8500, 7500 and 7200

WICHITA, Kan. -- 04/17/96 -- Newer Technology announced a new 1 megabyte Level 2 cache DIMM for the Apple Power Macintosh 8500, 7500 and 7200 computers. This new cache DIMM is currently priced only $30 more than the 512K cache, so users can upgrade to the full 1 megabyte level at a very reasonable cost.

"The typical price difference between 512K and 1MB cache DIMMs has historically been nearly double," said Kay Vogt, memory product manager at Newer Technology. "We are able to offer the 1MB cache DIMM at this price because we are using new lower cost parts - yet this 1MB cache is a solid performer in all three Power Macintosh models, unlike certain 256K and 512K cache DIMMs available on the market today."

The cache DIMM memory module, installed in the cache socket on the motherboard, is a high speed temporary storage place for data frequently requested by the CPU from system memory. The higher speed of the cache memory provides a system speed enhancement over non-cached systems by supplying data to the CPU faster.

Newer Technology's 1MB cache DIMM uses chips with a speed of 11ns

(nanoseconds). Typical system memory is usually in the 70ns range. This simple chip speed difference, combined with the interaction between the CPU, system memory and Level 2 cache, affords the overall system speed improvement. A larger cache improves the chances that the data requested by the CPU will be contained in the high speed cache, thus greatly improving the overall performance of the computer. "Saving roughly 60ns in data access time from Level 2 cache versus system memory can appear insignificant on the surface since nanoseconds are only a billionth of a second," Vogt said. "However, Power Macintosh users who are involved with larger files and intensive operations such as video production, animation, and 3D rendering know that when data is accessed repeatedly from a cached system, performance is noticeably faster."

Newer Technology offers a complete selection of Macintosh@, Power Macintosh and PowerBook computer upgrades - from memory to cache to CPU accelerators and Ethernet connectivity.

For more information and current pricing, contact Newer Technology; 7803 E. Osie, Suite 105; Wichita, KS 67207; phone 800-678-3726 or 316-685-4904; fax 316685-9368; AppleLink Newer.Sales; America Online at NewerRAM, or Internet World Wide Web home page at http://www.newertech.com.


PC EXPO Quality & Buying Power Affirmed
MARKET RESEARCH AFFIRMS HIGH QUALITY AND BUYING POWER OF PC EXPO IN NEW YORK ATTENDEES

The Largest Computer Trade Show on the East Coast Attracts an Exclusive Audience With Purchasing Power

(Fort Lee, NJ, April 17)-PC EXPO in New York attendees are senior-level business professionals who possess unmatched technology buying power and influence, according to an independent study conducted by Exhibit Surveys of Red Bank, NJ.

The Fourteenth Annual PC EXPO in New York will take place June 18-20, 1996 at the Javits Convention Center, in New York City. The show is the largest personal computer trade show on the East Coast and the most important event in the industry, with an expected audience of 850 exhibitors and more than 130,000 attendees.

The survey results, recently announced by PC EXPO show management, are from a profile of 1995 attendees. The responses also provided evidence of a healthy, growing, and loyal PC EXPO audience.

Nearly all of the attendees (94 percent) indicated they influence their companies' purchasing decisions for computer hardware and peripherals, software, or communications. More significantly, 65 percent either authorize the purchase or specify vendors.

Respondents involved in their companies' purchasing decisions planned to spend an average of $2.9 million for computer hardware and peripherals, and $2.5 million for software during the next 12 months. According to the attendee profile, about 63 percent of the respondents are end users who work in a wide variety of businesses, and 32 percent are employed by trade resellers, primarily computer consulting firms.

PC EXPO in New York also draws an exclusive audience not being reached by any other show. There is very low overlap in attendance with other shows. In fact, a large majority of PC EXPO attendees-almost 60 percent-attend no other show.

PC EXPO attendees represent companies with multiple and relatively sophisticated computing environments; 71 percent have client/server computing -environments and/or peer-to-peer networked PCs or workstations; 56 percent have LAN-to- mainframe, mainframe-to-PC, or workstation environments; and 82 percent use stand-alone desktop PCs or workstations either exclusively, or in addition to other more complex environments. Local area networking, client/server computing, and the Internet are the technologies considered most important by PC EXPO attendees.

"Since its inception, PC EXPO has been an important barometer for the business of computing and an excellent showcase for new products," said Mark Dineen, vice president of Blenheim Group USA, Inc., producers of PC EXPO. "The survey provides evidence that our original attendee market-corporate volume buyers with significant buying power-attend the show to help make purchasing decisions. This independent report clearly outlines the benefits of PC EXPO to exhibiting companies."

A good mix of first-time and previous attendees also indicates the show is healthy and growing, according to Mr. Dineen. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents (64 percent) attended the show in 1994, 47 percent have attended for the last three consecutive years, and 28 percent were first-time attendees at last year's show.

The 1995 show, which took place June 20-22 at New York's Javits Center, featured 830 exhibitors and attracted 131,044 attendees.

PC EXPO in New York is produced and managed by Blenheim Group USA, Inc., part of Blenheim Group PLC, the world's leading independent producer of conferences and exhibitions. Attendees can access current information about all of Blenheim's IT shows at the firms's ShowNet site on the World Wide Web, at URL: http://www.shownet.com.

Blenheim Group USA

Fort Lee Executive Park, One Executive Dr, Fort Lee, NJ 07024

800-829-3976,  201-346-1400,  Fax: 201-346-1532


Spicer Integration with Documentum
Spicer Corporation announces integration with Documentum

April 12, 1996

The partnership between Documentum and Spicer Corporation represents the excellence and technological innovation that are helping deliver the finest whole-product solutions for the enterprise document management.

Spicer's affiliation with Documentum continues both companies strong tradition of developing strategic partnerships aimed at providing quality electronic solutions and superior customer service. Spicer and Documentum are working together to integrate Imagenation with the Documentum Enterprise Document Management System (EDMS), the company's leading family of client/server software products.

With corporate headquarters in Kitchener, Ontario, Spicer is one of the industry's largest developers of electronic document view, markup, and edit imaging software. The company's flagship product, Imagenation, is in use at more than 800 customer sites worldwide.

Imagenation embodies over a decade of technical expertise, customer-directed development effort and expert market knowledge. The imaging software incorporates view, annotate, plot, scan, hotspot and text search capabilities for a wide variety of office and engineering applications. Feature-rich, Imagenation offers a complete set of document markup, edit and redline tools for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX platforms. The imaging software supports industry-standard file formats for CAD, vector, text and raster, including bilevel, grayscale and 24-bit color.

With corporate headquarters in Pleasanton, California, Documentum develops, markets and supports a family of object-oriented, client-server products for enterprise document management.

The Documentum EDMS is a valuable tool that allows companies to control and improve their business-critical processes, with the goal of satisfying and exceeding customers' requirements and expectations. The Documentum product suite enables a company to capture, chronicle, and leverage its valuable intellectual capital to more effectively manage the relationships and interdependencies between information across the enterprise. The end result is faster time-to-market and greater customer satisfaction.

The Documentum/Imagenation integration provides organizations with a whole solution for accessing, viewing, annotating and sharing enterprise documents such as CAD drawings, engineering specs, and project proposals. For example, an engineering construction company, consulting on large-scale projects, such as power plant and refinery construction, can use the Documentum/Imagenation product to manage the creation, collaboration, revision, and assembly of complex project proposals. Since Imagenation and the Documentum EDMS are both format-independent, users can access and view a wide range of formats including overlays, grayscale images, multipage documents and mixed page formats and sizes within a document. Documentum EDMS and Imagenation's comprehensive set of powerful API commands enable easy integration with other applications, such as plant maintenance.

The Documentum/Spicer association creates a win-win situation. Spicer has access to Documentum's open client/server architecture as a solid foundation for delivering its high-quality, value-added product to greater audiences of customers. Documentum benefits from the alliance by pairing its world-class document management technology with the extra expertise and technology depth that customers require-and that Spicer can supply.

For more information on the Spicer Corporation and Documentum product line please contact:

 Spicer Corporation: Karyn Kitchen

 Tel: (519) 748-2462

 Internet: kkitchen@spicer.com

 Documentum: Larry Warnock

 Tel: (510) 463-6800

 Internet: sales.info@documentum.com


Artisoft Shipping INSYNC ModemShare v7.0
Artisoft Now Shipping INSYNC ModemShare v7.0

(TUCSON, AZ-April 3, 1996)-Artisoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASFT) announced today that it is now shipping INSYNC ModemShare v7.0 software for sharing modems and phone lines across a local area network. Part of the recently launched INSYNC remote communications product line, ModemShare allows all network users to share modems and phone lines for easy and economical access to the Internet, online services or for desktop faxing. ModemShare offers total interoperability among Microsoft's Windows 95, Windows and DOS operating systems, for seamless resource sharing in mixed operating environments. Available through retail stores, Artisoft distribution channels and value-added reseller partners, ModemShare starts at $129 MSRP for a one-port version.

"Many businesses are eager to take advantage of the Internet and online services, but few are willing to add phone lines for each of their employees to access these resources," said David J. Saphier, general manager of Artisoft's Remote Communications Product Group. "With ModemShare, a company only needs one phone line and one modem to affordably and easily provide online access for everyone on a network."

ModemShare enables fulfillment of a wide variety of communication needs, including sending information by fax, transferring files, remotely controlling PCs, and accessing the Internet, electronic bulletin boards and online services. In addition, it provides benefits for businesses with telecommuters and mobile professionals and with document-intensive operations such as legal, banking/finance and insurance.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

ModemShare includes many enhancements over the previous version, Modem Assist Plus v.4.0, in terms of power, ease of management, flexibility and ease of use.

Power

ModemShare now allows Windows 95 users to access multiple services simultaneously. Users can start downloading files from an online service, and then start an Internet dialer to browse the World Wide Web while waiting for the download to complete.

This function is also very useful for the telecommuter or mobile professional who wants to dial in from off-site for a remote control session on an office PC, and then initiate a call to a third computer from the office. This allows the long distance charges to be incurred by the office, even when users are working at home or in the field.

ModemShare's power has been further enhanced with its Windows 95 modem client, which is compatible with the latest 32-bit communications applications designed for Windows 95, as well as 16-bit and DOS communications applications.

Ease of Management

ModemShare is easier to manage than ever before with the new remote monitor function. This allows all Windows 95 and Windows modem clients to view the available communications resources on the network, determine their status, and remotely reset functions if trouble is detected. Communications management functions were previously available only at the modem server. Now users can remotely manage a modem server, instead of having to do so in person.

ModemShare also allows businesses to keep a single log of network communication activity across multiple ModemShare servers by actual user name.

Flexibility

ModemShare is designed to work in mixed desktop operating environments, including Windows 95, Windows and DOS clients and servers. This provides complete flexibility in modem sharing configurations. Users no longer have to share modems only at DOS modem server PCs.

Ease of Use

ModemShare's virtual transparency allows users to simply launch their communication programs and proceed as if they had a local modem. This ease of use is further enhanced with ModemShare's ability to grant and deny shared access to modems on-the-fly, eliminating the need to load or unload a DOS TSR.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

ModemShare is available in 1, 2, 4, 8 or 32-port versions, beginning at $129 MSRP for the 1-port version. Add-on licenses for 4, 16 or 32 or more ports are also available, beginning at $149 MSRP for the 4-port license. Upgrades from any prior version of ModemShare are available for 4,16 or 32 or more ports, beginning at $79 MSRP for the 4-port upgrade.

Artisoft leads the industry in providing easy-to-use, affordable networking, remote communications and computer telephony solutions for business. Chosen by nearly five million users worldwide to connect and share computer resources, Artisoft solutions include the award-winning LANtastic family of networking products, and the INSYNC family of remote communication products, including CoSession Remote and ModemShare. Dedicated to the development of easy-to-use tools and applications for Windows telephony, Artisoft's computer telephony solutions include Visual Voice products, Visual Fax , and Otto . The company maintains nine offices outside the United States, and distributes its products in more than 100 countries.

For more information about Artisoft or its product line, contact Artisoft, Inc. at 2202 N. Forbes Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85745. Sales Consultation Center 800/233-5564. Corporate 520/670-7100. 'Fax 520/670-7101. World Wide Web home page http://www.artisof't.com. Recent Artisoft press releases are available at no charge through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax-on-demand system; call 800/7585804 and enter company number 107158.


Artisoft Ships INSYNC CoSession Remote V7.0
Artisoft Now Shipping INSYNC CoSession Remote v7.0

(TUCSON, AZ-April 3, 1996)-Artisoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASFT) announced today that it is now shipping INSYNC CoSession Remote v7.0 software for fast, crossplatform remote control and file transfer. Part of the recently launched INSYNC remote communications product line, CoSession Remote allows a PC user to remotely access and control a second PC, as if sitting at the PC using its keyboard and mouse and viewing its screen. The software empowers a wide variety of users, including mobile workers, telecommuters, Internet users, end-user support providers, and network administrators. CoSession Remote is available through retail stores, Artisoft distribution channels, and value-added reseller partners. A two PC version of the software is $79 MSRP.

"CoSession Remote provides industry-leading functionality, with better performance than other remote control products, and at an unprecedented retail price." said David J. Saphier, general manager of Artisoft's Remote Communications Product Group. "Compared to competing products priced at 50% more and higher, we believe CoSession Remote offers businesses the best value overall."

With more than 4.5 million copies in use to date, CoSession Remote is the most widely used remote control software. CoSession Remote is the OEM product of choice for leading PC manufacturers, including IBM Corporation and Zenith Data Systems.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

CoSession Remote includes many enhancements over its predecessor, CoSession for Windows v2.0, in performance, flexibility, ease of use and power.

Performance

In industry-standard WinTach performance tests, CoSession Remote transferred files and accessed data at nearly twice the rate of its closest competitors.

When CoSession Remote updates existing files on a destination PC, its Intelligent Transfer sends only those parts of the file that have changed, rather than updating the entire file. This greatly reduces transfer times, especially for large files that have few changes between versions, such as a typical database file.

Power

File synchronization and cloning have been added to provide greater flexibility for handling file management tasks between two PCs. Both features ensure that selected directories on a viewer PC and a connected host PC contain the same versions of all files with a simple click of the mouse. Files can be transferred from one PC to another with drag-and-drop ease. This is especially useful for telecommuters and mobile professionals who need to keep files on a laptop PC in sync with a desktop PC.

A new simultaneous remote control and file transfer feature allows users to perform remote control functions while the system is busy performing file transfers in the background.

The software also increases incoming call flexibility via multi-protocol wait-for-call, which allows multiple users of different protocols to access their host PC. This is a useful advantage for businesses that need a dedicated PC for both internal staff and remote workers to access from their desktop or laptop computers.

Flexibility

CoSession Remote's cross-platform compatibility gives users the flexibility to connect to distant PCs on many different platforms, including Microsoft's Windows 95, Windows 3.x and DOS, as well as across Novell's NetWare, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS and NetBEUI networks. The new version also has the capability to make Winsock connections for TCP/IP networks, including the Internet.

Ease of use

The new CoSession Remote contains a Windows-based host and viewer software that eliminates the need for a DOS TSR for Windows connections, adding convenience for Windows users and greatly improving the remote Windows connections.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

CoSession remote is available in a two PC version with host and viewer at $79 MSRP and a 10 PC version with host or viewer. Upgrades are also available in two PC versions for host and viewer at $39.95 MSRP.

Artisoft leads the industry in providing easy-to-use, affordable networking, remote communications and computer telephony solutions for business. Chosen by nearly five million users worldwide to connect and share computer resources, Artisoft solutions include the award-winning LANtastic. family of networking products, and the INSYNC family of remote communication products, including CoSession Remote and ModemShare. Dedicated to the development of easy-to-use tools and applications for Windows telephony, Artisoft's computer telephony solutions include Visual VoiceX products, Visual Fax, and Otto. The company maintains nine offices outside the United States, and distributes its products in more than 100 countries.

For more information about Artisoft or its product line, contact Artisoft, Inc. at 2202 N. Forbes Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85745. Sales Consultation Center 800/233-5564. Corporate 520/670-7100. Fax 520/670-7101. World Wide Web home page http://www.artisoft.com. Recent Artisoft press releases are available at no charge through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax-on-demand system; call 800/7585804 and enter company number 107158.


ON!Contact Software Reseller/Referral Pgm
ON!contact Software Corporation Announces Reseller/Referral Program

ON!contact's Reseller/Referral Program has something for everyone.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, April 1,1996 -- ON!contact Software Corporation has announced their new Reseller/Referral program. Designed for those interested in the Sales Force Automation industry, this program allows for organizations to resell ON!contact's Client Management Software or refer clients to ON!contact Software Corporation. The Reseller/Referral program offers several options, giving organizations the choice as to which best fits their needs.

What is CMS?

CMS, Client Management Software, is an adaptable software package for today's sales organization. It is multi-user, network-ready, 100% customizable and easy to use. CMS automates the areas of inside sales, outside sales, telemarketing, and database marketing. CMS is a Microsoft Windows product that utilizes PowerBuilder, the leader in Client/Server development tools. By using Form Painter, our PowerBuilder tool, users have the ability to customize the application with incredible ease in order to meet their business requirements.

THE RESELLER/REFERRAL PROGRAM

The Reseller/Referral Program is broken down into two options.

Option 1, The Advanced Reseller Program (ARP)

This program is designed for organizations that want ON!contact to take on the majority of the responsibility of selling and training customers. ON!contact takes the client upon themselves and maintains and supports their use of CMS. With this arrangement, the organization that brought the lead in, can be involved in the sales process as much as they desire. A company may choose to just tell us about an opportunity, letting ON!contact do all the work. Or, the company may choose to handle the complete sales cycle from start to finish. A company will receive a referral fee which will be anywhere from 10-30% and is determined by the amount of involvement they have. The ARP option is very flexible, allowing the organization to dictate how much they want to participate.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARP is for a:

* SFA consultant who does not have a technical staff

  or does not want to be involved in the sales cycle.

* Reseller/Consultant who:

  - does not want to specialize in the SFA market.

  - does not want to support SFA installation.

  - does not want to train on or learn about ON!contact.

* Reseller/Consultant who wants to work through an

  implementation and learn about the product before

  making any financial commitments.

* Reseller/Consultant who does not work in SFA

  but has a contact looking to automate their sales force.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

With this program there is absolutely no cost to sign up! The ARP program provides an organization with the option of not having to support the client after the sale. ON!contact will take care of everything!!

Option 2. The Reseller Program.

The Reseller Program is designed for organizations that have the technical expertise in-house and want to have a person, or several people, devoted to the SFA marketplace. These individuals are then responsible for the maintenance and support of ON!contact. Resellers will receive discounts based upon the amount of ON!contact they sell within a calendar year. The software, maintenance and services are all discounted.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Reseller Program is for:

* Organizations that want to specialize in the sales, service and

  support of ON!contact

* Organizations that have the technical experience of working with

  Client/Server systems.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a cost for this program as the Reseller must complete several classes on how to use, customize and demo ON!contact.

These two options were created to meet the needs of any individual or organization wanting to become more involved in the quickly growing Sales Force Automation industry. To obtain more detailed information about this program, CMS or ON!contact Software Corp., please call us at 800.886.0866 ext 2332; fax us at 414-375.4422 or e-mail us at info@oncontact.com.

ON!Contact Software Corp

W67 N250 Evergreen Blvd

Cedarburg, WI 53012

414-375-6555,  fax 414-375-4422


Imaging software supports AutoCAD r13

April 9, 1996

Spicer Corporation proudly presents the spring release of its Windows-based software Imagenation, a powerful document imaging product providing view, markup, redline, edit and scan capabilities.

Spicer Corporation continues to increase and enhance its extensive list of file formats in this release with the addition of AutoCAD r13. Imagenation's ME10 MI file support has been increased by adding layer and font support, construction layer creation with invisible object display, and file loading speed improvement. Release 4.1 further enhances Imagenation's Intergraph DGN support to include splines, dimension support and color fills. As well, AutoTrol Tech Illustrator has been improved to support layers.

Release 4.1 adds native file support for Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Hebrew text in Microsoft Word documents. As well, text load times have been increased by over 100 per cent.

The latest release adds 27 new DDE commands, including dynamic reconfiguration, to increase Imagenation's already comprehensive API set. With the addition of approximately 200 C-callable functions, Imagenation's total API commands are approaching 500. Imagenation offers tool kit-level functionality for robust applications.

This release adds a floating symbol palette. Users can graphically pick symbols from a symbol library and insert them into documents.

Release 4.1 creates a new way of viewing a document in more than one window. Replicating an active file, users can see different sections of a large drawing or simultaneously view separate pages in a multi-page document. Changes made in one window are reflected in its copies. When a window is saved, modifications are saved in all the duplicates as well.

The imaging software's printing capabilities have been further enhanced. Imagenation is able to print nested multi-page documents. Other new printing options include merging the image data prior to sending the file to the printer, sending the image data as a bilevel, and using a slide bar to adjust the darkness of an image.

The addition of an AutoCrop feature enhances Imagenation's editing tools. This feature crops any white space surrounding a bilevel raster, reducing the image to its smallest size while retaining all of its significant data.

Incorporated in 1983, Spicer Corporation develops and markets electronic view, markup and edit imaging software to global document management markets. Imagenation represents over a decade of technical expertise, customer-directed development effort and expert market knowledge.

Imagenation provides imaging solutions for a wide variety of office and engineering document management and workflow systems. Database-independent, Imagenation incorporates plot, scan, annotate, API calls, hotspot and text search capabilities.

Imagenation's rich set of redline, markup and edit tools are unmatched, as are its viewing options. As well, this robust imaging software supports industry-standard file formats for CAD, text and raster, including bilevel, grayscale and 24-bit color. Imagenation is available in several languages.

Imagenation list prices start at $199 (U.S.) for Windows, Macintosh and UNIX versions. Release 4.1 is available April 1996. For additional information, contact Spicer Corporation's head office at (519) 748-2462 or at marketing@spicer.com.


Imaging software enhances text support

April 9, 1996

Spicer Corporation proudly presents the spring release of its Macintosh-based software Imagenation, a feature-rich view, edit and markup imaging software.

This Macintosh version continues to increase Imagenation's file format support and adds new features.  Enhancements to version 3.4 include:

- Text support for ASCII, Microsoft RTF, and WordPerfect 5.1.

- Support for HP ME10 files.

- AutoCAD support has been enhanced with the addition of support for

  Japanese Kanji character sets.

- 256-Color BMP file loads.

- Formtek raster image load.

- FileNet raster image load.

- Font handling is now available.  Users can choose among AutoCAD,

  ME10, and Hershey fonts for markups.

- Font remapping is available to match specified fonts to the nearest

  available installed fonts.

- Online Help is now implemented using the new Apple Guide Help

  System.

- A list of most recently used files is maintained under the File

  menu.

- Tool Options now supports changing global attributes, end cap styles

  for lines, and line styles.

- Localization for dual byte character sets has been implemented.

- General format accuracy enhancements.

- Most recently used file list.

Spicer Corporation develops and markets electronic view, markup and edit imaging software to global document management markets. Imagenation represents over a decade of technical expertise, customer-directed development effort and expert market knowledge.

Imagenation provides imaging solutions for a wide variety of office and engineering document management and workflow systems. Database-independent, Imagenation incorporates plot, scan, annotate, API calls, hotspot and text search capabilities.

Imagenation's rich set of redline, markup and edit tools are unmatched, as are its viewing options. As well, this robust imaging software supports industry-standard file formats for CAD, text and raster, including bilevel, grayscale and 24-bit color. Imagenation is available in several languages.

Version 3.4 is available April 1996. Imagenation list prices start at $199 U.S. For additional information, contact Spicer Corporation's head office at (519) 748-2462 or at marketing@spicer.com.


MindLink Launches Corp Innovation Program
MindLink Launches Corporate Innovation Program

Combines creativity skills training with idea/solution generating software

NORTH POMFRET, Vermont (April 24, 1996) -- MindLink Software Corporation today announced the Corporate Innovation Program, a service that combines training in innovative thinking skills with multiple copies of MindLink Problem Solver Corporate Edition, the companys creative solution and brainstorming software for personal computers operating under Microsoft Windows.

The Innovative Workplace Practices at U.S. Companies study (June 1995) commissioned by the U.S. Department of Labor and conducted by Harvard and Wharton Business Schools with Ernst & Young found that 85 percent of U.S. companies are currently sponsoring workplace innovation programs. MindLink's Corporate Innovation Program was developed to support such work place initiatives by providing both training in creative thinking for managers and employees and the software as a desktop resource for idea generating and step by step problem solving.

According to MindLink Chief Executive Officer Michael Shattow, the increased interest in corporate innovation programs can be attributed to the fast pace and intensity of change occurring in most industries. "Companies often have a business as usual attitude when things are going well," says Shattow. "But add intense international competition, re-engineering, declining profits or deregulation to the mix and corporations are clamoring for a new approach and expanded vision. They often turn to creativity and innovation to set them on a new course," adds Shattow.

Corporations that have purchased the Corporate Innovation Program to date include 3M, Gillette, AT&T, Illinois Power, Kraft General Foods, W.W. Grainger, Motorola and State Street Bank (Boston, Mass).

The Corporate Innovation Program can be used to tackle virtually any business issue. Recent problems include using existing resources to develop new products, developing a metric to measure the effectiveness of a new telecommunications system, improving a working relationship with an important European subcontractor, determining additional product lines to add to a sales catalog and improving the process of re-painting molding in automobile repair.

"With the Corporate Innovation Program, weve improved our team building skills and have developed a truly innovative solution for revising the financial business unit's employee compensation program," says Murray Sim, an in-house business consultant for Illinois Power in Decatur, Illinois. "Plus with the software, we have access to creativity techniques and a built-in tutorial right on our desktops."

Corporations are offered two versions of the Corporate Innovation Program: The Standard version includes ten copies of MindLink Corporate Edition software, one day of on-site facilitation and training in the process of creativity and six months of ongoing telephone consultation with MindLink consultants. The Expanded version offers 25 copies of software, two days of training and one year of telephone consultation.

Leaders in Creativity and Innovation in Business

The training offered in the program is a series of intensive creative problem solving sessions led by recognized leaders in innovative thinking. The facilitators work with corporate managers and employees on actual problems that are supplied by the client. Depending on the nature and complexity of the problem, the facilitators usually complete two to three problem solving sessions in a day with up to ten individuals in each session. The MindLink software is used to support the sessions, rather than as the focal point.

The MindLink Corporate Edition software helps users expand their thinking for a greater range of ideas and possible solutions. It offers a step-by-step problem solving process that begins with defining the problem and takes the user all the way to solutions and next steps. Throughout the process are triggers, creativity exercises that force users to think about something unrelated to the problem and then connect those thoughts back to the problem to forge new ideas.

Additional software features include an Evaluate and Refine option for overcoming concerns about promising ideas, Thought Warehouse database for storing and categorizing ideas and solutions, and report frameworks for presenting solutions and strategies to others.

The processes behind MindLink Corporate Edition are based on the Innovation Team Building methodology developed by the Synectics Corporation, an international management consulting firm specializing in innovation, creativity and change management.

The price for the Standard version of the Corporate Innovation Program is $3,495 and the Expanded version is $5,495. As a stand-alone product, the suggested retail price for MindLink Corporate Edition for Windows is $295 (street price is $195). Special pricing is available for volume purchasers, dealers, VARs and educational institutions directly from MindLink Software Corporation.

For more information on the Corporate Innovation Program or MindLink Corporate Edition call 800-253-1844, or if outside the U.S.A., call 802-457-2025.

MindLink Software Corporation, founded in 1990, is a privately held company that develops applications to promote innovation and creativity in business for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh environments. The company is headquartered in North Pomfret, Vermont with offices in Wellesley, Massachusetts.


Blizzard Announces Starcraft
BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES STARCRAFT

From the makers of the best-selling Warcraft series comes the next level in real-time strategy games as players journey into the reaches of space and the realms of Starcraft

LONDON, April 16, 1996 -- At the European Computer Trade Show today, Blizzard Entertainment announced Starcraft, a futuristic real-time strategy game. Players journey into the reaches of space to restore order to a galaxy on the brink of interstellar warfare. The game is expected to be available this winter in Windows 95 format.

In Starcraft, the delicate balance between powers begins to unravel as alien invaders from beyond the Galactic Rim threaten to destroy all of known space in their quest for supremacy. As commander of one of three species vying for sovereignty, players undertake a series of strategic military missions while defending planets and constellations, employing advanced technology and controlling reserves of finite resources.

Says Allen Adham, president and founder of Blizzard Entertainment, "We are drawn to the intense game play offered in the real-time strategy genre -- as demonstrated by our dedication and passion for the Warcraft series. With Starcraft, we have the opportunity to continue our tradition of offering highly addictive and exciting real-time games, while creating new worlds, experiences and technologies."

Key features in Starcraft will include:

* Three intergalactic species boasting unique units, technologies,

  attributes and abilities.

* Evolving storyline that unfolds as players experience the game from

  each of the three species' perspective.

* Multiplayer option that supports as many as eight players via modem,

  network, direct link and the Internet.

* SVGA enhanced graphics with rich three-dimensional rendered scenes.

* Unique spawning technology that allows head-to-head play by

  installing multiple copies from the original CD-ROM.

Starcraft is expected to be available by this winter in Windows 95 CD-ROM format at most computer and software retail chains nationwide for approximately $50. The game will also be available directly through Blizzard at (800) 953-SNOW.

Blizzard Entertainment is a premier publisher of next-generation entertainment software. The company's blockbuster hits Warcraft and Warcraft II have earned top industry honors including Game of the Year and Best Multiplayer Game as well as high ratings and rave reviews from numerous gaming magazines. Soon to be released titles include Diablo, a role-playing game, Pax Imperia 2, a galactic empire simulator, and Starcraft, futuristic real-time strategy game. Blizzard is a division of Davidson & Associates, Inc., a leading multimedia studio for educational and entertainment software.


CIS Members Create Book from Cyberspace
COMPUSERVE MEMBERS COLLABORATE ON THE FIRST BOOK TO ORIGINATE FROM CYBERSPACE

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 25 -- The printing industry has come a long way since the days of the Gutenberg press. "THINK FAST! The ADD Experience" is the first book to be compiled entirely from articles and material obtained in cyberspace. Edited by Thom Hartmann, Janie Bowman and Susan Burgess, the book is a compilation from message threads and library files contributed by CompuServe members on the Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Forum, the world's largest interactive ADD support group.

Published by Underwood Books, "THINK FAST! The ADD Experience" has contributors from all ages and professions who share their perspectives and knowledge. Because most of the contributors have ADD themselves, or a loved one who does, it offers uniquely personal experiences in addition to vital information that can help individuals cope with ADD on a day-to-day basis.

"This book is one of the most thorough and detailed overviews of ADD available," said Paulette White, CompuServe's vice president of information services. "It is a resource book from cover to cover, but what makes it so special is that CompuServe members contributed the information in order to help others cope with the difficulties associated with ADD. It clearly demonstrates the sense of community and caring that makes CompuServe Forums unique."

Author of three best-selling books on attention deficit disorder, Thom Hartmann is the former executive director of a residential treatment facility for abused and emotionally disturbed children and the father of an ADD child. He is the founder of the ADD Forum on CompuServe.

Janie Bowman is on the board of directors of the Olympia Chapter of the Learning Disabilities Association of Washington, and a systems operator on the ADD Forum on CompuServe.

Susan Burgess is the public relations systems operator on the ADD Forum and handles online publicity for a large number of Forum(R) areas on CompuServe.

Established in 1994, the ADD Forum boasts more than 70,000 members in more than 27 countries. ADD Forum members discuss coping with daily life, therapy choices, counseling and more. In the Forum libraries, the world's foremost authorities on ADD contribute information on topics ranging from diagnosis to treatment. CompuServe members can access the Forum by typing GO ADD.

CompuServe (NASDAQ:CSRV) is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company.

Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in more than 185 countries.


CAI & DEC Sign Far-Reaching Alliance
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES, DIGITAL SIGN FAR-REACHING ALLIANCE TO OFFER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES WORLDWIDE

Digital to service and resell CA software; Joint collaboration on future product development

ISLANDIA, NY and MAYNARD, MA -- APRIL 24 -- Computer Associates International, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation today announced a strategic alliance to provide a broad range of products and services to support the delivery of comprehensive enterprise management solutions to customers worldwide.

The "Digital-CA Alliance for Enterprise Management" combines CA's expertise in enterprise management with Digital's leadership in networked computing and multivendor services. It will enable organizations to rapidly integrate new technologies -- including Windows NT, UNIX, OpenVMS and the Internet -- into networked enterprise computing environments.

Highlights of the agreement call for CA to focus on developing and building business software products, while Digital will provide connectivity software plus comprehensive life-cycle services and support. CA will acquire selected POLYCENTER products, resell Digital services and support Digital's 64-bit Alpha solutions with CA software. Digital will offer professional services for CA products worldwide and will be able to resell CA-Unicenter, CA-OpenIngres, and other CA solutions. The companies also will collaborate on future product development.

Digital and CA have agreed to standardize on a unified enterprise management environment based on CA-Unicenter. This environment will evolve from existing POLYCENTER, NetView, and CA-Unicenter products and will also serve as a platform for integration of other software vendors' systems management capabilities.

"Today's agreement with a software leader like Computer Associates provides Digital with a great opportunity to broaden our services business and to provide an additional sales channel for software products and services, " said Digital Chairman Robert B. Palmer. "By standardizing on a unified enterprise management environment, our clients can take advantage of CA-Unicenter's integrated management platform in deploying their multivendor distributed solutions," Palmer added.

"We are pleased to extend our partnership to include Digital's highly regarded, multivendor service organization," said CA Chairman and CEO Charles B. Wang. "Digital and CA clients are the big winners in this relationship. They get the best of what both companies can offer -- world-class enterprise software and services, all under one roof. You could call it one-stop shopping for enterprise management."

Key elements of the agreement include:

        o  Digital will become a worldwide professional service

           provider for CA products as the charter member of CA's

           newly established "Preferred Service Provider"

           program.  Digital will deliver planning, design,

           implementation, support and management services that

           complement CA products.

        o  CA and Digital will collaborate on future product

           development for enterprise management, including the

           tighter integration of CA-Unicenter and POLYCENTER

           capabilities.  Digital customers will be able to

           manage all Digital platforms -- including OpenVMS,

           Digital UNIX and Windows NT -- through a single

           management environment.

        o  CA will acquire selected Digital POLYCENTER products.

           POLYCENTER software professionals will join CA,

           ensuring that customers will continue to receive the

           same high quality products, service and support.

        o  CA and Digital also will collaborate on new products

           and services for the Internet and Intranets.

        o  CA will designate Digital as a Tier 1 partner

           supporting Digital's 64-bit Alpha computing

           environment.  This includes development of the full

           range of CA products, such as CA-Unicenter and

           CA-OpenIngres.  In addition, CA will become an OpenVMS

           and Windows NT Affinity program partner.

        o  CA and Digital will collaborate in joint marketing and

           sales worldwide.  Digital will be able to resell

           selected CA products including CA-Unicenter,

           CA-OpenIngres, CA-MANMAN/X and CA-Masterpiece.  Both

           companies and their partners will sell Digital

           services worldwide.

Officials from both companies said the agreement will result in the availability of a more comprehensive set of enterprise management solutions than either company can provide alone. Customers will now be able to select from a broad choice of products from both companies today, with the assurance that the continuity and extension of those products will carry them into the future.

Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), with headquarters in Islandia, N.Y., is the world leader in mission-critical business software. The company develops, licenses and supports more than 500 integrated products that include systems and database management, application development, manufacturing and financial applications. CA has 9,000 people in 130 offices in 36 countries and had revenue of $3.2 billion in calendar year 1995. CA can be reached by visiting http://www.cai.com on the World Wide Web or mailing info@cai.com.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital's Intel and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry- focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.

All Digital press releases, fact sheets and backgrounders are archived on ftp.digital.com in the /pub/Digital/info/pr-news directory. They are also available at http://www.digital.com/info/pr-news/ on the World Wide Web .


WebSite Price Restructuring from O'Reilly
O'REILLY ANNOUNCES PRICE RESTRUCTURING FOR WEBSITE & WEBSITE PROFESSIONAL

Second Generation Server to be Released in June; WebSite 1.1 Software Downloadable at No Charge; WebBoard Price Also Drops

Sebastopol, CA, April 26, 1996 - O'Reilly & Associates, publisher of the award-winning server WebSite(TM), has announced a complete restructuring of its prices for the popular server and its soon-to-be-released high-end product WebSite (TM) Professional, as well as its product WebBoard(TM). WebSite Professional, featuring cryptographic security, now has a suggested list price of $499 (down from the previous price of $1499), and will be released in June.

Effective April 30, WebSite 1.1 will be freely available to anyone downloading it from O'Reilly's web site (http://software.ora.com). Three chapters of the acclaimed book "Building Your Own WebSite" will also be available for downloading. Unlike the full WebSite 1.1 product, the downloadable version does not contain the HotDog HTML editor, Mosaic browser, book, or technical support. Any web site a customer creates using the downloadable software can be easily transferred to the full purchased product.

The company has also announced an aggressive upgrade program. Customers who purchase WebSite 1.1 between April 30 and the time WebSite Professional ships will receive a free upgrade to WebSite Professional. Customers who buy the full WebSite 1.1 after WebSite Professional ships, or who purchased WebSite 1.0 or 1.1 before April 30, can upgrade to WebSite Professional for $99.

"In the rapidly changing web server marketplace, getting the customer's attention is half the challenge," says Gina Blaber, Director of the O'Reilly Software Products Group. "Offering freely downloadable software is a great way to let prospective customers try out our product. We're confident that when people try WebSite and compare its features (not its marketing hype) to that of the competition, they will become WebSite customers. And with WebSite Professional, now they can have a web site with secure transactions and a host of features unmatched by any other shipping server at a moderate price."

WebBoard, O'Reilly's web conferencing system software, and PolyForm(TM), the web forms construction kit, are now offered at $149 suggested list price (WebBoard's price is reduced from the previous price of $249). WebBoard has been shipping since mid-February; PolyForm will ship May 7.

WEBSITE PROFESSIONAL: MOST FLEXIBILITY OF ANY WINDOWS SERVER; FIRST SERVER TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE API'S

WebSite Professional offers numerous significant upgrades from WebSite 1.1 including:

* support for two major Web cryptographic security systems, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (S-HTTP);

* WebSite's Application Programming Interface (WSAPI) with Microsoft Internet Server API Internet Server Application (ISAPI-ISA) compatibility, and a complete software development kit (SDK) with examples and online documentation;

* a server-side Java programming software development kit, including comprehensive Java class library, examples, and online documentation;

* the Win32 perl 5 package pre-installed for Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and API use, plus software development kit;

* API-integrated version of Cold Fusion(TM) Standard, a powerful ODBC/SQL database integration package with templates and software development kit.

The product also includes comprehensive documentation in three volumes, extensive online help, 90 days of free technical support for registered users, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

"There's a theme that runs through the WebSite Pro product: choice. Other companies offer one security protocol, we offer two," says Blaber. "We support WebSite's API, Microsoft's API, Windows CGI, Standard CGI, and even a DOS CGI for 16-bit applications. We offer several different software development toolkits. We offer both Windows NT or Windows 95 in one product. It all adds up to offering the most freedom and flexibility of any Windows-based server."

WebSite Professional gives site administrators two security options for confidential web-based transactions such as credit card purchases, internal sales strategies or employee records on corporate Intranets. SSL provides connection security, while S-HTTP authenticates the contents of specific documents. WebSite Professional's built-in Certificate Wizard simplifies registration with a Certification Authority.

WebSite API provides a high-speed alternative to CGI and includes a comprehensive set of tools for adding custom extensions, such as enhanced logging, pre- and post-processing, document generation, and authentication. WSAPI also supports Microsoft ISAPI-ISA extensions, making it the first server to have multiple API support.

Web developers can choose from four methods of dynamic page generation: Server-Side Includes (SSI) for simple creation of real-time HTML documents, Common Gateway Interface (CGI) for live information-sharing between the server and other applications, WSAPI for the most demanding applications, and API-integrated Cold Fusion Standard for ODBC/SQL database integration with templates.

Cold Fusion Standard enables users to create interactive, dynamic web content drawing from any ODBC datasource. It lets WebSite users easily incorporate into Web documents database information such as customer feedback, online ordering and technical support, without the need for complex programming.

WebSite Professional contains all of WebSite's award-winning features, including remote administration, virtual servers (multi-homing) for creating multiple home pages, wizards to automate common tasks, the popular Visual Basic and Windows CGI software development kit, WebIndex(TM), a search tool for indexing web sites, and WebView(TM), a graphical tool for managing web documents and links. WebSite Professional also supports client and server-side Java programming.

WebSite developer Robert Denny codeveloped WebSite Professional with Enterprise Integration Technologies (EIT/Verifone), the inventors of S-HTTP. O'Reilly & Associates has worked with Denny and EIT on WebSite for the past 18 months.

UPCOMING RELEASE: STATISTICS PROGRAM

O'Reilly will release a web statistics program in Q3, '96. The product, as yet unnamed, will work initially on the Windows NT and 95 platforms, and will extend O'Reilly's software into cross-platform development. O'Reilly's software also includes WebSite 1.1, WebBoard, WebSite Professional (June, 1996), and PolyForm (May 7, 1996). O'Reilly's software product family provides web developers with powerful tools to create interactive, compelling sites easily, efficiently and cost-effectively.

ABOUT O'REILLY & ASSOCIATES

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., is a major developer of software for the Internet and Intranet. The company has long been recognized worldwide for its definitive books on the Internet and UNIX, and more recently for its development of online content and software. O'Reilly developed the Global Network Navigator (GNN), a pioneering web-based publication which it later sold to America Online. Songline Studios, an affiliate of O'Reilly & Associates, specializes in developing innovative, interactive online content such as Web Review. O'Reilly & Associates' planning and review cycles link together software developers, authors, computer vendors, and technical experts throughout the industry in a creative collaboration that mirrors the strengths of the "open systems" philosophy itself.

O'Reilly & Associates

103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA 95472

707/829-0515, Fax 707/829-0104, http://www.ora.com/


Designing for the Web from O'Reilly
"DESIGNING FOR THE WEB" FROM O'REILLY & ASSOCIATES

Pioneer Web Designers Share the Secrets of Their Success

SEBASTOPOL, CA--O'Reilly & Associates, one of the first print publishers to venture onto the World Wide Web, has just released "Designing for the Web: Getting Started in a New Medium." Written by O'Reilly designers who were pioneers on the Web, this book gives readers the basics of web design--the information they need to hit the ground running.

Author Jennifer Niederst garnered her expertise the hard way. Way back in 1993, she designed the Global Network Navigator (GNN), an early Web-based publication. Looking back at her plunge into the new world of Web design, Niederst says, "I wished at the time that there was just one place I could go to quickly learn all the technical stuff, without having to ferret it out myself, so I could get on to doing what I enjoyed the most--designing!" In "Designing for the Web," Niederst and co-author Edie Freedman share the painstaking lessons they learned about basic principles, special techniques, and workarounds for effective Web design.

"Designing for the Web" doesn't teach the reader how to design. Instead, it aims to help designers adapt their skills to the Web. It's a practical guide to the unique considerations of Web design. Although the book is aimed at designers, the techniques in this book are useful to anyone who wants to put graphics online.

"Designing for the Web" includes:

 > A brief introduction to the Web

 > A step-by-step tutorial on putting together a Web page from scratch

 > Pointers on creating graphics that are optimized for the Web

 > Recommendations for reducing download times of images

 > Instructions for transparency and interlacing to Web graphics

 > A discussion of the impact of different browsers and platforms on

   Web design

 > A listing and demonstration of the HTML tags used for design

 > Tips on using background images and colors in Web pages

 > Guidelines on navigational and orientation aids, and on

   conceptualizing a Web site as a whole

DESIGNING FOR THE WEB: GETTING STARTED IN A NEW MEDIUM

By Jennifer Niederst with Edie Freedman

1st Edition April 1996

180 pages, ISBN: 1-56592-165-8, $24.95


Utah Tech Watch, 4/27 Edition
UTAH TECH WATCH - - by David Politis - - 4/27-29/96 Edition

Imagine a world where you no longer have to rush your kid to the emergency room of your local hospital for treatment for an overnight malady.

Think of a world where you can consult with a medical expert at any time of day or night, with no waiting period, for little or no cost.

Consider a world where previous medical histories and current vital signs can be reviewed and taken electronically by a health care professional half way across the country, who can also electronically prescribe medications to treat the symptoms besetting you or your youngster.

Sound like a Buck Rogers, M.D. fantasy?

Not to Utah Governor Mike Leavitt. And he's right.

Utah Governor addresses UITA

More than 200 of Utah's high-tech industry leaders gathered at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort this week for the fifth Annual Members' Day meeting of the Utah Information Technologies Association.

Addressing the attendees were two keynote speakers: Leavitt and James Oyler, president and chief executive officer of Evans & Sutherland.

Leavitt painted much the same picture described above, a world where much of the diagnostic work done in medicine today would be completed via two-way computer/television systems.

These teleputers will have high speed access to the Internet, or its future offspring, capable of delivering real-time full motion video. As a parent, we will have our own medical history, as well as the medical histories of our children, embedded into a smart card, which we could download instantly to a medical professional should the need arise.

With the use of various peripheral devices attached to the teleputer, body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and other vital statistics will all be instantly available to the attending physician, regardless of where he or she is located.

Tellingly, Governor Leavitt pointed out that many of these technologies already exist today in one form or another.

In fact, Leavitt revealed that the state is investigating the possibility of turning today's dumb driver's license into a smart license embedded with a silicon wafer, capable of carrying a ton of data about the licensee.

Pluses and minuses

This future Nirvana envisioned by Leavitt, however, does not come without cost, he cautioned.

"It will be the sociology and not the technology that will limit us in the future," Leavitt said. "This may be the largest single barrier to the future success of this industry. It's not the technology; it's the sociology."

Leavitt also warned against letting government play too big a role in deciding what technology should and shouldn't do, saying that government should not become the "Great Coordinator."

At the same time, Leavitt also praised Utah's IT companies for their role in the state's booming economic status, claiming the high-tech sector "has been the lift to our economy."

During his presentation, Leavitt also announced that Utah has just selected two Internet providers to offer Internet access to every state and educational employee in the state.

For $9.95 per month, any state or educational employee can have unlimited access to the Internet through US West or Sisna.

Leavitt explained that he wants to make the maximum level of Internet connections available to state employees.

"By year's end, every child in our state will have access to the Internet," Leavitt said.

Building the pipe

According to Steve Hess, executive director of the Utah Education Network, dial-in service to the Internet should begin next month.

Individuals will pay for the service themselves, unless they can convince their employers that it is necessary for their jobs.

Although there will be no money exchange hands between the state and the two Internet providers, the contracts could prove quite lucrative. Particularly when you consider that there are as many as 60,000 to 70,000 state and educational employees in the state.

A second part of the RFP (request for proposal) was a provision for a high-speed backbone (known as a T3 or DS3) leased line connecting various points in the state.

This $250,000 one-year contract was awarded to Sprint, and it should be operational by early June.

A marketing communications consultant that specializes in high-tech and life sciences clients, David Politis welcomes column ideas at 801-569-2592 or via the Internet at dpolitis@politis.com.


IMATION is New 3M Data Storage & Imaging Co.
IMATION Selected As Name of New 3M Data Storage and Imaging Company

ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 16, 1996) -- 3M today announced that IMATION (http://www.imation.com) will be the name of the independent new, publicly owned data storage and imaging company it will launch in July.

IMATION CORP. will have sales of $2.25 billion, based on 1995 revenues of the businesses involved in the divestiture. These businesses include 3M's data storage, medical imaging and photo products, printing and publishing systems, and its hardgoods and electronics service and support organization.

Developed through a comprehensive process that included input from employees and customers worldwide, the name IMATION is based on the Latin words informare, meaning information, and imaginari or imagination.

To help support the transition, IMATION'S logo and product packaging will temporarily carry the tagline "BORNE OF 3M INNOVATION." The phrase conveys that while IMATION is creating something new, it carries forth 3Ms tradition of innovation, while applying that legacy to shape a new, independent business. The phrase will be phased out when benchmark awareness levels are achieved and the company begins to establish a separate identity.

"To invent a name that reflects who and what we are as a company, we took our core businesses -- information and imaging -- and combined them with our central values -- innovation and imagination -- and created IMATION," said William T. (Bill) Monahan, chief executive officer of IMATION.

IMATION'S logo -- a hand waving a wand that trails magical dust from its tip -- emphasizes the company's focus on creating imaginative customer solutions. The hand emphasizes the entrepreneurial role employees will play in working closely with customers to create innovative products and services that solve problems and meet needs.

The new identity also signifies the new company's commitment to a vision based on increased customer focus, technological innovation and organizational flexibility.

"The primary objective is to change our company from a product developer to a customer solution enterprise that aligns all of our resources with the specific needs of customers," Monahan said.

"To achieve this, we will accelerate decision making, closely integrate our existing businesses, and forge strategic alliances with software, hardware, networking and service partners," he said. "These changes will enhance and expand our short-term prospects while creating the foundation for new market opportunities."

In November 1995, 3M announced plans to launch its data storage and imaging businesses as an independent, publicly owned company by July 1996. L.D. DeSimone, 3M chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We are convinced that, as independent enterprises, 3M and the new company both will be better positioned for profitable growth. They will serve customers better, provide greater opportunities for employees and increase shareholder value."

NAME REPRESENTS BUSINESSES, VALUES

The name IMATION represents the new company's position as a global leader and captures the essence of its core businesses -- information and imaging. IMATION also refers to the companys core values of imagination and innovation.

Building on its 3M heritage, IMATION will feature a tagline: "BORNE OF 3M INNOVATION", which conveys the philosophy and vision behind the new company.

According to Monahan, IMATION'S mission is to become the best source of information and imaging solutions for customers seeking tailored products and systems for their information needs. To this end, the company will develop and provide solutions that include products, services and systems for the handling, storage, transmission and use of information.

As a separate company, IMATION will be better positioned to grow its existing business base within the $18-plus billion imaging and storage industries, Monahan added. Worldwide expansion is another avenue of expected growth, with projections to increase IMATION'S non-U.S. business from 50 percent to 65 percent of its total revenues within the next few years.

A NEW BUSINESS MODEL

"The needs of information users in a wide range of industries are changing rapidly and demand a more collaborative relationship between the customer and manufacturer," Monahan said. "IMATION will create imaging and information solutions by working closely with customers to fulfill specific needs and business applications."

To achieve this, IMATION has begun a comprehensive re-engineering process, which is expected to continue for the next 18 months.

According to Monahan, this process will break down barriers between business units, link the company's development teams more closely with customers and make IMATION an attractive strategic ally to a wide range of external partners.

Previously, the businesses that will make up IMATION functioned as relatively independent units separated by unique technologies and well-defined markets and distribution channels.

According to Monahan, these distinctions are blurring as the once- separate tasks of creating, manipulating, processing, viewing, transmitting and storing hard-copy outputs are being melded together into one digital format. Streamlining its organizational structure will increase IMATION'S flexibility and result in new market opportunities from shared technologies and solutions.

Through co-development and marketing alliances and strategic acquisitions, IMATION will be able to deliver the best possible solutions to the market more rapidly, allowing the company to be a lean, focused and flexible commercial partner. "We're going to form partnerships with companies that can help us quickly deliver a total solution to our customers," Monahan said. "This fundamental change will create many benefits for customers and shareholders."

Monahan cited several recent successful partnerships, including:

 the development of integrated medical diagnostic imaging applications

 in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard and Cemax ICOM;

 the collaboration with Compaq and Matsushita-Kotobuki Electronics

 Industries, Ltd. to develop and launch the new 3M LS-120 Diskette

 technology;

 a group of 10 world-leading tape drive manufacturers licensed

 by the Data Storage Products unit to develop minicartridge drives

 based on 3M's Travan technology;

 the successful 3M Rainbow Color Proofing product line, which joins

 IMATION'S 3M Matchprint Color Proofing technology with Adobe's

 PostScript RIP and Mitsubishi Electrics print engine.

CHANGES UNDER WAY

A number of strategies have been put into place in the months since 3M announced the planned spin-off.

In February, a voluntary separation package was offered to many employees of the business units that will make up IMATION. The move will reduce operating costs and increase profitability as IMATION prepares for formal separation from 3M.

In addition, IMATION'S Data Storage Products unit has been reorganized along user segments to ensure closer synergy between the company and its customers. Business teams have been designed around customer segments with distinctly different needs -- PC users, mid-range or network users, and the enterprise segment or "high-end". The organization's previous structure was based on specific product and technology development programs.

The Medical Imaging Systems and Photo Color Systems units also have merged. Although serving two distinct markets -- hospitals and health care providers and the amateur photographer, respectively -- IMATION recognized that its silver halide technologies are the backbone of both businesses, which also share development and manufacturing facilities.

Based in Oakdale, Minn., IMATION will have a presence in more than 60 countries when launched. The business units that will make up IMATION employ about 12,300 people. Details about specific staffing levels will be announced nearer the time of divestiture.


Symantec Just-In-Time Compiler for Java
Symantec Announces Just-In-Time Compiler for Java

Free JIT available on Symantec Caf website to all Caf users

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 15, 1996 -- Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq:SYMC) announced today the availability of the Symantec Just-in-Time Compiler for Java, free to all Symantec Cafe customers. The Just-in-Time compiler turns Java bytecodes into native processor instructions for faster execution on 32-bit Windows. The result of this process is a dramatic speed improvement in the execution of Java web applets and standalone applications of up to 23 times*.

"While Java brings execution security and cross platform to programming, its execution performance is severely penalized by interpretation," said Mansour Safai, general manager of Symantec's Development Tools division. "By providing the JIT, Symantec brings the execution speed of native C/C++ to web applets and standalone Java applications -- this will have a dramatic impact on the rapid acceptance of Java for the development of serious business applications on the web."

Availability

The Symantec Just-in-Time Compiler is available on the Symantec website (http://cafe.symantec.com) free-of-charge to all initial Cafe customers. The price for non-Cafe users is $19.95 and is also available for download via the website. A version for the PowerMac will be available at the second quarter of this year.

Java is a Sun Microsystems' branded programming language and development technology for developing cross-platform applications across the public Internet and corporate intranets.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

* Benchmarks recorded using the Fibonacci benchmark. Results indicated an average result of 23 times faster with the Symantec JIT versus the Sun JDK 1.0.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


GBC/Globelle to Distribute Acer Products
ACER AMERICA ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH GBC/GLOBELLE TO DISTRIBUTE PRODUCTS IN THE U.S.

NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR TO SELL ACER NOTEBOOKS, BUSINESS AND MULTIMEDIA COMPUTERS, SERVERS, MONITORS AND BASIC SYSTEMS

SAN JOSE, CA -- APRIL 22, 1996 -- Acer America Corporation, the nation's eighth largest PC manufacturer according to International Data Corporation, today announced a distribution agreement with Globelle Corporation of Mississauga, Ontario, a major North American distributor. Globelle, which recently merged with GBC, an American distributor headquartered in Berlin, N.J., will sell portables, AcerPower business and multimedia computers, AcerAltos servers, AcerView monitors, and AcerEntra barebones systems.

GBC/Globelle is a high-end systems integrator with a reputation for technical expertise. Professional Services, a new division at GBC/Globelle, was recently created to market the distributor's advantage in integration services. GBC a long time Acer America distributor and one of its leading accounts in the mid-Atlantic region, carries 80% of its Acer business in PCs and notebooks and 20% in servers.

Acer America offers its distribution channel more opportunities to partner than any other top 10 PC manufacturer. In addition to selling its premium line of AcerAltos, AcerPower and AcerNote products, distributors can elect to carry AcerOpen components such as CD-ROMs, keyboards, monitors, motherboards, video and sound cards, and memory, as well as the AcerEntra, a barebones, branded system which can be custom- configured with networking, communications and multimedia add-ons to meet the needs of individual customers. Acer is the third best selling brand among resellers, behind their own clones and Compaq, according to Computer Reseller News. VAR Business' Vendor Report Card places Acer America first in business partnerships, first in availability, first in products and pricing in the category of desktops and notebooks, and second in products and pricing for servers.

"Globelle has matured into a tier one distributor, offering proven expertise in effective hardware distribution," said Max Wu, Vice President of the Commercial Division at Acer America Corp. "We see Globelle as an excellent fit for our product lines. Our high-caliber product mix and their continued expansion will ensure a successful relationship for both organizations."

"The addition of Acer's price/performance product line broadens our systems marketshare," said Ron Austin, President, Globelle Corporation. "Globelle is proud to partner with Acer America which has a solid reputation for reliably providing the channel with proven, quality products at low prices."

GLOBELLE CORPORATION

GBC/Globelle is a wholesale distributor of microcomputer products, specializing in networking, connectivity, data communication and mass storage products. With an emphasis on pre- and post-sales support, GBC/Globelle is the technical resource for value-added resellers and system integrators in the design, configuration and integration of computer products. Worldwide, GBC/Globelle offices are located in Toronto, Ont.; London, England; and Herzliya, Israel. Regional U.S. offices are located in Minneapolis, Minn.; East Berlin, N.J.; and Carlsbad, Calif.

ACER AMERICA CORPORATION

Acer America Corporation (http://www.acer.com/aac/), headquartered in San Jose, Calif., designs and manufactures a broad range of computer systems and peripherals. Award-winning product offerings include AcerNote line of open servers, AcerPower and AcerEntra desktop computers, the AcerAltos line of open servers, AcerView monitors, and the recently introduced Acer Aspire for the home. The Acer Computer Explorer&#153; and Out of Box Experience (OOBE) demonstrate Acer's commitment to make PCs as easy to use as other consumer products. Acer America Corporation, a member of The Acer Group, posted revenues of $1.44 billion in 1995.


Acer America Demos Commitment to Channel
ACER AMERICA DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO CHANNEL WITH INTENSIVE "DISTI DAYS" & "NEW PARTNER" PROGRAMS

PROGRAMS REWARD SALES OF ACER BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, RECRUIT NEW ACER AUTHORIZED RESELLERS, AND UPDATE ACER AMERICA ON CHANNEL MARKET REALITIES

SAN JOSE, CA -- APRIL 22, 1996 -- In conjunction with a renewed emphasis on its commercial products, which account for nearly half of its annual revenues, Acer America Corporation today announced the details and results of two extensive, on-going channel promotions that have raised Acer's visibility and level of commitment to distributors and resellers.

Disti Days, an Acer program that begin in February and will be conducted twice a year, places Acer district sales managers on the sales floors for two weeks with individual distribution partners such as Action Data, Graydon Sherman and Seneca. Acer sales managers learn the intricacies of the distributor's business, hear firsthand the concerns of a distributor's salespeople and reseller customers, and provide spiffs on Acer products. The Acer New Partner Program, which began in March, provides dollars off Acer products to distributors and resellers in return for the recruitment of new Acer Authorized Resellers. Both programs have been successful with Disti Days increasing sales by an average of 15% for national and regional distributors and the New Partner Program recruiting or reactivating Acer Authorized Resellers.

One of the top three best selling brands in the channel according to Computer Reseller News, Acer America offers channel partners the widest variety of products and programs for doing business; from the sale of Acer Open components such as CD-ROMs, keyboards and monitors, to its barebones, branded AcerEntra value line systems for custom- configuring, to its premium line of AcerAltos servers, AcerPower business and multimedia computers, and AcerNote portables. Both the Disti Days and New Partner promotions are aimed at increasing sales of AcerAltos servers and AcerPower business and multimedia computers.

In the case of Disti Days, distributor's sales representatives selling the most systems while Acer managers are on the floor receive American Express gift certificates. In the New Partner Program, qualified new resellers to Acer or those who have been inactive selling Acer systems for the past 12 months receive significant discounts on AcerPower and AcerAltos systems. There is a limit on one system per reseller. The program benefits distributors as well as resellers since it also ties into the distributors' own reseller recruitment programs and allows distributors to issue an immediate reduction in price to resellers upon approval by Acer America.

"The theme for this year's channel programs is 'We're Committed to You' and these programs along with our AcerEntra promotions are meant to demonstrate just that," said Kelly Vest, Director of Distribution Sales at Acer America Corporation. "The Disti Days and New Partner Program are designed to help the channel realize incremental sales from quality Acer business solutions."

REACTIONS FROM THE CHANNEL TO ACER AMERICA'S DISTI DAYS AND NEW PARTNER PROGRAM

From John Johnes - VP Sales and Marketing, Graydon Sherman, "Acer is taking a new hands-on approach in having the local district sales managers work with us in our offices and on the road to recruit new resellers and increase our sales. As a full-service integrator of PC hardware, situated in the heart of the New York metropolitan area, we are able to bring exceptional value-add to the local VAR base with Acer product."

From Brian Garrett - VP Marketing for Seneca,

"Acer America's Distribution Weeks not only increased our overall sales, but refocused our sales people, and showed us a rededication by Acer to the distribution channel. It's very important to Seneca Data, as a value added distributor, dedicated to high quality service and support of our resellers, to receive the same from our channel partners. Acer's designed with the distributor and reseller's business in mind."

From George Rice - President, Action Data,

"Acer's new recruitment and distribution focus programs have shown our sales staff and our reseller partners the emphasis Acer is placing on the distribution channel. As one of Acer's largest distribution partners in the North East region, this kind of dedicated support is essential to maintaining our target growth rate of 40%."

ACER AMERICA CORPORATION

Acer America Corporation (http://www.acer.com/aac/), headquartered in San Jose, Calif., designs and manufactures a broad range of computer systems and peripherals. Award-winning product offerings include AcerNote&#153; line of open servers, AcerPower&#153; and AcerEntra&#153; desktop computers, the AcerAltos&#153; line of open servers, AcerView&#153; monitors, and the recently introduced Acer Aspire&#153; for the home. The Acer Computer Explorer&#153; and Out of Box Experience (OOBE&#153;) demonstrate Acer's commitment to make PCs as easy to use as other consumer products. Acer America Corporation, a member of The Acer Group, posted revenues of $1.44 billion in 1995.


Acer Business Sys Target Commercial Segment
ACER AMERICA TARGETS COMMERCIAL SEGMENT WITH NEW LINE OF BUSINESS SYSTEMS

EIGHTH LARGEST PC MAKER'S SERVERS, BUSINESS COMPUTERS AND NOTEBOOKS ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY HALF OF COMPANY REVENUES AND ARE KNOWN FOR SUPERIOR PRICE/PERFORMANCE

SAN JOSE, CA, APRIL 22, 1996 -- Acer America Corporation, known for its innovative Aspire home PC and as the second fastest growing PC manufacturer in the US according to International Data Corporation, today introduced a new line of commercial products including AcerAltos multiprocessing servers, AcerPower business and multimedia configurations, AcerView monitors and the AcerNote Light Pentium Family notebook. Recognized as the price/performance leaders for all-sized businesses, Acer's commercial solutions accounted for forty percent of Acer America's $1.44 billion in revenues in 1995.

AcerAltos, AcerView, AcerPower and AcerNote Light along with AcerEntra and AOpen components are part of the Commercial Systems Division at Acer America. The Commercial Division was recently formed (one of three at Acer America) to allow better focus on the needs of its two-tiered distribution channel customer segment. Acer business products are sold primarily through distributors and resellers to small- and medium-sized businesses and through a direct sales force to large corporations. (See today's related product announcements for additional information.)

Already lauded by VAR Business for superior products and pricing, product availability, and business partnerships, and Computer Reseller News as the third best selling brand of business computers among its resellers, Acer America now intends to be as well known outside the channel for its price/performance leading commercial products as it currently is for its consumer products. Acer expects to be able to compete effectively with leading commercial manufacturers such as Compaq, IBM and Hewlett Packard, gaining recognition as the "alternate brand" to these giants. Acer is the world's leading component manufacturer and has a unique business operations model that allows global economies of scale, efficient local assembly of products for just in time manufacturing, and the lowest inventory levels of any non-direct only manufacturer -- all of which result in quality products brought quickly to market at lower prices for both the channel and end-users.

"In the past two years, Acer America has reached critical mass as a US competitor and we expect to continue to grow at twice the industry average," said Ronald Chwang, President and CEO of Acer America Corp. "We can pass along our economies of scale to our channel and business customers. Thanks to our fast food business model and client/server operations model we can respond faster than our competitors can to rapidly changing market demands, component availability, and pricing. We take pride in doing the right things, executing them well and consistently."

AOPEN DIVISION BRINGS QUALITY AND RELIABILITY TO ACER AMERICA BUSINESS SYSTEMS

Acer is the world's leading provider of components through AcerOpen which delivers CD-ROMs, CPUs, keyboards, motherboards, monitors, video and sound cards, memory, scanners and other key components to distributors and resellers. Acer, Inc., -- celebrating its 20th anniversary, ISO 9000 certified company-wide, and headquartered in Taiwan -- has developed a reputation for manufacturing high quality, state of the art components that are reliable. Acer is the only top ten PC manufacturer to offer components as well as systems to the channel allowing them the greatest flexibility in growing their businesses.

ACER AMERICA PROVIDES VARIETY OF PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS TO THE CHANNEL

Acer America's corporate structure focuses on a loyal channel partner base with special programs and products that are delivered quickly and consistently ahead of market demand. With Acer America, channel partners can use Acer components in their own systems, add on custom functionality such as networking and multimedia to AcerEntra (Acer's basic, branded systems that come with the pricing of a clone and the tested integration of a name brand), or sell complete systems with AcerPower, AcerAltos, AcerView, and AcerNote Light and Pro. With AcerEntra, distributors receive the latest or "freshest" configurations at the lowest prices within five days of Acer America's processing the order, which means Acer America, not the distributor, incurs any inventory management and burden.

ACER AMERICA'S NEW COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

Acer America, which has seen unparalleled growth averaging 70% over the past three years, became a household name last year when it changed the definition and design of home computing with the introduction of the Aspire PC. This year, Acer America is bringing the same focus on innovation and ease of use to the products slated for the commercial marketplace and the channel.

The AcerNote Light 350P begins the metamorphoses by offering a full featured, Pentium processor notebook computer weighing under six pounds, in a stylish charcoal housing for under $2000. The new AcerAltos family of three servers is the only brand that offers server management hardware on the motherboard which means easier management of the server locally or remotely, as well as Acer Start Up software for faster configuration and installation. The fourteen new AcerPower configurations now include multimedia configurations and deliver performance equivalent to market leaders at a more affordable price.

ACER AMERICA CORPORATION

Acer America Corporation (http://www.acer.com/aac/), headquartered in San Jose, Calif., designs and manufactures a broad range of computer systems and peripherals. Award-winning product offerings include AcerNote notebooks, AcerPower and AcerEntra desktop computers, the AcerAltos line of open servers, AcerView monitors, and the recently introduced AcerAspire for the home. The Acer Computer Explorer and Out of Box Experience (OOBE) demonstrate Acer's commitment to make PCs as easy to use as other consumer electronics products. Acer America Corporation , a member of The Acer Group, posted revenues of $1.44 billion in 1995.


Apple Enriches Worldwide Developer Conf.
Apple Enriches Worldwide Developer Conference

CEO to Outline Company's Strategic Framework; Opening Sessions to Amplify Internet Direction and Developer Business Proposition; New Webcast Capability to Expand Conference Audience

CUPERTINO, California--April 26, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today revealed the agenda for its 1996 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)--an event expected to herald the beginning of a very promising era for the company and its developers. Thousands of current and prospective Apple developers will gather at the annual technical forum, May 13-17 at the San Jose Convention Center, to learn the direction of existing and emerging Apple technologies. In addition, attendees will learn how these technologies align with the company's evolving business strategy.

On Monday, May 13, Apple's chairman and CEO, Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio will open the conference with a keynote speech that outlines the framework for Apple's corporate strategy. Dr. Amelio's presentation will be complemented by additional opening sessions focusing on Apple's Internet technologies and products, operating system goals and strategies, and the Apple developer business proposition.

"Dr. Amelio could not have selected a more appropriate venue to share Apple's strategic directions," said Heidi Roizen, vice president, Apple Developer Relations. "The future of Apple platforms depends upon developers' willingness to embrace our technology. However, to make rational business decisions, developers must first know where our compass is set. Dr. Amelio's keynote is an essential step in that process."

Also on Monday, Larry Tesler, vice president for Apple Internet platforms, will chart the company's course for further leveraging its unique technologies to enhance the Internet platform. This launches a week of related sessions that explore the role of Apple's system software, multimedia capabilities, networking and communications technologies, and development tools in building Internet-rich solutions--and the business opportunities these solutions create for developers.

Because this year's WWDC agenda is likely to spark an unprecedented level of interest across the Macintosh community and the computer industry at-large, Apple is expanding the boundaries of the WWDC audience beyond the conference venue with a webcast of Dr. Amelio's keynote and other conference highlights. The webcast will employ Apple's leading-edge multimedia technologies to enrich the conference experience for attendees; at the same time it will provide access to those unable to participate onsite. Through the WWDC World Wide Web site at: http://wwdc.apple.com/ developers can access the webcast location to receive daily updates on WWDC plans. Beginning May 6, the webcast moves into high gear with more news about the conference, insights into new technologies, live chats, and interviews with developers and Apple executives.

Another notable enhancement to the 1996 WWDC agenda is the degree to which third-party sponsors are integrated into the program. Reinforcing Apple's efforts to forge industry alliances that facilitate developer success, WWDC has slated special conference presentations throughout the week by six major co-sponsor companies: IBM Corporation; Metrowerks Inc.; Motorola, Inc.; Natural Intelligence, Inc.; Oracle Corporation, and Symantec Corporation. Conference attendees also will benefit from WWDC's expanded Vendor Expo tradeshow, featuring a comprehensive range of tools and services available to the Apple developer community.

Overall, this year's agenda is the most robust in WWDC's 13-year history, with 35% more session content than last year. The decision to increase conference content is in direct response to feedback from last year's attendees. A substantial proportion of WWDC's agenda is devoted to teaching developers how to fully exploit Copland, the next-generation operating system for Macintosh computers, and trends in Internet development and multimedia authoring with the latest Apple technologies such as OpenDoc component software, QuickTime VR and QuickDraw 3D. Developers will have access to more than 150 hours of technical information and training designed to help them incorporate these and other advanced products and technologies into their development plans.

Any professional hardware or software developer may attend WWDC. The registration fee for the week-long conference is U.S. $1,095. One-, two- and three-day passes are also available for those interested in attending specific conference tracks such as multimedia, hardware or client/server development.

The complete WWDC conference agenda and registration information is available through the World Wide Web at: http://wwdc.apple.com/ or by fax-on-demand service at (800) 510-4529. Developers may also register by telephone in the U.S. at (800) 417-3004, and internationally at (415) 283-3179.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


FCC to Implement Apple Wireless NII Band
FCC Takes Steps to Implement Apple Computer's Proposed Wireless "NII Band"

WASHINGTON, D.C.--April 25, 1996--The Federal Communications Commission today proposed rules to implement a wireless "NII Band," which would extend the National Information Infrastructure, including the Internet, to students and teachers, libraries, health care facilities, families and businesses that the NII could not otherwise reach.

Apple Computer, Inc. first proposed the NII Band in May 1995 and asked the FCC to allocate 300 MHz for unlicensed wireless devices. Apple proposed that much of the NII Band would be available for longer-reach "community network" links. These links would allow schools, libraries, those in rural locations and other communities to establish low-cost, low-power directed links connecting to one another and to the nation's broader information resources, including the Internet. Such outdoor, point-to-point community network links could span multiple kilometers depending on local conditions.

Apple further proposed that a portion of the NII Band be set aside for very high rate ("VHR") local data communications throughout buildings and campuses. VHR networks would convey not only large amounts of data, but also voice, video and multimedia content. WINForum also filed a petition requesting spectrum for similar local-area VHR networks.

"NII Band wireless connections will revolutionize the way in which many Americans work, learn and communicate, because these connections will help extend and equalize public participation in the important 'mega trends' of technology--the convergence of Internet and pervasive multimedia," said Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Apple's chairman and chief executive officer. "The Commission, by proposing today to invest valuable spectrum as the 'working capital' for public-benefit networks, is fostering a collaborative partnership among schools, families, government and business to extend information access and usage through interactive computer communications technologies."

"NII Band operations won't replace licensed wireless technologies, because the physics of radio require trade-offs of distance, bandwidth and coverage," said Jim Burger, Apple's senior director of worldwide government affairs. "Instead, NII Band functions will not only complement those of licensed carriers but stimulate more traffic for them. Each technology offers a unique assortment of capabilities."

Apple's petition builds upon the company's pioneering efforts to create a spectrum resource that would allow computer users to communicate wirelessly, using devices and networks they would install, configure and operate in accordance with their own individual needs. Apple's "Data-PCS" petition for rulemaking, filed in 1991, led to the FCC's allocation of 30 MHz (in the 2 GHz range) for unlicensed wireless PBXs and local data networks. The NII Band (in the 5 GHz range), like the Data-PCS band, would be open to all manufacturers and users willing to comply with some basic "rules of the road" designed to assure equitable sharing of the spectrum resource.

Last month FCC Chairman Reed Hundt participated in NetDay '96 , a state-wide California event for which almost 20,000 volunteers turned out to "wire" schools and bring them into the information age. "Once the NII Band proposal becomes a reality, wireless may be the choice of technologies for many schools to significantly reduce the costs and other difficulties of hard-wiring classrooms that were made obvious on NetDay," said Burger.

Apple's Dr. Amelio urged the public to support the NII Band through the FCC's process that began with the issuance today of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. "Increasingly, our world is being shaped by instant access to resources, and the ability to use those resources in meaningful ways. The NII Band would be a public band, and the Commission needs to hear from the people it would serve."

Apple Computer, Inc. a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Multimedia Sound and Music Studio
New Book/CD-ROM on Creating Multimedia Audio is Released by Random House and Apple Computer

Includes Interviews and Work Samples from Thomas Dolby, Todd Rundgren, Laurie Anderson, Herbie Hancock, and Other Luminaries

NEW YORK, New York--April 25, 1996--Interest in multimedia is exploding; high quality music, narration and sound effects are key components of today's most compelling multimedia productions. Until now though, there has been very little authoritative and accessible information available on digital audio production for multimedia developers. "Multimedia Sound and Music Studio" (Avail. April 17, 1996, $45.00) by Jeff Essex, a new book and CD-ROM package in the Random House/NewMedia Series, fills this void by providing a veteran's tools and techniques for producing sound and music on a Macintosh or Windows PC. The book is the third title in "The Apple New Media Library", a collection of multimedia-related books and CD-ROMs endorsed by Apple Computer, Inc. for the Apple Multimedia Program.

Satjiv S. Chahil, senior vice president of corporate marketing at Apple said, "Our goal in collaborating on 'The Apple New Media Library' series is to make multimedia technology easier to use and to raise the bar for multimedia content quality. Jeff Essex's book serves that purpose well by making digital audio accessible to a wide audience of developers and end-users, resulting in richer emersive content and an enhanced user experience."

"Multimedia Sound and Music Studio" was created to answer the needs of multimedia designers and producers, musicians and audio engineers, and sales and marketing professionals seeking a better understanding of multimedia audio production. The book explores the basic tools and technology required for multimedia audio production, introduces beginners to the basic concepts of digital audio sampling, and establishes seven basic steps in the audio creation process: planning, recording, capture, editing, output, integration, and playback. It examines the audio and computer equipment required to record and capture sound, shows how MIDI (the Musical Instrument Digital Interface) equipment can be used to create and play soundtracks, and explores the topic of selecting file formats and systems software.

In addition to providing the reader with an understanding of the basics, Jeff Essex devotes a large portion of the book to sharing his own techniques for handling each phase of the audio production process, from start to finish. He encourages readers to think about the creative and aesthetic considerations of sound design, and offers ideas on how to use sound and music effectively in presentations. A special section of the book provides reviews of most of the major audio tools on the market, including editors, mixers, utilities and processors, and MIDI sequencers. In addition, the book includes a chapter that examines emerging technologies such as enhanced CD, software synthesis, 3-D sound, and online distribution.

Throughout "Multimedia Sound and Music Studio" there are interviews with luminaries in the music and audio industries. The CD-ROM packaged with the book features sample works from many of these artists, including Laurie Anderson's "Puppet Motel", The Resident's "Gingerbread Man" and "Bad Day on the Midway", Brian Eno's "Headcandy", David Bowie's "Jump", Todd Rundgren's "The Individualist", Thomas Dolby/Inscape's "Dark Eye", a DCuckoo video, and Joe Spark/Pop Rocket's "Total Distortion". The CD-ROM also includes shareware and freeware sound utilities and clip media samples, audio system software updates from Apple, demo versions of many of the products discussed in the book, a hypertext version of the book, and tutorials that demonstrate important concepts.

Apple is a leader in multimedia, with nearly 63 percent of developers preferring the Macintosh platform when developing multimedia software on personal computers (source: Dataquest). As part of Apple's developer programs, the company provides the Apple Multimedia Program (AMP) designed for content developers and the creative community. With over 3,000 members worldwide, AMP offers a breadth of resources and information to help keep multimedia developers up-to-date on Apple's offerings for authoring and playback. Members receive quarterly mailings and access to a special members-only area on the AMP Web site (http://www.amp.apple.com/) which provides insights on multimedia technologies, new media business directions, market research information, and self-help information on developing and marketing multimedia products. Another resource available to AMP members is the Apple Multimedia Program's newest addition, the Interactive Music Track. Dedicated to the needs of the music industry, members of the Interactive Music Track receive access to special content with an interactive music focus, including Enhanced CD case studies, interactive music resource guides, and the Apple Interactive Music Toolkit, a new cross-platform Enhanced CD authoring tool that allows users to quickly and easily create multi-session enhanced CDs. For worldwide program information or a membership application check out the AMP web site @ www.amp.apple.com or email us at devsupport@applelink.apple.com.

About the Author

Jeff Essex specializes in the use of digital audio and MIDI to create custom music, sound effects, and voice over for multimedia and video. A veteran of MacroMind and Macromedia, he served for two years as technical support lead for Macromedia Director and SoundEditPro. His work is featured in many popular CD-ROM titles including "Hell Cab", "Get Ready for School", "Charlie Brown", "Bad Mojo" and "Felix the Cat Cartoon Toolbox". Essex has lectured on audio for multimedia at San Francisco State University.

HyperMedia Communications, Inc.

HyperMedia Communications (NASDAQ: HYPR) is the publisher of NewMedia Magazine, the first periodical dedicated solely to covering the professional market for new media technologies, including a wide array of digital communications technologies and Internet-related products. Published 16 times a year, NewMedia Magazine offers readers industry news, comprehensive and comparative product reviews supported by the NewMedia Lab, a state-of-the-art testing studio, and features articles that provide expert advice critical to making purchasing decisions. NewMedia has a qualified circulation of 215,000 professionals who buy and use New Media products and services. HyperMedia also publishes Hyperstand http://www.hyperstand.com/, a World Wide Website for Internet professionals, Macromedia User Journal, an independent newsletter for Macromedia developers and users, and the NewMedia INVISION Awards program, an annual competition which recognizes innovative sites on the World Wide Web and new media applications in business, government, education, and consumer and community service areas.

Random House Reference and Information Publishing

Random House Reference and Information Publishing is a division of Random House, Inc., the largest general trade book publisher in the English speaking world. Random House Reference and Information Publishing draws on Random House's extensive resources to publish the finest reference works, including titles relating to computers, technology and science. The Random House Reference and Information Publishing book and book/software titles can be purchased in book and computer stores nationwide, by calling (800) 793-2665 or (410) 848-1900, extension 3000. Visit the Random House Web site http://www.randomhouse.com/

Apple Computer, Inc. a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Email Capabilities for Netwon PDA Expanded
Apple Announces email Capabilities for Newton PDA Expanded: CompuServe to Provide Mail Client for Apple MessagePad

CUPERTINO, California/COLUMBUS, Ohio--April 24, 1996--Further expanding the email strengths of the Newton platform, CompuServe Incorporated and Apple Computer, Inc. today announced they have entered into an agreement to provide a CompuServe Mail Client for Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) based on Apple's Newton technology. The client software allows users of the MessagePad and its Newton operating system to connect to the CompuServe Mail network.

The CompuServe Mail Client for Newton 2.0 will link Newton users to CompuServe's global network, with more than 480 points of presence worldwide. The CompuServe mail gateway links users of the Internet, other commercial online services and private email networks, giving users reliable 24-hour connection to virtually anyone who has an email account. In addition, the mail client shares an electronic mailbox with CompuServe connections on all computers, including those running Microsoft Windows and Windows 95.

"With this tool, Newton PDA users can stay in touch, regardless of where they travel, in most cases with a local telephone call," said Mike Blackwell, CompuServe product manager. "It's convenient to use, because the CompuServe Mail Client works with Newton 2.0's built-in tools, such as the In Box and Out Box. When the user returns home, he or she can access the same mail using their desktop computer -- whether it's Windows--or Mac OS-based."

"It's part of CompuServe's 'Stay in Charge' strategy to ensure our members can receive critical information anytime, anywhere, through any type of computer," Blackwell continued.

"The addition of a CompuServe Mail client widens the email offerings on the Newton platform, keeping with our strategy of an open environment to give customers a choice when considering their email options," said Barney Dewey, product line manager of communications products for Apple's Newton Systems Group. "Moreover, it also provides another option for customers to send and receive email through the Internet."

Customer service and support for the Mail Client will be maintained by CompuServe. For a limited time, former eWorld members can join the CompuServe Information Service and receive 10 free hours the first month.

The CompuServe Mail Client for Newton 2.0 will be available online, free of charge, to Newton PDA customers who are CompuServe members. It is expected to be available in May 1996. To join CompuServe, call 800-205-9412 or visit CompuServe on the Internet at http://www.compuserve.com/.

Apple's email strategy for the Newton platform is to support a wide variety of email, and to give customers a range of choices. Many of the choices are from third party developers and include online email clients for services such as CompuServe; LAN email, such as Lotus cc:Mail; CE QuickMail; First Class Mail; and Microsoft Mail through remote access mail clients. Other choices include wireless email from RadioMail and WyndMail, and Internet mail access through Qualcomm's Eudora.

CompuServe is an H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) company. Founded in 1955, H&R Block is a diversified services company and the world's leader in tax preparation and online information services. H&R Block Tax Services handled almost one in every seven returns with the Internal Revenue Service in 1995, serving 17.1 million taxpayers in more than 9,500 offices worldwide. CompuServe operates the most comprehensive online network in the world, providing services to more than 950 corporate accounts and more than 4.7 million users in more than 185 countries.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Aris Merges with SQLSoft
ARIS CORP MERGES WITH SQLSOFT, BOLSTERING ITS BACKOFFICE PRACTICE

TODAY'S MERGER MAKES ARIS ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST CONSULTING AND TRAINING COMPANIES WITH EXPERTISE IN BOTH ORACLE AND MICROSOFT BACKOFFICE TECHNOLOGIES

SEATTLE/BELLEVUE, WA -- April 15, 1996 -- ARIS Corporation  a rapidly growing information technology consulting, training and product development company announces today that effective May 1, it is merging with Bellevue-based SQLSoft Inc., a Microsoft Solution Provider Partner (Microsoft's highest level of partnership) with an 8 year track record of providing high quality Microsoft "BackOffice" training and strategic consulting. (Microsoft's BackOffice products include Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Systems Management Server, and Microsoft SNA Server and are central to Microsoft's corporate Information Technology strategy.) ARIS plans to hire approximately 200 additional full-time employees in the next year to support its continuing rapid growth.

This merger will launch a Microsoft BackOffice consulting division within ARIS and also provide a significant boost to ARIS' current Microsoft BackOffice training practice by doubling the number of its Microsoft Certified Trainers to nearly 40.

ARIS is now uniquely positioned to provide expert and objective consulting and training on both Microsoft BackOffice technologies and Oracle technologies, which are widely used by most large organizations worldwide. ARIS  which was among the three largest Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATEC) last year  and SQLSoft are both highly successful ATECs and as a result, the combined companies will be one of the largest providers of quality education services on Microsoft BackOffice products both domestically and abroad.

"Though Microsoft and Oracle are highly competitive with each other, we rarely see Fortune 1000 businesses using just Oracle or just Microsoft products to run their computer systems," Paul Song, president of ARIS says. "ARIS has been known for its strong Oracle expertise, but we have had a strong relationship with Microsoft as well. Our merger with SQLSoft further underscores our commitment to helping our customers successfully integrate these diverse products into a seamless environment."

SQLSoft president, Steve Brugger, will remain in the current Bellevue, WA location as his company integrates with ARIS. Brugger will become ARIS Vice President of Emerging Technologies, heading up the newly created Microsoft BackOffice division.

"We are going to do everything possible to ensure that both ARIS and SQLSoft customers do not face any disruption in their training or consulting services during this transition," Brugger says. "Instead, our entire client base will benefit from our combined strengths and resources. The broader curriculum, increased instructor and consulting resources, and additional state-of-the-art facilities will enhance the students' learning experience."

ARIS Corporation, founded in 1990 by Song, provides technology consulting and training for Fortune 1000 businesses and government organizations. ARIS currently employs approximately 150 people and expects revenues of more than $30 million for 1996. With offices in Seattle, Bellevue, Portland, Denver, and Washington DC, ARIS has nearly doubled in size and earnings each year.


Autodesk Software - Choice of 50,000 Schools
AUTODESK SOFTWARE THE CHOICE FOR 50,000 SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE

OVER A MILLION STUDENTS EDUCATED YEARLY ON AUTODESK PRODUCTS

SAN RAFAEL, CA- April 22, 1996 - Over a million students in 50,000 schools worldwide, including 19 of the top 20 engineering schools in the United States, and over 980 Autodesk Training Centers, are educated on Autodesk software each year. While giving students practical hands-on experience with the world's leading design software, the business community is also provided with a steady stream of trained design professionals. As the defacto standard in the design software world, with over three million customers and over a billion AutoCAD drawings, Autodesk, Inc. has found widespread acceptance for its products throughout the world's colleges, universities, high schools and trade schools.

Among the top 20 engineering schools using Autodesk software are: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Michigan, Purdue University, Penn State University, Texas A & M, Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, University of Illinois, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Princeton University, University of California Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin, University of Southern California, and Ohio State University.

John Schleicher, a manufacturing development engineer for PED Manufacturing Limited in Oregon City, Oregon, said his company relies on students that have been trained on Autodesk products. "Our local college teaches courses in Autodesk software -- this ensures that PED has a pool of design talent nearby. "

Several university systems, including California State University and Pennsylvania State University instruct students on their many campuses on Autodesk software. In the California system, 30,000 students on 22 campuses use AutoCAD and 3D Studio to develop and create numerous mechanical, civil and multimedia projects. At Pennsylvania State University the system wide-agreement includes providing Autodesk software for its 22 campuses. Miami Dade Community College (Florida) has an Architecture and Pre-Engineering Associates Degree program and trains over 700 students a year across three campuses on Autodesk products, including AutoCAD and 3D Studio software. And, the Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico in Mexico City, trains approximately 35,000 students on Autodesk products each year across five campuses.

The most widely used Autodesk products in schools are AutoCAD, 3D Studio, and mechanical products such as AutoCAD Designer and AutoSurf which have now been integrated into the recently shipped Autodesk Mechanical Desktop.

REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS

In addition to educating students on Autodesk software products, many schools are developing and implementing applications that are being used in industry. Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, is one of the top technical graphics program in the country, with 3,200 students enrolled in design courses using Autodesk software products. Their Engineering Technologies Department of Technical Graphics utilizes AutoCAD Release 12 and Release 13, as well as 3D Studio in their curriculum. These Technical Graphics majors are currently involved in research projects with local companies such as Bethlehem Steel, in Burns Harbor, Indiana and Caterpillar, in West Lafayette, Indiana. For Bethlehem Steel students are creating interactive multi-media instructional materials for a steel mill. For Caterpillar, they are creating an animated fly through of a power plant in Guatemala.

SUMMER OLYMPICS

At Georgia Tech University, in Atlanta, the Interactive Media Architectural Group in Education (IMAGINE) laboratory is making extensive use of Autodesk software for real world applications. IMAGINE currently has two ongoing 3D-Studio based projects that are attracting increasing attention as the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta approaches: a 3D model of Atlanta and the Georgia Tech/Olympic Village model. The model of the campus, the location for the Olympic village, is being used to produce signage that presents point-of-view scenes from the village. The Atlanta model has been used by NBC television to dramatize transitions from one venue to another.

COMMITMENT TO AUTODESK

Many schools have made a major commitment to Autodesk software. The Texas A & M Engineering Design Graphics department trains over 2,000 students a year on AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio. For the past two years Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) has required all freshman engineering students to purchase a special software bundle which includes such Autodesk products as AutoCAD R13, AutoCAD Designer 1.2 and AutoVision 2.0. Autodesk ships software for use by over 1,500 VPI students each year. The School of Architecture at the University of Arizona has mandated that incoming sophomore students purchase PC's (portable computers) as well as AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio Release 4 software. And ITT Technical Institutes, with 58 schools in 26 states, has over 1200 licenses of AutoCAD software.

Other schools that have made a significant commitment to Autodesk products this year include:

* MIT - Has upgraded Athena, their campus wide UNIX computer network to AutoCAD Release 13. The School of Architecture uses AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio in their design visualization program.

* University of Colorado at Boulder - Students purchased over 150 licenses of AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio this academic year, primarily for coursework in engineering and architecture. University of Florida - College of Architecture is mandating a student computer purchase program in fall 1996 that will include the purchase of AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio Release 4 software.

* Iowa State University - The engineering department has upgraded 120 AutoCAD seats to Release 13.

* University of Michigan - The CAEN (computer-aided engineering network) purchased 100 licenses of AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio in 1995 and for the first time introduced it into their engineering program. AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio have also been included in the architecture curriculum.

* North Carolina State University - 700 students were introduced to AutoCAD in fall 1995 when the University implemented AutoCAD in the curriculum.

* New Jersey Institute of Technology - Upgraded campus labs to AutoCAD Release 13 and 3D Studio in fall 1995, including the Image Laboratory in NJIT School of Architecture, one of the top design visualization programs in the US. Other programs using AutoCAD Release 13 include civil engineering and the center for manufacturing.

* British Columbia Institute of Technology - Educates 2,000 students a year on Autodesk software

* Rhenish Westphalian Technical College (Aachen, Germany) - One of the most renowned German technical schools for engineers has over 200 AutoCAD licenses and teaches over 2,000 students a year on AutoCAD

* The Technical University, Dresden (Germany) - The leading educational institution for engineering, architecture, and computer science in the new German states (formerly a part of the German Democratic Republic), has over 100 licenses of AutoCAD and teaches over 1,000 students a year on AutoCAD.

PROGRAM TO REDUCE UNIVERSITIES SOFTWARE EXPENSE

Autodesk is helping colleges, universities, and school districts develop leading edge design curriculums through the Autodesk Preferred Education Partner Program which lets schools acquire Autodesk products at unprecedented volume rates through a campus wide subscription. Members receive Autodesk software and a variety of technical support, curriculum, and training. A comprehensive program can be developed for each school site, maximizing the funds and hardware available. For information on this program call 800-964-6432 and ask for an area education representative.

Jim Purcell, Autodesk's director of education, said Autodesk realizes that schools and students have limited financial resources available to spend on design and multimedia software. "We feel it's our responsibility to put the world's best PC-based design and multimedia tools into the hands of the next generation of designers today so they'll have marketable skills when they graduate from school and enter the job market."

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 126 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or visit the World Wide Web site at http://www: autodesk.com.


Cognos Joins Tech Support Alliance Network
COGNOS JOINS THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT ALLIANCE NETWORK

BURLINGTON, MA, APRIL 18, 1996 -- Cognos, a leading provider of advanced business intelligence and application development tools today announced its cooperative agreement with the Technical Support Alliance Network (TSANet), a coalition of software and hardware computer companies that provides a means of multi-vendor problem resolution for mutual customers. Through TSANet, Cognos will enhance its support capabilities, drive down support costs and facilitate information sharing with other vendors.

As more and more computing environments become multi-vendor, customers need a means of receiving support for these environments. Cooperative vendor support is a necessity for Cognos customers. Through technical support alliances, such as TSANet, customers transparently receive the benefits of several support organizations, by making only one contact for support.

"Cognos has a long heritage of excellent support and service to our customers and is pleased to enhance our customer service capabilities through our new membership with TSANet," said Donna Sparks, vice president of service and support at Cognos. "This membership enables us to solve an increasing number of multi-vendor issues as well as provide the best support service to our customers."

"TSANet membership for leading industry vendors like Cognos, increases the value of that membership to other members of the organization, as well as to end-users," said Dennis Smeltzer, executive director of TSANet. "Working together, TSANet members can provide superior support and product expertise."

Other TSANet members include: 3Com, Acer, Acucobol, Adaptec, Allied Telesyn, Amdahl, APC, Apple, Asante, Ascend, AST, AT&T-Lucent, Attachmate, Banyan, Bay Networks, Borland, Broderbund, BusLogic, Cheyenne, Cognos, Compaq, Data General, Data Tools, Dell, Eicon, Epson, Exabyte, FileNet, FTP,General DataComm, Global Village, Hewlett-Packard, Hughes Network, ICL, IBM, Informix, Insignia Solutions, Lotus, Madge, Memco, Microsoft, NEC, NetFRAME, NetManage, Novell, Olicom, Olivetti, Open Connect, Open Market, Oracle, Pilot Software, Platinum, Powersoft, Progress, Remedy, SCO, Shiva, SMC, Storage Dimensions, Storage Technology, Sybase, Symantec, Thomas-Conrad, Tivoli, Tricord, Unisys VMark, Wall Data, Whittaker, and WRQ.

TSANet is a vendor neutral alliance, providing a means of cooperative technical support without joining multiple specialized technical support alliances. Members follow a procedure when placing and receiving multi-vendor technical support calls. This procedure eliminates vendor finger-pointing by establishing ownership of mutual customer support issues. In addition to the core communication process, TSANet also provides multi-vendor training events and business and technical management conferences.

TSANet was founded in September 1993 by the initial 19 sponsor companies and has grown to over 70 members today. TSANet Europe was formed in January, 1996 with expansion into other areas expected later this year. TSANet has a broad membership charter and is not limited to any one segment of the computer industry.

Cognos is uniquely positioned to deliver business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and reporting needs. With more than 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, department, workgroup, personal, and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos business intelligence products are available through the company's 40 offices and over 450 resellers worldwide.

Cognos develops, markets, and supports  both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Mass. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.


Apple Internet Connect Kit 1.1
Apple Makes Direct Internet Access Easier Than Ever With Apple Internet Connection Kit 1.1

Enhanced Integrated Solution Apple Internet Connection Kit 1.1 Offers Netscape Navigator 2.0; Broader Choice of Service Providers

CUPERTINO, California--April 22, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced the availability of the Apple Internet Connection Kit (AICK) 1.1, an updated version of the integrated Internet access solution which has already allowed tens of thousands of Macintosh computer users to be up-and-surfing the 'net in as little as 30 minutes.

The Apple Internet Connection Kit combines the Macintosh ease-of-use with the advantages of Netscape Navigator, the leading Web browser, to create a unique, user-friendly way to access and explore the Internet. Building on this strength, AICK 1.1 now offers Netscape Navigator 2.0, a revised version which offers customers better performance when reading files from the Web, improved bookmark management, and integrated email capabilities.

The Apple Internet Connection Kit 1.1 also brings easier network access procedures, through the latest revision of Apple's modern standards-based networking and communications system, Open Transport 1.1. The kit includes the latest update to the Mac OS--System 7.5 Update 2.0--of which Open Transport 1.1 is part. It offers online help--based on Apple Guide technology--to make it easier for an individual to hook up to a network, with fewer demands on network managers and support resources. Home users will also enjoy the increased support for PPP connections, used to communicate with the Internet via modems.

What is the Apple Internet Connection Kit?

The Apple Internet Connection Kit is an integrated collection of Apple and "best of class" third-party software that allows a Macintosh computer user to connect directly to the Internet quickly and easily. It provides all the necessary components to make a Macintosh computer ready for Internet connection; with one-button install for all key applications, automatic configuration of Internet applications for the system, compatibility with other Internet tools, it is the perfect solution for users who want direct Internet access--today.

Apple Internet Connection Kit 1.1 Components

The Apple Internet Connection Kit includes everything a Macintosh user needs to get up and running on the Internet including the following components:

* Apple Internet Dialer: Now offers five ISPs (Netcom, Portal, InternetMCI, Concentric, PSI); streamlines the process of registration and automatically configures all the necessary settings and applications for the user. Offers additional modem strings.

* Apple Guide for the Internet: Provides an enhanced on-screen help feature that leads users through  tasks step-by-step to master the processes, procedures, and capabilities of the Internet.

* Netscape Navigator 2.0 from Netscape Communications: Updated version of the market-leading browser software allows users to explore the World Wide Web and offers faster speed, improved bookmark management, and integrated email capabilities.

* Claris Emailer Lite version 1.0v3: electronic mail product that enables users to easily send and receive email messages over the Internet. It is now fully Open Transport 1.1 compatible.

* Fetch FTP software: Revised version 3.0 improves user access to File Transfer Protocol (FTP) services to download specific files.

* NewsWatcher browser software: Revised version 2.1.2 provides users with access to Usenet newsgroup discussions.

* MacPPP 2.5: Allows the use of MacTCP over a modem line, permitting the Macintosh and Internet applications to communicate with PPP protocols used by the Internet. Now fully compatible with Virtual Memory.

* NCSA Telnet terminal emulation software: Allows a Macintosh computer to emulate a terminal for connection to many UNIX-based libraries and catalogs.

* QuickTime VR Player: Allows users to view 3D multimedia presentations and QuickTime video clips downloaded from the Internet.

* RealAudio Player from Progressive Networks: Allows users to play audio over the Internet in realtime without having to download audio files.

* Adobe Acrobat Reader: Allows users to view portable document format (PDF) files in their exact original format, including the documentation for the key applications included in the kit.

* System 7.5 Update 2.0: The latest update to the Mac OS, including Open Transport 1.1, a revised  version of Apple's modern standards- based networking and communications system.

In addition to providing these popular products, Apple developed the Apple Internet Connection Kit as an open solution to accommodate the Internet software preferences of its customers. Customers can add their favorite Internet tools to the collection and be assured of full compatibility with the Apple Internet Connection Kit.

Version 1.1 of the Apple Internet Connection Kit has also been enhanced to facilitate its use in countries all around the world by its increased support for double byte language and increased flexibility.

System Requirements, Price and Availability The Apple Internet Connection Kit requires an Apple Macintosh, Power Macintosh, PowerBook or other Mac OS-based computer; 8MB of RAM using virtual memory or 12MB RAM installed; Macintosh System Software Version 7.5 or later; a 9,600-bps (or faster) modem (14,400 recommended) or a connection to a local area network with an existing Internet connection; a minimum of 21MB of available hard disk space; and a high-density floppy disk drive or CD-ROM drive.

The suggested retail price for the Apple Internet Connection Kit is U.S. $59.00. Pricing outside the U.S. will vary. The product is available immediately from authorized Apple resellers in the U.S, and through ClarisPLUS volume license program.

Existing customers interested in upgrading to version 1.1 of the Apple Internet Connection Kit can do so through Claris for U.S. $19.00 plus shipping & handling by calling 1-800-950-5382 or electronically via the Apple Internet Connection Kit home page http://www.online.apple.com/kit1/.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy to use personal computer, servers, peripherals, software, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific & engineering, and government markets in over 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or 1-800-263-3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES INTERNET STARTER KIT

Comprehensive Kit Offers Users Easiest, Most Complete Way to Get on the Internet

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 23, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the MicrosoftR Internet Starter Kit, the easy, complete and inexpensive way for novice users of the Windows 95 operating system to get on the Internet. The new kit includes everything that consumers need to unlock the full potential of the Internet and the World Wide Web, including a demonstration disk that contains samples of actual Web sites, allowing users to test-drive the Internet before they connect; a comprehensive Internet guidebook with tips and tricks on how to access all of the information the Internet offers; for new subscribers to MSN, The Microsoft Network, 30 days of no-charge, unlimited access to the Internet and Web as well as the great content available on MSN; and the state-of-the-art Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0.

"Surfing the Internet and the World Wide Web can be daunting for first-time users," said Brad Chase, general manager in the Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft. "The Internet Starter Kit was designed to make getting on the Internet as easy as one-stop shopping. The Internet guide and the demo disk give novice users the tools they need to immediately feel confident maneuvering through the Net."

INTERNET STARTER KIT: THE EASY WAY TO GET ON THE WEB

The Microsoft Internet Starter Kit includes the following:

* "INTRODUCING THE INTERNET,&QUOT; an easy-to-understand Internet guidebook from Microsoft Press. A $29.95 value, the book walks first-time users through everything they need to know about getting on and around the Internet and the Web. It explains how to search for information, download files, access Usenet newsgroups, and communicate with people around the world via e-mail. All non-English language versions will include a Quick Start Guide.

* SAMPLE WEB PAGES that allow first-time users to get a realistic taste of navigating the Web even before they connect to their Internet access provider. Users are given hundreds of real Web pages to sample in the areas of entertainment and business. Users can click words and areas of the sample Web pages and jump to different levels of those pages, just as they do in the online world.

* THIRTY DAYS OF NO-CHARGE, UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND THE WEB when Internet Starter Kit users become new subscribers to the popular MSN online service as their Internet access provider. Users also get 30 days of no-charge access to the great content available on MSN, including USA Today. This offer is valid in the United States and Canada; offers vary elsewhere. Customers can choose any service provider, but the no-charge offer is valid only with MSN. (Credit card required. MSN premium charges and long distance or toll charges may be applicable.)

* MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0, which allows users to unlock the full potential of the Internet and offers outstanding browser performance for Windows 95. Internet Explorer 2.0 gives users access to the full features of the more than 7,000 sites enhanced for Microsoft Internet Explorer. Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 also offers users of Windows 95 support for inline sound and video, 3-D animated graphics, forms, access to FTP and Gopher servers, Usenet newsgroups, Internet security standards, non-English language Web pages, and no-charge upgrades to future versions of the browser. The CD-ROM includes all 23 language versions of the Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 and automatically installs the same language version as the installed version of Windows 95.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Microsoft Internet Starter Kit is available today from retailers in the United States and will be available in 20 countries by the end of May. The Internet Starter Kit sells for approximately $19.95 (U.S.).

To use the Internet Starter Kit, users need a PC with a 386DX or higher processor (486 recommended), Windows 95 operating system, 8 MB of memory, 3 MB to 16 MB of hard disk space, a CD-ROM drive and 3.5-inch disk drive, VGA or higher resolution video adapter (Super VGA 256-color recommended), Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device, 9600 or higher bps modem (14,400 or higher recommended), and Internet access via an Internet service provider such as MSN.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft Network LLC.


NetWare 4.1 Best NOS for 2nd Year
Network Computing Names NetWare 4.1 Best NOS for Second Year

NetWare 4.1 Retains Title as Most "Well-Connected"

OREM, UTAH -- APRIL 24, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced that NetWare 4.1, the industry's fastest growing network operating system (NOS), again received the "Best NOS" title in Network Computing Magazine's 1996 Well-Connected Awards. This award, the 15th bestowed on NetWare 4.1 since its 1994 introduction, further reinforces NetWare's position as the leading network server operating system of choice for organizations of all sizes.

"NetWare 4.1 continues to earn praise and recognition as more organizations implement it and fully realize the benefits of directory-enabled computing," said William Donahoo, vice president of marketing for Novell's NetWare Products Division. "We've focused on providing NetWare 4.1 users with the best networking technology to address their business requirements. This award from Network Computing recognizes our continued success in setting the standard for proven, reliable, open and robust networks."

NetWare 4.1 continues to be recognized for its consistently strong feature set. Network Computing's editorial staff cited NetWare 4.1's industry-standard Novell Directory Services&#153; (NDS&#153;), along with the wide variety of available third-party applications, advanced file management, file and directory compression and remote administration features as reasons for the product's continued success.

"The Well-Connected Awards are significantly different from other IS or networking publications' awards," said Patricia Schnaidt, editor-in-chief of Network Computing. "Our awards aren't based on a reader popularity contest or editors' secondhand knowledge of the product marketplace. Our editors have tested these products themselves in our real-world labs. These are the products they would design into production networks of their own."

NetWare 4.1 is the latest version of Novell's industry-leading network operating system. NetWare 4.1 simplifies users' access to network resources and information, eases network administration and reduces the cost of network ownership for businesses of all sizes while retaining the performance, reliability and scalability that have made NetWare the overwhelming NOS leader. In a recent International Data Corporation (IDC) study, Novell's NetWare costs less to install and administer than Windows NT Server due to simplified administration through NDS and more efficient hardware usage. As the only NOS integrating essential network services -- global directory, file, print, security, messaging, multiprotocol routing and management -- NetWare 4.1 lays the foundation for Novell's vision of a Smart Global Network connecting people to others and to the information they need anytime and anyplace.

Sustained NetWare 4 success continues to drive Novell's momentum. According to IDC, Novell shipped more NetWare connections in 1995 than all other server operating systems in the world combined, including those from Microsoft, IBM, Sun, Hewlett-Packard, Banyan, SCO and all other Unix and NOS systems. In the NOS category, NetWare maintains an overwhelming 63 percent market share. These figures offer compelling evidence of the continuing growth of NetWare 4.1 as the network operating system of choice and its increasing recognition by customers, resellers and developers as a NOS standard.

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Phoenix PicoCard PC Card Flash Data Mgmt
PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES AND M-SYSTEMS TEAM TO DELIVER FLASH DATA MANAGEMENT SOLUTION TO PC CARD USERS

Phoenix PicoCard and PhoenixCard Manager to Include M-Systems TrueFFS For PC Card and Miniature Flash Cards

Santa Clara, CA (April 24, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd., (NASDAQ: PTEC), the world's leading supplier of system-level firmware and M-Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: FLSHF), the world's leading Flash File System provider, today announced a collaborative agreement to include Flash Translation Layer (FTL) technology in Phoenix software for PC cards. Phoenix PicoCard, new software designed for the emerging embedded and appliance PC markets, will include M-Systems TrueFFS technology to support the new FTL standard for FLASH PC Cards as well as new Miniature FLASH cards. PhoenixCard Manager, designed for notebook and desktop PCs, will now support FTL Flash Cards as a standard feature worldwide.

The FTL standard, recently adopted by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), specifies the way data is stored on FLASH memory cards, and makes them appear as ordinary disk drives to notebooks and other PC-based systems. This allows data collected from devices such as digital cameras, cellular phones, or other hand held appliances to be fully compatible with PCs.

"The PhoenixPICO and M-Systems collaboration opens the door for new consumer electronic devices to use Intel's Miniature Cards as a portable storage medium and seamlessly transport data back to the PC," said Gary Forni, software marketing manager, Intel Corporation. "PhoenixPICO in PCMCIA software and M-Systems' flash translation layer software will significantly speed the adoption of the new miniature card standard."

In this agreement, M-Systems is providing a special version of their industry leading TFFS FLASH technology that utilizes Phoenix PicoCard's patent pending software architecture. This enables developers of Special Purpose PCs to use the new Miniature FLASH cards - even in systems with limited memory. Special Purpose PCs are an emerging segment of the industry that includes industrial appliances, hand-held devices such as Smart Phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and home appliances, such as set-top boxes, network computers, and the proposed $500 Internet terminal.

TrueFFS, a patented technology of M-Systems, was developed to provide full disk emulation to the sector level using standard flash components. TrueFFS provides high reliability, high performance and full interoperability and runs under a wide range of Operating Systems including: DOS, Windows, Windows-95, QNX, pSOS, GEOS and many others.

"Flash memory is a critical component in the next wave of appliance-like PC based devices," said Dana Gross, President of M-Systems, Inc. "Adding TrueFFS to Phoenix PicoCard and PhoenixCard Manager will speed the OEMs ability to provide this important memory option in their products and will increase M-Systems' FlashDisk products compatibility over a wider range of systems."

Phoenix PicoCard was introduced in February as the first PCMCIA software designed for Special Purpose PCs. It's patent pending software architecture provides full PCMCIA functionality in a very small memory environment, including program execution directly from ROM (Read Only Memory). PhoenixCard Manager, shipped in millions of notebook PCs worldwide, will now provide FTL support for PC FLASH Cards by using the M-Systems TrueFFS technology.

"Phoenix has a dedicated engineering team addressing the unique requirements of the emerging Special Purpose PC and PC Card markets," said Gayn Winters, Chief Technology Officer at Phoenix. "By supporting the new FTL flash standard, Phoenix will enable OEMs to make low cost flash-based devices that are successful in both traditional PC and Special Purpose PC markets."

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is a worldwide leader supplying essential software to PC manufacturers. System-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, PhoenixPICO, and PhoenixCard Manager, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market and reduce internal engineering costs. Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.

M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers (NASDAQ: FLSHF) develops, manufactures, and markets flash data storage solutions utilizing TrueFFS, including a range of PCMCIA flash cards, PC Flash Disks, and DiskOnChip devices. M-Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary handling all sales and marketing activities in North America. For more information, contact M-Systems at 4655 Old Ironsides Drive, Suite 290, Santa Clara, CA 95054; telephone 408-654-5820, fax 408-654-9107.


Dell Selects Phoenix for System-Level Swr
DELL COMPUTER SELECTS PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES' INDUSTRY LEADING SYSTEM-LEVEL SOFTWARE

New Agreement Will Provide System-Level Support for Dell's Server, Desktop and Notebook Product Lines with PhoenixBIOS 4.0;, PhoenixCard Manager 4.0; and NoteBIOS 4.0;

SANTA CLARA, CA (April 19, 1996) -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC), announced today that Dell Computer Corporation signed an agreement with Phoenix to provide new technology advancements for future Dell products. This license agreement provides Dell with source code for Phoenix's advanced software to support Dell's servers, desktop and portable computers.

"This agreement provides Dell access to the industry's most extensive line of system-level products and services, designed to provide effective solutions for their entire range of systems," said Jack Kay, president and chief executive officer, Phoenix Technologies. "We are very pleased to enter this cooperative effort with Dell. Our combined efforts will allow both companies to focus on the development of future technologies to further increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use."

Under this agreement, Dell has licensed source code to the following technologies to support their product development requirements:

PhoenixBIOS; 4.0 - Industry-leading system BIOS for desktop computers.

ServerBIOS; - System BIOS developed specifically for file server applications.

PhoenixCard Manager; 4.0 - the industry's most comprehensive PCMCIA software for PC Cards.

Phoenix NoteBIOS; 4.0 - the industry's leading system BIOS and power management system for portables.

Phoenix NoteDock; 4.0 - firmware extensions to NoteBIOS 4.0 which provide support for Hot Docking with Windows 95.

PowerPanel; v1.50 - a toolbar application that provides push-button power management under Windows 3.1 or Windows 95.

MultiKey; and Phoenix Smart Battery Manager; v1.0 - keyboard controller firmware and a Windows GUI, which work together to provide detailed information about the battery to the end user.

"This licensing agreement provides us access to Phoenix's core system-level code base and allows our development efforts to focus on the Dell unique features and implementation our customers value," said Eric Harslem, senior vice president, Dell Computer. "We consider Phoenix an industry leader and are enthusiastic about the potential and leverage provided by this cooperative effort."

Phoenix is a worldwide leader supplying essential software to PC manufacturers. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS;, NoteBIOS;, Phoenix PowerPanel;, Phoenix SmartBattery Manager;, PhoenixPICO;, PhoenixVIEW;, MultiKey; and PhoenixCard Manager;, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market and reduce internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite; and Phoenix MUSE;, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.


SPA CyberSurfari '96 Virtual Classroom
CyberSurfari '96 Enters Classrooms Across America

SPA's "Virtual Classroom" Provides Lesson Ideas For Teachers And Students In Preparation For Oct. 22nd Launch

APRIL 22, 1996 (Washington, D.C.) -- The Software Publishers Association is pleased to present the CyberSurfari '96 Virtual Classroom, available to teachers begining today. This program is designed to help teachers and students become more adept in effectively traveling the endless caverns of the Web to find educational resources. The CyberSurfari Virtual Classroom Web site, at http://www.spa.org, features lesson ideas for teachers and students as well as sample "practice" clues in preparation for the CyberSurfari '96 launch on Oct. 22, 1996.

The Virtual Classroom will be centered around a different theme each month and will be updated on the 22nd. By meshing active learning with new technology, the CyberSurfari program engages and excites students with the technology available to them in their schools and may provide a boost of funds for some schools without access.

CyberSurfari Virtual Classroom offers an opportunity to enhance cross- subject learning and real-world applications for students. CyberSurfari strives to help teachers implement technology in their classrooms by providing practical implementations enhancing their existing curriculum.

During the CyberSurfari contest (the digital form of the traditional treasure hunt), students have an opportunity to seek out treasure codes on exciting Web sites all along the information superhighway. The two-week contest challenges school teams to compete for cash, computer hardware and software for their schools.

The following is a listing of the SPA's Virtual Classroom monthly themes:

APRIL 22, 1996

"The Road To The Olympics"

MAY 22, 1996

"A Field Trip to Museums of the World"

JUNE 22, 1996

"Space Exploration: The Final Frontier?"

JULY 22, 1996

"Discovery of National Parks, Geographic Landmarks

and International Areas of Interest"

AUG. 22, 1996

"Inventions"

SEPT. 22, 1996

"Rock The Vote 1996: Civics and Politics"

OCT. 22, 1996

"CyberSurfari '96 Contest Begins!

In addition to the monthly lesson ideas, each month's Virtual Classroom site will also include a list of theme-related Web addresses, CyberSurfari '95 clues to practice for CyberSurfari '96 and links to SPA member sites with Web lessons.

The Software Publishers Association's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading trade association of the international 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. Refer to our Web site at http://www.spa.org.

Software Publishers Association

1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036

202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756


Meridian Data Ships CD Networking Swr
MERIDIAN DATA SHIPS OPEN-ARCHITECTURE CD NETWORKING SOFTWARE FOR MIXED-NETWORK ENTERPRISES

New Cross-Platform Software Provides Universal Client Interface for Easy Management and Access of CD ROM Applications

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 11, 1996) -- Meridian Data, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: MDCD) announced today that it has begun shipping powerful client/server applications that manage CD ROMs over heterogeneous network environments. Incorporating an industry-unique open architecture for Microsoft Windows NT and Novell NetWare networks, CD NET&REG; SOFTWARE unifies CD management and access for network administrators and users, providing a common suite of Windows-native tools for sharing thousands of discs throughout the enterprise.

"Meridian's seamless, multi-platform management tools allow organizations to uniformly control and share CD collections located anywhere on the network," said Gianluca Rattazzi, president and chief executive officer of Meridian Data. "For business operations, this translates into improved CD ROM asset control and higher user productivity, enterprise-wide."

Advanced CD Networking Applications

CD Net Software includes a new suite of universal client productivity applications that provide a single control point--across multiple Windows NT and NetWare servers--for managing CD ROM resources. The advanced tools allow an administrator to comply with CD license requirements (metering) and grant/deny access (security) on a user-by-user basis.

By eliminating server and drive letter barriers, the software also permits an unlimited number of CDs to be easily mapped to user desktops- -an unprecedented feature. These applications include CD MANAGER for the network administrator and CD USER for network users.

Pricing and Availability

The CD Net for Windows NT and CD Net for NetWare software products are shipping and available immediately.

CD Net for Windows NT server software, configured with unlimited-user license, has a suggested list price (U.S.) of $995. Client software pricing starts at $795 for a 25-concurrent-user license, with optional 50-user and 100-user licenses priced at $1,295 and $1,995, respectively. The product is compatible with Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51 and Windows NT Workstation 3.51, or higher.

CD Net for NetWare is licensed on a per-server basis and has a suggested list price of $795 for a 25-concurrent-user license, with optional 50-user and unlimited-user licenses priced at $995 and $1,495, respectively. The product is Novell-certified and compatible with Novell NetWare 3.12 and NetWare 4.1, or higher.

To facilitate easy integration into Windows NT and NetWare servers, Meridian also offers CD NETROM SCSI CD ROM subsystems. The storage modules include 4, 7 or 14 high-performance 4x- or 6x-speed CD ROM drives per subsystem, complete with ISA or EISA host adapter card, power supply, cabling and cabinetry.

About Meridian Data

Founded in 1986, Meridian Data is a leading provider of CD ROM networking software and systems. Its high-productivity CD solutions are widely employed throughout Fortune 500 and government businesses.

Meridian is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif., and maintains offices in Lawrenceville, N.J., Herndon, Va., Atlanta, Ga., Naperville, Ill., and London, England. The company's products are available through leading distributors and value-added resellers.


Symantec Cafe Java-Compatible Tools for Mac
Symantec Ships Cafe Java-Compatible Tools for Macintosh

Cafe for Macintosh provides an unmatched feature set for both novice and professional developers of Java-based technologies

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 22, 1996 -- Close on the heels of Cafe for Windows, Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq:SYMC) today announced the availability of Symantec Cafe for Macintosh. Symantec Cafe for Macintosh is a standalone, professional Java-compatible development environment that replaces the previously released Symantec Caffeine tools. Symantec Cafe for Macintosh includes several features not available in any Macintosh Java-compatible development tools, including a native Java-compatible compiler that runs several times faster than the standard Sun Java Compiler, an integrated graphical class browser, tutorials and sample applets, and the Cafe Studio visual development utility.

"Symantec Cafe is ideal for both first time programmers and experienced professionals. The 'Intro to Java-based programming' tutorial and sample applets help you learn the Java language and start quickly creating your own applets. The fast Java-compatible compiler and integrated graphical class browser give professional developers the tools they need to do rapid Java-powered development," said Mansour Safai, general manager of the Symantec Developer Tools Division.

"Symantec Cafe for Macintosh provides a high-performance development environment for Internet applications," said Larry Tesler, vice president of Internet platforms, Apple Computer. "Customers can now leverage the power and ease of use of the Macintosh to develop Java applets, confirming the role of the Macintosh as the platform of choice for web site design."

Symantec Cafe is a full featured development environment for Sun's Java programming language that runs on both Macintosh and Windows platforms.

Key features of Symantec Cafe (Macintosh version) are:

 The native Symantec Java-compatible compiler, which compiles

 Java-powered applets several times faster than the standard Sun Java

 Compiler;

 "Intro to Java-based programming" tutorial as well as over 90 sample

 applets and applications;

 A state-of-the-art project manager, including support for nested

 subfolders, source code control, column sorting, dragging files

 directly into the project from the Finder, and dragging files

 out of the project onto applications to launch them;

 Cafe Studio visual development utility for visually creating

 Java-based forms and applets and having the corresponding

 Java-enabled code automatically generated;

 Sun's Java AppletViewer with Symantec's development environment;

 Sun's Java Language Reference;

 The most flexible integrated class browsing tools for the Macintosh

 allowing users to open multiple customizable graphical and SmallTalk-

 style browsers. Instantaneous access to object oriented code allows

 users to work with Java-enabled code at a higher level than

 traditional source file views;

 A professional programmer's editor for Java-powered development

 with automatic color, font, size and style syntax and keyword

 highlighting for the Java language as well as support for drag

 and drop;

 Full support for AppleEvents and AppleScript. Cafe is fully

 scriptable and recordable so you can easily automate routine tasks

 or use the bundled AppleScripts that are provided with the product;

 Support for developing Java-powered applets on 68K Macintosh

 (available as a free patch for Cafe customers by the end of April),

 a full-featured debugger, and just-in-time compiler for the Macintosh

 implementation of Sun's Java technologies (available as a free

 patch for Cafe customers by mid-May).

Pricing and Availability

Symantec Cafe for Macintosh is currently available for a 90-day special introductory price of $99.95 downloadable from the Symantec website at http://cafe.symantec.com, with an estimated retail price of $299.95 thereafter. Symantec Cafe for Macintosh includes free patches for 68K support, the Cafe debugger and just-in-time compiler when they become available via the Symantec website. Registered users of Symantec C++ for Power Mac and Caffeine owners will be automatically sent Symantec Cafe by the end of April, 1996.

Java is a Sun Microsystems' branded programming language and development technology for developing cross-platform applications across the public Internet and corporate intranets.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


Worldgroup 2.0 Web Applications Suite
Worldgroup 2.0 Web Applications Suite Released

Ft. Lauderdale, FL - April 22, 1996 - Today Galacticomm, Inc. shipped the final release of Worldgroup 2.0, the company's client/server application suite for Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows 3.1 users over corporate intranets and the Internet. Serving as "extended groupware", Worldgroup 2.0 provides an interactive environment for people inside an organization, as well as remote field staff, dealers, customers, and prospects to securely work together over the Web.

The Worldgroup 2.0 client is available as a free plug-in for Netscape Navigator, and allows Web users to seamlessly launch into Windows- native Worldgroup applications from regular HTML pages. "The Netscape plug-in is an innovative concept," said Jack Lail, Online Publishing Manager for the Knoxville News-Sentinel, a Galacticomm customer. "It will add another dimension to what we've been doing with our Web site."

The Worldgroup 2.0 server, which starts at $595 list for eight simultaneous connections, includes its own basic Web server, or it can be used in conjunction with Web servers by Netscape, O'Reilly, Microsoft, and Quarterdeck. TCP/IP connectivity is included in the base package. Options support direct modem, ISDN, X.25, and Novell LAN connections.

"The biggest challenge that corporate Webmasters face today is the rapid development of applications over the Web," stated Galacticomm's president and CEO Scott Brinker. "We can make even a novice Webmaster look like a wizard with Worldgroup 2.0 ( he simply plugs in our server with his existing Web site, configures a few options to his taste, and brings online sophisticated data collection, organized file libraries, real-time script-format teleconferencing with a shared white board, rich-text group messaging, and more. "

The basic Worldgroup 2.0 package includes four "extended groupware" applications:

* POLLS AND QUESTIONNAIRES can be used to quickly create branching surveys and electronic data collection forms, with automatic statistics calculation, "rewards" of files or security access levels upon completion, and an export feature to feed external database programs.

* FILE LIBRARY for managing thousands of files online, organized into categories, each with its own non-hierarchical security controls and category managers. This facility goes beyond regular ftp to provide file descriptions, keyword searching, chronological or alphabetical ordering, upload approval management, and more.

* TELECONFERENCING for real-time scripted chats between up to 256 simultaneous users, including support for moderated channels, private whispers, background file transfers, URL recognition, and a shared white board for group illustrations.

* GROUP MESSAGING with support for rich-text format messaging, distribution lists, file attachments, keyword searching, forum moderators, embedded URLs, and offline operation. Up to 10,000 group discussion areas can be created, each with configurable security levels for read-only, read/write, and co-op participation by individuals or classes of users. An NNTP newsgroup filter is also available.

All of this is provided in a framework of account management, usage reporting and analysis, and class-organized security access control. Full SMTP e-mail and an HTTP 1.0-compliant Web server is built into the software. Worldgroup 2.0 can also work with other STMP mail systems or Web servers. "Worldgroup 2.0 is an all-in-one solution for a small to medium-sized organization to quickly and inexpensively launch a Web site with interactive customer-focused applications ready to go," added Brinker.

Worldgroup 2.0 can be expanded from supporting eight simultaneous connections to over 200 simultaneous connections, in license increments of six simultaneous connections at a time, through User Six-Packs available for a list price of $295 each. The Dial-Up Option for direct modem and ISDN connections, as well as the Novell LAN Option, list for $295 each. The X.25 Software Option is available at a list price of $995. In addition to the base applications, many plug-in modules are available for Worldgroup from Galacticomm and a number of Independent Software Vendors. Galacticomm offers Omni-Mall, a sophisticated client/server catalog sales environment; and Fax/Online, an integrated fax database solution primarily focused for intranet use. Other add-ons include photograph databases, document search engines, scheduling management, classified ads, interactive publishing, and more. These add-ons can be easily installed at any time to a Worldgroup system, via a scaleable architecture designed for dynamic expansion.

A Worldgroup Developer's Kit enables enterprise developers to extend the product's capabilities with Visual Basic and C++. The source code for Worldgroup client and server components is readily available, along with extensive API documentation. The Worldgroup platform provides a richer environment than Java for interactive Windows applications over the Web, with a multi-threaded/multi-priority client/server engine.

Worldgroup 2.0 is distributed through Ingram Micro, Tech Data, and DistribuPro, and is readily available from the company's international network of resellers and VARs. The company has been providing communications software products since 1985. Corporate users of Worldgroup include Compaq, AT&T, Citibank, and W.R. Grace.

For more information, contact Galacticomm at 800-328-1128 (or 954-583-5990 outside the U.S. and Canada) or send e-mail to sales@gcomm.com. The company's Web site is at http://www.gcomm.com.


New Stac Solution Partnership Program
Stac Partners to Benefit From New Solution Partnership Program

VARS, SYSTEMS INTEGRATORS AND CONSULTANTS OF STORAGE AND COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE RECEIVE WORLD-CLASS SERVICE

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- Stac, Inc. (NASDAQ:STAC) today announced a new solution provider program significantly enhancing benefits for current and future Stac partners including VARs, systems integrators, and consultants by offering world-class product, sales and marketing support to ensure the partners' success.

"As Stac continues to focus on the enterprise user, we are committed to providing high-quality channel programs that meet the needs of our partners and the customers they service," said John Bromhead, vice president of marketing for Stac. "Our intent with the new program is simple ( to help our partners boost their bottom line with increased enterprise sales of Stac's award-winning products."

"Stac has played an integral part in GigaTrend's ongoing success in sales of enterprise solutions and we are excited to be the first partner to participate in Stac's Booth #5745 at Networld+Interop '96," said Franck Larece, national sales manager at GigaTrend, a provider of complete backup solutions. "With the accelerated interest in Replica, Stac's system protection software, and Stac's Partnership Program, we anticipate even greater sales throughout '96 and beyond."

Stac offers its partners world-class product support, qualified leads, product training, sales and marketing support. Partners can achieve either a preferred or premier status based on their levels of performance and commitment. Benefits include priority, toll-free access to product support, assigned regional and inside sales representatives, on-site sales and product training and regional seminars, Internet access to in-depth technical information and updates, and a Solution Partnership Kit with sales literature and promotional information, technical documentation and product presentations. Benefits vary based upon partnership level.

Stac's award-winning products sold through Solution Partners include:

* Replica system protection and backup replacement software for high-speed data transfer to disk and tape, direct disaster recovery of crashed servers and replication of tapes as Novell NetWare volumes.

* ReachOut remote access software for fast, easy access to your desktop PC from a remote location with support for Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and DOS, along with modem, network, host and viewer components all included.

* CD-QuickShare software-only CD-ROM server solution for networked and remote Microsoft Windows users that provides fast, simultaneous access to CD-ROM-based information.

For more information on Stac's Solution Partnership Program please call 1-800-522-7822 or visit Stac's home page at http://www.stac.com and check out "What's New".

STAC

Stac develops and markets networking and storage technologies, systems management software and Internet applications for the Enterprise. Stac was founded in 1983, and its products are sold worldwide through a variety of channels. Stac can be reached at http://www.stac.com, 1-800-522-7822, or (619) 794-4300 in the U.S. and +44 (0) 1344-302900 in Europe.


New Faster Apple Power Macintosh Family
Apple's New Power Macintosh Family Delivers Greater Performance and Value

Processor Upgrade Cards Available to Ramp Up Existing Power Macs to 132MHz; Systems Now Support Up to 200MHz

CUPERTINO, California--April 22, 1996--Expanding upon the breakthrough price and performance value offered in its award winning Power Macintosh line, Apple Computer, Inc. today introduced four new faster Power Macintosh models. The new line includes two machines with RISC-based PowerPC 604 microprocessors running at 150MHz; all new systems support up to 200MHz. Apple also unveiled standalone microprocessor cards that enable customers of previous Power Macs, with the innovative processor upgrade feature, to move up to 132 MHz performance.

Available today in most regions worldwide, the new line-up includes the Power Macintosh 9500/150, Power Macintosh 8500/150 and 8500/132, Power Macintosh 7600/120 and Power Macintosh 7200/120. The Power Macs offer new features that improve performance by as much as 50 percent over previous systems. In addition to increasing the clock speeds of the PowerPC processors, Apple also added PowerPC 604 performance to the mid-range product and a standard 256K level 2 cache to most models. Apple also increased the value of Power Macintosh systems by expanding the minimum entry-level hard drive configurations to 1.2GB.

"The ability to deliver this new round of powerful Power Macintosh systems clearly underscores the benefits Apple sought to realize when adopting a RISC-based platform," said H.L. Cheung, vice president of Apple's Desktop Products Division. "These new machines combine significant hardware performance improvements to the PowerPC chip and the new MacOS to provide Apple customers with a big boost in performance and the system stability they expect."

All new models ship with the industry's easiest-to-use operating system, System 7.5.3, preinstalled. The new operating system significantly enhances overall system stability, provides more PowerPC-native components and updated network communications via Open Transport 1.1, while delivering additional improvements to key Apple technologies including QuickTime, QuickDraw 3D and PlainTalk. All of the new Power Macs also come bundled with the Apple Internet Connection Kit, which includes Netscape Navigator 2.0 and Claris Emailer Lite, among other programs.

New Power Macs

Aimed at entry-level business users, the new Power Macintosh 7200/120 provides clock-speed improvements over the current Power Macintosh 7200/90 and Power Macintosh 7200/75, and is available with or without onboard L2 cache. For example, the new Power Mac 7200/120 with L2 cache provides up to a 50 percent performance improvement over the current Power Mac 7200/90.

Ideal for education, corporate applications and low-end publishing, the new Power Macintosh 7600/120 adds the PowerPC 604 microprocessor, a 256K L2 cache and clock speed improvements to provide up to a 50 percent performance improvement over the current Power Macintosh 7500/100.

Geared toward high-end publishing, multimedia applications and Internet authoring, the new Power Macintosh 9500/150, Power Macintosh 8500/150 and 8500/132 are higher clock-speed versions of the current Power Macintosh 9500/132, 9500/120 and Power Macintosh 8500/120. The new Power Mac 9500/150 and Power Mac 8500/150 both provide up to a 25 percent performance improvement over current models.

Some models are available in several RAM and hard disk configurations, including:

Model                         Configuration              Apple Price*

Power Macintosh 9500/150      16/2GB/CD/Video/L2              $4,799

Power Macintosh 8500/150      16/2GB/CD/L2                    $4,699

Power Macintosh 8500/132      16/1.2GB/CD/L2                  $3,899

Power Macintosh 7600/120      16/1.2GB/CD/L2                  $2,999

Power Macintosh 7200/120      16/1.2GB/CD/L2                  $2,299

Power Macintosh 7200/120       8/1.2GB/CD                     $1,899

* Expected U.S. Apple price (does not include monitor and keyboard); prices may vary in international markets

The new Power Macintosh line also includes the Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible, a system that runs MS-DOS, Windows and the Macintosh operating system to give customers access to more software applications than with any other desktop computer. The system is based on the Power Mac 7200/120, preconfigured with either a powerful Pentium 100MHz card or an entry-level 586 100MHz PC Compatibility card; U.S prices are expected to start at $2,599.

Processor Cards and Logic Board Upgrades

Apple's new Power Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card 132MHz and Power Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card 120MHz, expected to sell in the U.S. for $899 and $599 respectively, are designed to protect the hardware investment of current customers. These PowerPC 604 processors provide significant performance increases over the PowerPC 601 processor that is standard in the Power Mac 7500/100. Processor cards are expected to be available in May.

"Apple introduced the innovative processor upgrade slot for the Power Macintosh last summer and we are now delivering fast and affordable processor upgrades that allow our Power Mac 7500 customer to move up to PowerPC 604 performance," said Byran Longmire, product manager for Power Macs. "In addition to many other advanced Power Mac features, most of the new Power Mac systems include processor upgradeability support of up to 200MHz, a feature that continues to protect our customers' investment for the future."

Also announced, the 8500 Logic Board Upgrade enables the upgrade of the Macintosh Quadra 800, Macintosh Quadra 840AV or Power Macintosh 8100 to a Power Mac 8500. A 7600 Logic Board Upgrade is also available for customers of the Power Mac 7200 who want to gain the processing power of the powerful PowerPC 604 chip and L2 cache capabilities of the new Power Mac 7600. The 8500 Logic Board Upgrade is expected to sell in the U.S. for $1,799, while the 7600 Logic Board Upgrade is expected to sell in the U.S. for $1,299. To allow customers flexibility in choosing processor clockspeed, logic board upgrades do not include a processor card. Logic board upgrades are also expected to be available in May.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific and engineering, and government markets in over 140 countries.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Hwr-Based PC Compatiblity for Power Mac
Apple Unveils Hardware-Based PC Compatibility for Power Macintosh Family

Apple's Power Mac Runs More Software Than Any Other Mainstream PC

CUPERTINO, California--April 22, 1996--Committed to providing its customers with cross-platform access to the widest range of software applications, Apple Computer, Inc. today announced its next-generation PC compatible Power Macintosh system. Apple also unveiled PC Compatibility Cards designed to add Windows and MS-DOS functionality across the entire Power Mac line. The new Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible comes pre-installed with either a powerful Pentium 100MHz card or an entry-level 586 100MHz card; both Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)-based PC Compatible cards are also available separately. The new products are compatible with Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Microsoft Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 6.22; the Mac OS continues to run on the Power Mac's PowerPC microprocessor.

The new PC Compatible products leverage upon key differentiators of the Macintosh platform, such as ease-of-use, hardware/software integration, built-in multimedia capabilities and the exceptional price/performance value of PowerPC technology. In addition, these products provide a high level of integration between the Mac OS and PC environments, enabling users to run Mac OS and MS-DOS or Windows software concurrently, easily switching between these environments without rebooting. Users can copy and paste data between the Mac OS and Windows environments, and even access Windows files and folders from the Mac OS, and vice versa. System resources such as the floppy drive, hard disk, CD-ROM drive, display, keyboard and mouse are shared to make this a cost-effective and space-saving solution for customers with limited budgets or desktop space. Customers can also access Macintosh-compatible printers and modems from the MS-DOS and Windows environments.

Based on Apple's customer research, the company's previous cross-platform Power Mac, the Power Macintosh 6100/66 DOS Compatible, attracted x86-based PC owners to the Mac platform at almost three times the rate of other Power Macs. In fact, the majority of Power Macintosh 6100/66 DOS Compatible customers were not replacing another Macintosh; instead, they were either acquiring their first personal computer, replacing a x86-based PC, or adding to their installed base of PCs. Power Macintosh 6100/66 DOS Compatible customers spent, on average, 75% of their time working within the Mac OS environment, and purchased as many native Power Mac applications as other Power Mac customers.

"Customer research shows that Apple's previous cross platform products have built additional momentum for the Mac platform and Mac developers," said Dave Daetz, Apple's Worldwide Cross Platform Product Line Manager. "And with today's introduction, we're taking a big step forward providing hardware-based PC Compatibility, featuring Pentium and 586 processors across Apple's entire Power Mac family and empowering customers to run more software on a Power Macintosh than on any other mainstream PC."

PC Compatible Systems

Aimed at professional users in business, education and home environments, the Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible is based on the next-generation Power Macintosh 7200/120 announced today, but comes preconfigured with one of two PC Compatibility Cards. The 7-inch 586 100 MHz version is an affordable, entry-level choice that includes 128K of secondary cache and 8MB RAM, which can be upgraded to 64MB. Industry benchmarks show the speed of the 586 100MHz processor is comparable to that of a Pentium 75Mhz. For customers who want a higher level of performance, a 12-inch Pentium 100Mhz version is another option. It features 256K of secondary cache and 8MB of RAM, which can be upgraded to 72MB. The Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible also includes 8MB of RAM for the Macintosh operating system.

Both versions incorporate an ATI Mach64 video controller, from ATI Technologies Inc. of Toronto, Canada, for accelerated SVGA compatibility up to 24-bits per pixel. All current Apple displays are supported, in addition to many third-party Macintosh-compatible VGA and SVGA displays. Customers can configure their Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible with either one or two displays. When configured with a single display, users hit a hot key to toggle between the Mac OS and PC environments; the background environment continues running. When configured with two displays, Power Mac 7200/120 PC Compatible users can keep an eye on both environments concurrently at the full size and resolution supported by the display and video controller. Fans of MS-DOS and Windows games will also enjoy the built-in PC Game Port and 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro support.

The new PC Compatible system is designed to provide enterprise customers in business or education environments with a wide range of available networking options. Users can easily connect to a variety of networks, including Novell Network SPX/IPX, TCP/IP and NETBEUI protocols in Windows and DOS environments via a built-in Ethernet connector and ODI and NDIS 2.0 drivers. Due to robust multi-node support, users of the new Power Mac 7200/120 PC Compatible, with the appropriate network access, can maintain two unique Internet connections simultaneously -- from the Mac OS and Windows.

The Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible has System 7.5.3 pre-installed for greater reliability, and includes the latest updates to key Mac OS components, including Open Transport, QuickTime, QuickDraw 3D and PlainTalk. Apple's acclaimed Apple Guide help system is included, providing customers with on-line assistance and coaching as they use their PC Compatible system. Pre-installation of PC operating systems may vary by market and region.

Pricing and availability

Both versions of the Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible are expected to ship in selected countries worldwide by June 1996. Delivering Pentium-class performance with video resolutions up to millions of colors, and unburdened by the RAM overhead required by compatibility solutions based on software emulation, Apple's hardware-based PC Compatible Power Macs deliver leading edge price/performance for customers who value cross-platform compatibility.

Model                                    Configuration    Apple Price*

Power Mac 7200/120                        16/1.2GB/CD/L2     $2,299**

Power Mac 7200/120 PC Compatible (586)    8/8/1.2GB/CD/L2    $2,599***

Power Mac 7200/120 PC Compat. (Pentium)   8/8/1.2GB/CD/L2    $2,799

* Estimated U.S. Apple price (does not include monitor and keyboard)

** Included as a reference for pricing comparison.

*** Availability varies by region

Customers will get the best value when they purchase a PC Compatibility Card preconfigured in the Power Macintosh 7200 PC Compatible. PC Compatibility Cards will also be available separately as standalone cards, with prices starting at $799 for the 586 100MHz version with 8MB of RAM. The Pentium 100MHz version, also with 8MB of RAM, is priced at $1,049.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific and engineering, and government markets in over 140 countries.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


Wonderware InBatch 4.0 for Windows NT
Wonderware Introduces Windows NT-based InBatch 4.0 System For Design, Simulation & Automation of Batch-Oriented Processes

NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 23, 1996 -- Wonderware Corporation (NASDAQ Trading Symbol: WNDR) today introduced the InBatch 4.0 Flexible Batch Management System -- the newest member of the Wonderware Factory Suite of industrial automation software, which is designed specifically for modeling and automation of batch-oriented production processes for the chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries.

The new Windows NT-based application generation tool is based on the former Direktor product developed by Soft Systems Engineering, which was acquired by Wonderware in 1995, thus it offers field-proven capabilities for developing complete batch solutions - from conceptual design to factory floor production. With its conversion from the UNIX to the Windows NT operating system, it now provides plug-and-play integration with the company's suite of industrial software tools: Wonderware InTouch for handling supervisory control and data acquisition for plant operations and Wonderware InTrack for manufacturing execution system (MES) tracking of production resources.

The new batch management system is on display in Wonderware's booth (#359) at the Interphex Show, which is being held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center here, April 23-25. The bottom line value of the InBatch system is that it changes the paradigm for batch production, enabling chemists and food scientists to model batch processes and simulate their operation before spending time and money on development of automated production systems to implement them, noted Jeff Kissling, general manager of the company's York Development Center.

"InBatch approaches the development of batch process methodology from a completely different viewpoint than competitive products, working from the top-down rather than the bottom-up," Kissling said. "It provides a framework that allows system integrators and end users to agree on a production automation strategy before any automation system has been selected. This framework serves as a specification and a platform to provide the utmost in reusability. The net result is that any errors made in the modeling stage have no negative cost effect because no production system has been set. It's a 'measure twice, cut once' scenario."

Building an InBatch application takes five basic steps in logical order: 1) model the process; 2) build recipes; 3) simulate the recipes against the model; 4) implement the process framework using the model as the refernce; and 5) automate the system. "This is a completely different approach from those suppliers who require users to first install automated systems for controlling their production lines, then design batch management systems to fit that defined production sequence," he explained.

"Instead, InBatch starts by abstracting the control system so that users can first model their proposed process from a logical viewpoint," he added. "They can simply define the process in terms of its processing units and the relationships between those units. Next, they can build recipes in an easy-to-use, object-oriented environment, which abstracts the recipes from any processing units or unit-to-unit relationships. Then they can 'test drive' the model in simulation without regard to the actual equipment that might be used in production.

"Once the batch process template has been defined, only then do users create the automation framework in which the end product will be made," he said. "Developers don't have to specify equipment to be used in a process, but can simply identify classes of production equipment -- and at run-time, InBatch will help make decisions about specific equipment to be used, based on availability, attribute differentials, capacities, trains (cells) or other parameters."

Insulating the recipe generation from the automation framework provides many benefits for batch producers. Because InBatch provides an object-oriented approach to application development, users don't have to be skilled programmers to create processes. InBatch provides better reusability of application software so that identical processes can be implemented in multiple plants or production facilities -- and products can be brought to market faster. InBatch provides greater application sustainability, such that processes can easily be modified over time without major impact on production aspects - which can dramatically reduce life cycle costs. Its sustainability features also mean producers can change the implementation of their batch production operations as necessary without affecting the underlying production control and data acquisition operations -- so that regulatory compliance is not impacted by procedural changes.

"This system provides what we call a 'beaker-to-batch' framework that lets people be productive in a very short period of time," Kissling said.

"This means that if a chemist or food scientist comes up with a 'home- run' product or enhancement, the time it takes to scale from the test tube to full production is dramatically reduced. At the same time, it allows corporate management to take the larger, more global view of determining which facilities can best produce the new product and how it can be brought to market more quickly."

In addition to this unique approach to application development, InBatch provides all the operational features that producers seek in a full-featured batch management system, he emphasized. "InBatch has the most elegant and easy-to-use Recipe Management Tool in the business," he said. "It has a built-in historian and structured query language (SQL) reporting system that is capable of meeting the most rigorous regulatory demands. It is also fully redundant. InBatch employs true client/server architecture and its server engine integrates seamlessly with InTouch for management of plant floor operations."

InBatch 4.0 is scheduled to begin shipments in May through the company's worldwide network of more than 125 distributor offices.

Wonderware Corporation is the leading independent supplier of Windows-based software for the industrial automation marketplace, providing the Wonderware Factory Suite of integrated application generation tools for use in a broad range of industries. Founded in 1987, the company is headquartered in Irvine, CA, and has regional offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia to provide support to its worldwide distributor channel. The company reported record revenues of $55 million in 1995.

For more information, contact Don Allen, Director of Public/Investor Relations, Wonderware Corporation, 100 Technology Drive, Irvine, Calif. 92718. Phone: (714) 727-3200. Fax: (714) 453-6693. E-mail: dona@wonderware.com


Apple/Paramount Mission Impossible Campaign
Apple, Paramount Launch "Mission: Impossible" Campaign

HOLLYWOOD, April 18, 1996...Paramount Pictures and Apple Computer, Inc. have joined forces in an innovative, large-scale promotional campaign centering on "Mission: Impossible," Paramount's upcoming adventure thriller starring Tom Cruise.

The new initiative underscores Paramount's commitment and leadership in multimedia and the Internet while reinforcing the positive attributes of Apple's brand.

Arthur Cohen, president of worldwide marketing for Paramount Pictures' Motion Picture Group, said: "We've designed an exciting and positive promotional campaign with Apple Computer that complements Paramount's very aggressive overall marketing strategy for `Mission: Impossible.'"

Satjiv S. Chahil, Apple's senior vice president of corporate marketing, said, "Our work with Paramount on `Mission: Impossible' is another example of Apple's bold new marketing approach."

"Mission: Impossible" will be released in the U.S. and Canada on May 22, 1996. Directed by Brian De Palma, the Paramount Pictures Presentation is the first film from Cruise/Wagner Productions, Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner's production company based at Paramount. Cruise and Wagner are the producers, and Paul Hitchcock is the executive producer. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Robert Towne, and the story is by David Koepp and Steven Zaillian based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller.

Representing one element of Paramount's extensive and varied promotional campaign for "Mission: Impossible," the Apple promotion includes advertising, merchandising, in-theater and Internet programs as well as tie-ins with Apple dealers.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, on-line services and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., which is one of the world's largest entertainment and publishing companies and a leading force in nearly every segment of the international media marketplace. The operations of Viacom include Blockbuster Video, Blockbuster Music, MTV Networks, Paramount Parks, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Showtime Networks, Simon & Schuster and Viacom Interactive Media, as well as cable systems serving 1.2 million customers, radio and television stations, and movie screens in 11 countries. Viacom also has a majority interest in Spelling Entertainment Group. National Amusements, Inc., a closely held corporation which owns and operates more than 1,000 screens in the U.S. and the U.K., is the parent company of Viacom.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/


SQL Financials/Arbor Hi-Perf OLAP Reporting
SQL FINANCIALS PARTNERS WITH ARBOR SOFTWARE TO DELIVER HIGH-PERFORMANCE OLAP REPORTING

PART OF STRATEGIC EFFORT TO PROVIDE BROADER, BETTER INFORMATION ACCESS TO CUSTOMERS

ATLANTA, APRIL 23, 1996 -- SQL Financials International, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance client/server financial applications, today announced a technology and partnership agreement with Arbor Software Corporation focused on providing customers with a unique high-performance reporting solution that leverages Essbase's robust analytical server engine.

Under the agreement, SQL Financials will integrate the Essbase multidimensional database server with its General Ledger report writer to meet its customers' critical high-volume reporting needs. The new server-based reporting utility will enable customers to run high-volume reports in an efficient manner while maintaining the quality and familiar interface of their SQL Financials General Ledger report writer.

"This agreement is part of our expanding efforts to provide broader and better information access to our customers so they can obtain answers to their questions more quickly," said Joe McCall, CEO of SQL Financials. "By taking the unique approach of integrating SQL Financials' flexible report writer with Arbor's robust Essbase multidimensional database server, we will be able to provide a practical, production-ready means of meeting our clients' power reporting needs."

"SQL Financials is developing an innovative OLAP solution by integrating Essbase into its financial reporting system," said Jim Dorrian, president and CEO, Arbor Software. "This solution leverages the Essbase multidimensional database engine to dramatically increase the flexibility and performance of SQL Financials' production reporting environment."

Multidimensional databases (MDD) are optimized for applications that have large volumes of data and are consolidation or computation-intensive. MDDs provide large-scale data capacity, robust analytical calculations, flexible data navigation and consistently fast response times.

Development of the server-based reporting tool is expected to be completed later this year.

Arbor Software Corporation (Nasdaq: ARSW) develops and markets client/server software for business planning, analysis and management reporting. Arbor's products are used by more than 650 corporations spanning a broad range of industries and business applications including Bank of Boston, Emery Worldwide, Fidelity, Los Angeles Times, Neutrogena, Pennzoil, PEPSICO, Prudential and Sears. Arbor has over 100 application, services, tools and platform partners, including Comshare, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Microsoft. Arbor's products are sold direct, as well as through systems integrators and VARs worldwide. Arbor's offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale, Washington D.C., London and Paris. More information on Arbor products and services can be found on Arbor's World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.arborsoft.com.

Founded in 1991, SQL Financials International, Inc. develops and supports cross-industry client/server enterprise applications on a variety of scalable platforms for Fortune 1000 companies. SQL Financials offers General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Revenue Accounting, Fixed Assets, Document Manager and Task Manager applications and is in the process of developing a complete suite of application software. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company provides software and services to major corporations, including Ameritech; Executive Risk, Inc.; Freddie Mac; Oppenheimer Capital; Sara Lee Corporation; and United Technologies Corporation. The company differentiates itself on the basis of its high-performance, fully functional and intuitive client/server applications that are quick to implement and offer the lowest total cost of ownership.


Corel Customers Get Dial Access to Internet
AT&T WorldNet Service gives Corel customers dial access to the Internet

APRIL 23, 1996 -- NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Corel Corporation and AT&T today announced an agreement that will give customers of Corel's popular software products dial access to AT&T WorldNet Service, which provides value-added access to the Internet.

Access to AT&T WorldNet Service will be integrated into the U.S. versions of Corel WordPerfectR Suite and Corel Office Professional for Windows 3.1x and will be available May 1. AT&T WorldNet Service will be later integrated with CorelDRAW and Corel Print House and other Corel products.

"This agreement gives our customers who register for AT&T WorldNet Service immediate Internet access," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel Corporation. "We are pleased to add AT&T WorldNet Service, which includes the AT&T-branded version of Netscape NavigatorR, to our products to give our customers the quickest, easiest and most reliable dial-up access to the Internet available."

Corel's customers will have access to Corel's home page through AT&T WorldNet Service for previews of upcoming products, upgrades and promotional information.

"Corel and AT&T believe that access to the Internet has become a standard part of desktop computing, like word processing or spreadsheet use," said Tom Evslin, vice president of AT&T WorldNet Service. "We are happy to work with this leader in software for graphics, multimedia and word processing to make AT&T WorldNet Service a full member of their product offering."

Corel WordPerfect Suite and Office Professional also includes Starfish's Sidekick and Dashboard software products.

"Including AT&T WorldNet Service with Corel WordPerfect Suite represents an excellent value proposition for customers," said Starfish Software Chairman Philippe Kahn. "Corel's market-driven strategy is certain to succeed in a wider use of our technology as well as a broader use of the Internet and the World Wide Web with Office Suites."

The offer includes AT&T's revolutionary pricing: AT&T long distance customers have their choice of a year free trial on the Internet with the first five hours free each month or $19.95 per month for unlimited use. Corel's non-AT&T customers have their choice of unlimited access available for $24.95 a month, or $4.95 a month for the first three hours with the first five hours free in the first month after registration. Customers not on the unlimited plan are billed $2.50 per hour for additional usage. Customers pay separately for any local charges. Access to the service is available via an 800 number, with a $4.50 an hour surcharge.

AT&T brings to Corel customers its "Internet for Everyone" service, with directories and topical areas to help people find useful information, guided tours for newcomers, navigational aids for users of all skill levels, and electronic mail. AT&T WorldNet Service will work with most of today's popular Internet browsers, although an AT&T-branded version of the Netscape Navigator browser software is preconfigured for easy installation. The service also includes an AT&T toll-free, 24-hour hotline and world-class customer care.

For more information on AT&T WorldNet Service, customers may preview the AT&T WorldNet Service home page at http://www.att.com/worldnet/.

Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an award-winning developer and marketer of productivity applications, graphics and multimedia software. Corel's product line includes CorelDRAW, the Corel WordPerfect Suite, Corel Office Professional, CorelVIDEO and over 30 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, MS-DOS and OS/2, and are consistently rated among the strongest in the industry. The company ships its products in over 17 languages through a network of more than 160 distributors in 70 countries worldwide. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ -- National Market System (symbol:COSFF). For more information visit Corel's home page on the Internet at http://www.corel.com.

To get more information or subscribe to Worldnet Service, customers may call Customer Service: 1-800-WORLDNET or Send email to worldnet@attmail.com.


Autodesk Sells More Seats of AutoCAD in 1 Yr
AUTODESK SELLS MORE SEATS OF AUTOCAD IN ONE YEAR THAN ANY COMPETITORS' TOTAL INSTALLED BASE

AUTOCAD SALES SIGNIFICANTLY OVERSHADOW COMPETITION

San Rafael, California - April 22, 1996 - Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced that it sold more seats of AutoCAD software in one year* than the largest CAD software companies have sold in their entire history. In addition, Autodesk noted that it has sold more than 1.4 million copies of AutoCAD since the product was introduced in 1982, which is 7 times greater than its nearest competitor.

 Autodesk, AutoCAD Sales, FY96                    233,000

 Bentley, historical installed base               200,000

 ComputerVision, historical installed base        180,000

 CADKEY, historical installed base                150,000

 SDRC, historical installed base                  110,000

 PTC, historical installed base                    53,000

* Information from Independent Company reports/See details below

"With the strength of 1.4 million designers behind it, AutoCAD is the clear choice for design software professionals worldwide," said Godfrey Sullivan, vice president of the Americas sales division at Autodesk. "We are in a world where networked solutions are increasingly important. In the design industry, collaboration is essential. Therefore, when customers buy software from Autodesk they buy a worldwide collaboration tool, that is also a global standard."

Autodesk is also expanding the reach of its products through the de facto standard design file format, .DWG. In 1993, Autodesk sold approximately 50,000 .DWG producing seats per quarter, through sales of AutoCAD software. In FY 1996*, with strong sales of AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, and AutoCAD OEM software, Autodesk sold more than 100, 000 .DWG-based seats per quarter.

* Autodesk sales: Fiscal Year 1996 (February 1, 1995 - January 31, 1996)

* Installed Base: Bentley and PTC installed base numbers from Daratech 1996 Strategic Conference 3/96; CADKEY installed base numbers from their web page 3/96; SDRC Annual report 12/31/95, ComputerVision, Mike Smith at ComputerVision 3/20/96

AutoCAD software has been a staple among Fortune 500 companies, including Mercedes-Benz Mexico, General Motors, Shell Brazil, Applied Materials, Thompson Consumer Electronics, and Motorola. Autodesk has also been successful in providing solutions to thousands of smaller companies, those with less than ten employees. Seventy percent of the Fortune 500 largest industrial and service corporations in America are Autodesk customers.*

The latest release of AutoCAD, Release 13 for Windows 95, shipped on January 22, 1996. This release of AutoCAD, the world's leading design software, is a 32-bit, Microsoft Windows 95 logo-compliant application. AutoCAD R13 for Windows 95 provides a new generation of application programming interfaces (APIs), the AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARX), that allows developers the ability to create fast and easy-to-use object-oriented applications.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

* Fiscal Year 96 (February 1995-January 31, 1996)

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geo-graphic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 127 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide.


Enterprise-level Directories to Intranet Mkt
Coordinate.com Joins with Software.com to Bring StreetTalk to Intranet Messaging

Enterprise Directory Delivers Fast Look-up and Reduces Costs of Managing 'Net-based Mail

BURLINGTON, MASS. (APRIL 22, 1996) Coordinate.com, the Internet division of Banyan Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:BNYN), announced today that it is teaming with Software.com, Inc. to bring enterprise-level directories to the fast-growing intranet messaging market. Coordinate.com will license StreetTalk to Software.com, which will integrate the highly regarded directory technology into its popular Post.Office Internet mail server software

The first directory-enhanced version of Post.Office will ship later this year, and will be available from both Software.com and Coordinate.com. Coordinate.com will provide a complete client/server offering, comprising Post.Office, StreetTalk and BeyondMail distribution channels, including Banyan's Enterprise Networking Division. The software will be demonstrated at the Electronic Messaging Association conference in Anaheim April 28 - 30.

The licensing and joint development agreement will enable intranet users to seamlessly send and receive Internet mail, using public address books that dramatically speed the process of finding people and their e-mail addresses on the corporate network. StreetTalk's full-featured enterprise-level directory will also streamline management and synchronize intranet directories enterprise-wide.

StreetTalk's proven scalability and replication capabilities greatly reduce the burdens placed on intranet messaging administrators and lower the cost of maintaining global mail networks. Using Post.Office's unique "fill-in-the-blank" web forms, administrators can manage adds, moves, and changes of user accounts on users' specific mail servers anywhere in the corporate intranet from a single location. StreetTalk will automatically distribute this information to every server in the enterprise.

Software.com will incorporate all of StreetTalk's enterprise directory capabilities in future versions of its Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP)-based server software, which it licenses to OEMs, including many leading Internet mail providers, and sells to end-users. SMTP-based e-mail clients, including Coordinate.com's BeyondMail, will be able to access these directories using open Internet directory protocols.

StreetTalk and Post.Office will fully support Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), which is rapidly emerging as the open industry standard for directory services on the Internet.

Because Post.Office avoids the cumbersome gateways required for most proprietary e-mail packages to connect to the Internet, it eliminates the common pitfalls of delayed message transmission, garbled message content and scrambled return addresses.

"Software.com's recognized strengths and industry-leading alliances have made it a dominant player in the commercial market for cross-platform Internet mail servers," said John M. Paul, senior vice president of Coordinate.com. "By combining our capabilities, we will provide users with an open intranet messaging solution that's highly scalable and easy to administer in client/server environments."

FAST LOOK-UP AND EASY ADMINISTRATION

Streamlining administration and improving the ease-of-use of Internet mail are two critical issues facing large organizations, which are rapidly embracing the intranet as part of their enterprise network strategies.

Users will be able to find anyone in their corporate intranet by taking advantage of StreetTalk's rapid name-based type-down capabilities as well as its ability to rapidly search for users by almost any attribute. Users will also be able to locate the address of anyone on the corporate Intranet by typing just the first few letters of the recipient's last name. StreetTalk attributes let users access groups of colleagues, as well, such as English speakers in the Paris office.

"StreetTalk remains the directory standard that other vendors try to meet," said John MacFarlane, president and CEO of Software.com. "We are very excited to offer the first native Internet mail server with a directory service of this caliber. It's a natural pairing of complementary strengths to solve a very real business need: reliable, scalable and manageable intranet-based messaging."

LDAP EMERGES AS A STANDARD

LDAP, or Internet RFC1777, is poised to become the pre-dominant standard for client/server directory services. LDAP offers far more accessible application programming interfaces than alternative directory APIs and protocols. Several leading vendors are endorsing it as their standard protocol for directory services on the Internet.

Coordinate.com will ship intranet client developer toolkits for StreetTalk this spring, enabling developers to integrate its capabilities with e-mail clients and other commercial applications. The toolkit will support LDAP for use with the integrated version of StreetTalk and Post.Office.

TRIED AND TESTED TECHNOLOGIES

StreetTalk is widely recognized for its ability to support WANs with tens of thousands of users. In many organizations, just a handful of administrators support an entire StreetTalk-based network because of this scalable architecture. Integration with Post.Office will let existing StreetTalk users extend and enhance their networks with intranet messaging while leveraging their investment in StreetTalk directories and management.

Post.Office is recognized as the leading commercial-grade implementation of an SMTP mail server and is used by more than 8,000 organizations, Internet Service Providers and universities. By eliminating the need for gateways, Post.Office achieves higher performance levels, including a faster message transfer rate. It also ensures security for system and mail operations. Its robust commercial implementation of Internet mail standards gives it a significant competitive edge over other e-mail offerings that are based on public domain and often unreliable code.

Post.Office is available on Microsoft Windows NT (Intel and MIPS) and Unix (Solaris 2, SunOS4) operating systems and incorporates SMTP, Post Office Protocol (POP3) and Finger servers, with support for several other Unix and NT platforms under development. Designed for worldwide Internet use, Post.Office will soon support multiple languages, including those of Europe and Asia.

Coordinate.com provides software solutions for the Internet to help people and information find each other.

Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., USA, Coordinate.com is the Internet division of Banyan Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:BNYN).

Coordinate.com contact: Laura Spear

(617)273-7041

lspear@coordinate.com

Coordinate.com agency contacts: Amy Bermar,

Paul Parcellin

Corporate Ink

(617)969-9192

amybermar@corporateink.com

pparcellin@corporateink.com

Sofware.com contact: Arthur J. Rice

(805)882-2470

art.rice@software.com

Software.com agency contacts: Karen Lippe,

Corporate Communications

(408)374-4385

Klippe@software.com

Kathleen Parkinson

Corportate Communications

Kparkinson@software.com


Coordinate.com Supporting LDAP Directory Std
Coordinate.com to Deliver Broad Set of Solutions Supporting LDAP Directory Standard

Switchboard, StreetTalk and BeyondMail to Support LDAP By End of the Year

BURLINGTON, MASS. (APRIL 22, 1996) Coordinate.com, the Internet division of Banyan Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:BNYN), announced today that it will support the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) industry standard in its StreetTalk, Switchboard, and BeyondMail for SMTP products by the end of 1996.

LDAP, or Internet RFC 1777, is the dominant protocol for accessing online directory services over TCP/IP. More than 35 vendors, including Coordinate.com and Netscape Communications Corporation, jointly announced their commitment to LDAP in a separate release. Coordinate.com will demonstrate its Internet offerings at the Electronic Messaging Association conference in Anaheim April 28-30.

"By marrying LDAP-compliant directory services such as Switchboard and StreetTalk with the address book and other directory functions of Netscape Navigator and Netscape Directory Server software, millions of users can now look up people on the Internet as easily as looking up people within their own corporate departments," said Eric Hahn, senior vice president of enterprise technologies at Netscape Communications Corp.

Customers will soon be able to select best-in-class client and server applications from multiple vendors with the confidence that these products, including StreetTalk, Switchboard, and BeyondMail, will seamlessly interoperate with other LDAP-compliant offerings.

Both Coordinate.com and Banyans Enterprise Networking Division will support the LDAP protocol across their directory and messaging product lines:,

STREETTALK. LDAP-compliant applications will be able to access StreetTalk's robust directory capabilities and information about Banyans more than 4.5 million StreetTalk users. As a result of the widespread support for LDAP, StreetTalk users will have a broader array of applications that can leverage the directory's scalability, manageability and security. Banyans StreetTalk, widely used by many of the world's largest enterprise networking customers, will be LDAP compliant by December 1996.

StreetTalk integrated with Software.com's Post.Office. Also announced today, Coordinate.com is licensing StreetTalk to Software.com for integration into its popular Post.Office Internet mail server software. The resulting product will support the LDAP protocol later this year.

SWITCHBOARD. The nation's largest and fastest Internet-based directory with more than 100 million residential and business listings, Switchboard is a free service available today to anyone with an Internet browser. LDAP support will enable Switchboard to act as the largest address book for users of LDAP-compliant applications. Switchboard will be compliant with LDAP in Q4 1996.

BEYONDMAIL. This powerful e-mail software will let users view the world through its multi-tiered address book. New address book features to ship in 1996 will include access to the entire Internet-based Switchboard directory service, StreetTalk integrated with Post.Office, and other LDAP-compliant directory listings. BeyondMail for SMTP already supports LDAP through third-party solutions.

"LDAP represents a real break-through for intranet messaging because it provides a highly reliable and widely accepted standard for directory services," said John Paul, senior vice president of Coordinate.com. "Users can count on new products that build on our strengths and that fully support other companies' emerging LDAP products. "

Coordinate.com provides software solutions for the Internet to help people and information find each other.

Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., USA, Coordinate.com is the Internet division of Banyan Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:BNYN).

Coordinate.com contact: Laura Spear

(617)273-7041

lspear@coordinate.com

Agency contact: Amy Bermar,

Paul Parcellin

Corporate Ink

(617)969-9192

amybermar@corporateink.com

pparcellin@corporateink.com


I-PNNI Accepted As Work Effort by ATM Forum
I-PNNI Accepted As Work Effort By The ATM Forum

Bay Networks Leads Successful Multivendor Initiative

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 23, 1996--A proposal to begin work on the integrated private network-to-network interface (I-PNNI) standard was passed by a wide margin by the PNNI Working Group of The ATM Forum meeting held last week in Anchorage, Alaska. The proposal, which was initiated by Bay Networks, was jointly submitted by 16 major networking vendors.

I-PNNI is a single routing protocol for both ATM and existing internetwork layer protocols, such as IP. I-PNNI extends the capabilities of PNNI routing to the IP protocol, including quality of services (QoS) routing and the ability to scale networks. It allows QoS-sensitive routes to be computed based on the complete end-to-end network topology. This is an important step in providing QoS support for IP applications running over combined ATM and datagram networks. The work to specify this approach will be conducted by the PNNI Working Group of The ATM Forum.

I-PNNI is one of the key components of work needed to bring real time and QoS-sensitive IP applications to end users. These applications include desktop videoconferencing, audio conferencing, video on demand, and internet computer telephony integration. I-PNNI enhances and complements the activities underway currently in the ATM Forum's Multiprotocol over ATM (MPOA) Working Group and in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

"The growth of the IP community is exploding as more businesses deploy intranet and internet solutions. The real challenge facing customers and vendors alike is how best to deliver to IP users the inherent benefits of ATM in an efficient, cost-effective and simple manner," said Andy Ludwick, President of Bay Networks. "We're pleased that the industry will be focusing on I-PNNI to provide the solution to that challenge."

According to forecast data by the market research firm International Data Corp. (IDC), there were 11.7 million business internet and intranet users worldwide in 1995. IDC projects by 2000 these numbers will explode, reaching 122.7 million business internet and intranet users.

"I-PNNI is the core technology that enables this growing community of IP users to gain access to the native capabilities of ATM. Users no longer have to wait for native ATM applications to be written. I-PNNI integrates the two worlds of IP and ATM into one, helping to protect customers' investments in existing networks as they begin integrating additional technologies," said Rob Newman, Vice President of Product Management.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, small offices and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture. With revenue of $1.7 billion over the past four fiscal quarters, Bay Networks markets and supports its products from 121 offices around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. Bay Networks' World Wide Web address is: http://www.baynetworks.com.


Boca H.324 PC Card Based on Lucent AVP Chip
Boca Research's H.324 PC card based on Lucent Technologies' AVP chip

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Boca Research Inc.'s new PC add-on card for dial-up desktop videoconferencing over ordinary phone lines, being publicly demonstrated here for the first time, is based on the AVP Video/Audio Processor chip from Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group.

The demonstration of Boca Research's first H.324 standards-compliant product consists of a live plain old telephone service (POTS) two-way video call from this week's Global MegaMedia Technology Conference to the Dallas headquarters of MultiMedia Access Corp., the developer of Boca Research's desktop videoconferencing system application.

"This product leverages the strengths of all three companies in order to bring video-telephone technology to the PC user," said Steve Mills, vice president of business development at Boca Research.

"Industry experts believe that low-cost videoconferencing will be as big a stocking stuffer this Christmas as CD-ROMs were last year," added Mills. "Fortunately, Lucent Technologies has the critical components we need right now to meet our aggressive production schedule. The AVP chip delivers the quality of the two-way video experience within the affordability range of the average consumer. With the addition of Multimedia Access' new dial-up videoconferencing application, we're able to offer high functionality with a very simple graphical user interface."

The third generation AVP codec (compression/decompression) solution supports standards-based, two-way real-time videoconferencing over both analog and digital lines, including analog-to-digital audio signal conversion and optional high quality echo cancellation for speakerphone applications which eliminate the need for headphones.

The yet-unnamed PCI card works with all of Boca's V.34 28,800 bps modems, including the popular V.34 Boca Office Communicator and SoundExpression 28.8 products. Combined with the 32-bit Windows 95 application software, developed by MultiMedia Access Corp., it can be bundled by PC original equipment manufacturers or sold as a value-added capability to PentiumR PCs.

Founded in 1985, Boca Research is a U.S. corporation headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. with international operations and ventures worldwide. The company designs, manufactures markets and supports quality, cost-effective data communications, multimedia and networking products to facilitate the transmission and presentation of information on personal computers and computer networks.

Multimedia Access Corporation of Dallas, Tex. builds a wide range of video communications products for the home, business and the Internet.

Lucent Technologies is a new company created as part of AT&T's restructuring into three separate, publicly held companies. Its Microelectronics Group, headquartered in Berkeley Heights, N.J., designs and manufactures integrated circuits, optoelectronic components, power systems, and printed circuit boards for applications in the telecommunications and computing industries. Lucent Technologies' other businesses offer public and private networks, communications systems and software, and consumer and business telephone systems and devices. Bell Laboratories is the research and development arm of the new company.

Note: This press release was issued in the U.S. Although Lucent Technologies sells its products worldwide, specific products may not be available in all regions at the same time, and pricing may vary by region.

For product information or to order, customers should contact:

 Customer Response Center

 1-800-372-2447 (U.S.)

 1-800-553-2448 (Canada)

 1-610-712-4106 (fax)


Boca High-Perf Stand Alone & Rack Modems
BOCA RESEARCH ANNOUNCES NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE STAND ALONE AND MANAGED RACK MODEMS WITH OPTIMUM BUSINESS FEATURES FOR CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTS

Boca Raton, FL April 22, 1996 - Boca Research, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOCI) announced today during its Global MegaMedia Technology Conference the Boca Pro16 Corporate Modem and the Boca Pro16 Rack System, two new high-end modems designed specifically for large corporate environments needing optimum business and network managed communication features. The Boca Pro16 family offers flexibility for meeting growing configuration requirements. Shipment of both products are anticipated to begin in June with international versions to follow.

"These new high-end offerings round out our modem product line by providing quality, feature-rich products for large organizations demanding optimum flexibility in the day-to-day management of their communications activities," said Jerry Lumpkin, vice president of product management and marketing at Boca Research.

Boca Pro16 High-Performance Features

The Boca Pro16 Corporate Modem is a full-featured external 28.8 Kbps data/14.4 Kbps fax modem. Ideal for demanding business applications, the Boca Pro16 is both standard dial-up and leased-line capable, supports synchronous and asynchronous communications, is flash ROM upgradable, provides remote access, selectable flow control and full security features to protect sensitive data.

The Boca Pro16 Rack System provides network management features for large organizations requiring centralized communications. Its SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) controller card has a standard serial interface over which it runs SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol) allowing network management tools to query other Boca Pro16 Rack Modems. The rack chassis supports up to 17 V.34 modem cards, a controller card and two power supplies. The redundancy feature ensures data is kept safe; should a power failure occur with one of the power supplies, the other one automatically takes over. It also features synchronous and asynchronous data communications for dial-up or leased-line rack-mounted applications, is flash ROM upgradable and comes with complete security features.

Corporate Information

Founded in 1985, Boca Research (NASDAQ: BOCI) is a U.S. corporation headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with international operations and ventures worldwide. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports quality, cost-effective data communications, multimedia and networking products to facilitate the transmission and presentation of information on personal computers and computer networks. The company provides hardware products augmented with software for use in the corporate, consumer and small office/home office marketplaces. Boca's current product groups include data communications (fax/data/voice modems); multimedia (video, telephony, sound, voice and data); networking; video graphics; and input/output (I/O), IDE and multiport products. The company sells its products worldwide to wholesale distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retailers.


Boca Desktop Videoconferencing Product
BOCA RESEARCH UNVEILS NEW DESKTOP VIDEOCONFERENCING PRODUCT

Boca Raton, FL April 22, 1996 - Boca Research, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOCI) announced today its plans to expand its video family of products with the addition of a desktop videoconferencing product. The new product, the first in a series of desktop videoconferencing products planned, is being demonstrated during Boca Research's Global MegaMedia Technology Conference this week in Boca Raton. The live demo will highlight the product's two-way videoconferencing features from the MegaMedia Technology Conference to MultiMedia Access Corporation's offices in Dallas, Texas. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.

"Our videoconferencing product brings a new generation of technology that is now affordable for the general public," said Steve Mills, vice president of business development at Boca Research. "Businesses can save travel dollars using our desktop videoconferencing system for one-on-one video telephone calls and grand parents can now talk to and see their grand children from their PCs," he added.

Product Features

Boca's desktop videoconferencing product provides face-to-face desktop video conferencing with simultaneous audio/video over a single dial-up telephone connection. This product is a collaborative effort and combination of technology designs. Boca Research is designing the hardware PCI bus adapter, MultiMedia Access Corporation is providing the application software and Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group is providing their AVP audio/video processor chip. This product will work with all of Boca Research's V.34 modems and is an excellent bundle for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) as well as a great add-on package for Pentium PCs.

On-board hardware provides real-time compression and decompression of audio and video signals giving unsurpassed teleconferencing capability. It supports high-quality connections to the desktop via the H.324 (POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service), H.320 (ISDN) and H.323 (LAN) industry standards. With its five external connectors for NTSC/PAL camera input, microphone input, microphone output, line in and line out along with its modular design, it is a complete desktop videoconferencing solution.

Corporate Information

MultiMedia Access Corporation is based in Dallas, Texas and builds a wide range of video communications products for the home, business and the Internet. MultiMedia Access Corporation currently supplies videoconferencing products to companies such as Intel, Sun Microsystems and Alcatel.

Lucent Technologies is a new company created as part of AT&T's restructuring into three separate, publicly held companies. Its Microelectronics Group designs and manufactures integrated circuits, optoelectronic components, power systems, and printed circuit boards for applications in the telecommunications and computing industries.

Founded in 1985, Boca Research (NASDAQ: BOCI) is a U.S. corporation headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with international operations and ventures worldwide. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports quality, cost-effective data communications, multimedia and networking products to facilitate the transmission and presentation of information on personal computers and computer networks. The company provides hardware products augmented with software for use in the corporate, consumer and small office/home office marketplaces. Boca's current product groups include data communications (fax/data/voice modems); multimedia (video, telephony, sound, voice and data); networking; video graphics; and input/output (I/O), IDE and multiport products. The company sells its products worldwide to wholesale distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retailers.


VB/Link v4.0 Lotus Notes ActiveX Controls
Brainstorm Releases VB/Link v4.0, First Lotus Notes ActiveX/OCX Controls for Client/Server and Internet Applications Development

Furthers International Presence with Global Alliance Partners Program

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- April 16, 1996 --

Brainstorm Technology, Inc., the leader in Lotus Notes and workgroup tools, today released the latest version of its flagship product, VB/Link for Lotus Notes. The new VB/Link 4.0 is the industry's first Lotus Notes ActiveX Controls which enable client/server and internet developers to build compound Notes v3.x or Notes v4.0 applications using Microsoft's OLE custom control technology (OCX), now known as ActiveX.

With the release of VB/Link 4.0, Brainstorm is announcing the company's continued international expansion with the Brainstorm Global Alliance Program, a program designed for select partners commited to marketing and distributing Lotus Notes third-party products, services and solutions.

VB/Link 4.0 provides custom client/server applications and web pages instant, rich functionality including Notes security, replication, rich-text content, forms and views. A new breed of mobile client/server database and internet applications can be created for commerce, credit card approvals, sales force automation, help desks and human resources, taking advantage of Notes sub-components.

"If you take the Notes client user interface and break it up into objects, you'd have the components of VB/Link," said George Hoffman, Sandoz-Agro Pharmaceuticals. "VB/Link is the first product to bring objects that can reproduce Notes views, Notes rich text fields, and Notes forms from within custom client/server and internet applications."

VB/Link ActiveX Controls are open, cross-platform technology supported by Internet Explorer 3.0, NCSA's Mosaic 2.2 and Netscape Navigator 2.0, as well as Active X containers such as Microsoft Visual Basic v4.0 (16- and 32-bit), Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Access for Windows95, Borland Delphi 2.0, Powersoft's Optima++, Powerbuilder v5.0 and all other ActiveX Controls container applications available today.

"Since we introduced VB/Link, the industry's first Lotus Notes VBX in 1993, Brainstorm has seen a tremendous commitment from our customers who require the most advanced tools and applications for building robust Notes applications using popular front-end development tools -- Visual Basic, SQLWindows or PowerBuilder, for example -- that they are familiar with," said Rizwan Virk, President and CEO of Brainstorm. "Once again Brainstorm is in a market-leading position with the release of VB/Link 4.0, bringing the capability to use Notes ActiveX Controls to all existing client/server and new internet developers."

First Object-Oriented Notes OCX for 16- and 32-bit Development VB/Link is the first object oriented development tool for Notes. Other products provide complicated APIs or DLLs that need to be called for accessing Notes databases. VB/Link, on the other hand, encapsulates the complexity in various objects that can be put onto forms and manipulated via properties and methods, within the development environment of choice. These objects can be used from within a multitude of development environments and applications, and can be interchanged and stored in object repositories.

Applications built on these development platforms can read and write to Lotus Notes databases directly via the standard OLE custom control interface. This object architecture drastically reduces the implementation time as compared to the use of Lotus Notes C API.

The new VB/Link provides full support for all 16 and 32-bit development environments supporting ActiveX or OCX controls, and is compatible with all existing Notes 3.x as well as new 16 and 32-bit Notes 4.0 applications.

ONE-STEP VISUAL CONTROLS FOR NOTES RICH-TEXT, VIEWS AND FORMS RENDERING

New in this release, VB/Link 4.0 adds advanced support for "one-step" visual controls and enhanced data control: NotesData adds Notes replication, mail, and full-text objects; NotesView allows Notes developers to build applications that incorporate the same familiar hierarchical Notes views look-and-feel in one, easy step; Notes rich text enables Notes developers to access native Notes rich-text data quickly and easily without any programming.

A key feature of VB/Link 4.0 is support for rendering complete Notes forms and documents. This allows an entire Notes document, including the form design, default field values, validation and security to be presented to the user as it would appear in Notes.

"One of the features that makes Notes unique in the database world is that every record has a form, and can be presented as a document. SQL databases can't do that. The document rendering feature of VB/Link lets developers keep that representation in their client/server application, and build workflow applications," said Virk.

"Perhaps more importantly with the emergence of internet and intranet applications, the strengths of the Notes document store and user interface can be presented directly to all users of popular Web browsers including Netscape and the Internet Explorer," Virk added.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

VB/Link 4.0 will be available by early May, directly from Brainstorm, the Brainstorm Buyers Guide, and through authorized resellers and international distributors at a U.S. suggested retail price of $795 per developer with free run-time. International pricing can be obtained directly through Brainstorm or one of the company's Global Alliance Partners.

An evaluation version of VB/Link 4.0 will be available free of charge at Brainstorm's Web site, at http://www.braintech.com. Click to download our fully functional OCX component for local Notes access.

ABOUT BRAINSTORM TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Founded in 1993, Brainstorm Technology, Inc., is a pioneer in the development of Lotus Notes and workgroup development tools and applications. The company provides both off-the-shelf products and a range of consulting services designed to help companies gain access and integrate existing corporate technologies with emerging groupware platforms. The company's award-winning products, VB/Link, Datalink, OfficeLink and Server AdminPlus are currently used by more than 1,500 organizations in 12 countries.


BTG Adds Verity Products to GSA Offering
BTG Enhances Internet and Intranet Solutions by Adding Verity Products to GSA Offering

Verity's topic Search and Retrieval Products Complement BTG's Existing Netscape Offerings

VIENNA, VIRGINIA, APRIL 23, 1996 -- BTG, Inc. (Nasdaq: BTGI) has added sophisticated data search and retrieval technology from Verity, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRTY) to the Internet and Intranet solutions it offers to the federal market, the two companies announced today. Verity's topic products, combined with Internet software from Netscape Communications Corporation and customized integration services from BTG, are available on BTG's GSA Schedules and other U.S. Government contracts.

BTG, one of the largest and fastest-growing resellers to the U.S. Government, provides Netscape Navigator and Netscape server products to the federal government. Verity is a leading provider of software tools and applications for searching, retrieving and filtering information. The Netscape/Verity package offered by BTG gives users fast, easy access to data as well as the ability to create highly specific searches to quickly retrieve relevant information.

"Verity complements our Internet and Intranet services offerings," said Tom Nixon, vice president and general manager of BTG Technology Systems. "This agreement and these product offerings will give government agencies one-stop shopping for complete Internet and Intranet solutions."

"Every organization -- public and private -- needs up-to-date information to make vital decisions, but few have the time to monitor and search every relevant database," said Verity Chairman and CEO Philippe Courtot. "This relationship with BTG makes Verity's products more widely available to government agencies, and gives government agencies a new and powerful decision-making capability."

VERITY'S ADVANCED SEARCH FEATURES ENHANCE BTG NETSCAPE OFFERING

By combining Verity's topicINTERNET, topicSEARCH, and topicAGENT product lines with Netscape Internet servers, BTG can offer complete turnkey solutions for information profiling, search and retrieval across the client's organization and the Internet. "Verity is known for the sophistication and quality of its products, training and support," said Linda Hill, vice president of Advanced Solutions for BTG. "Government users receive those benefits, while the agency minimizes its development costs by purchasing commercial-off-the-shelf products."

These solutions will have an upgrade path to Netscape's next server, and are compatible with current and future Verity search tools which work together to create information collections that ensure seamless upgrades. As search needs evolve, an upgrade to Verity's Advance Search applications will be available from BTG. "Verity's products are modular and expandable, so buyers may select what they require now and add new capabilities as needed," Hill said.

ABOUT VERITY

Verity, Inc., founded in April 1988 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, develops and markets the topic family of software tools for searching, retrieving and filtering information. Verity's products have been licensed to corporations, government agencies, online service providers, and Internet publishers and developers worldwide. Verity partners include Dow Jones, Adobe Systems, AT&T, Hitachi, Quarterdeck, Netscape Communications, Lotus Development Corporation, Reuters, WavePhore, and many others.

ABOUT BTG

BTG is an information technology company specializing in the value- added reselling of hardware, software and services, Internet/Intranet services, custom computer manufacturing, systems engineering and integration, and network systems. Headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, BTG has over 900 employees and offices in ten states and in Europe. Additional information about BTG is available on the Internet at http://www.btg.com/

BTG, Inc.

1945 Old Gallows Road

Vienna, VA 22182


CADIS Intros Web Solution for Parts Mgmt
CADIS Introduces Web Solution for Parts Management

Company's Krakatoa Web product enables enterprise-wide intranet access to CADIS-PMX parts data

April 22, 1996, BOULDER, Colo.-CADIS, the world's leading supplier of parts management solutions for discrete manufacturers, today announced Krakatoa for PMX, a major enhancement to its CADIS-PMX (Parts Management eXpert) product line. CADIS-PMX is an object-oriented, client/server software solution used by large discrete manufacturers to provide rapid, intuitive access to parts information used in product design. Krakatoa for PMX allows these companies to take advantage of Internet Web browser technology to provide lower cost, and more easily administered, enterprise-wide access to their parts information.

The dramatic rise in the use of the World Wide Web as an intranet network is a direct result of the ability of standard Web browsers to present data on any Web-enabled client, with little or no system administration required for each client. Recent surveys indicate a surge of interest in the Web for these intranet applications, citing over 70% of Web browser sales as large corporate installations for intranet access. "Virtually all of our customers have implemented, or are seriously considering the use of the Web as an internal network to span their enterprise," said Venkat Mohan, CADIS president and COO. "Krakatoa for PMX provides a powerful new set of capabilities, enabling our customers to make CADIS-PMX available to anyone within the corporation that deals with or makes decisions about parts, regardless of where they are located or what type of workstation they have."

Krakatoa for PMX is built with SUN Microsystems' new Web programming language Java, as well as HTMLFrames and JavaScript from Netscape. Cited as one of the first major commercial applications of Java, Krakatoa allows end users with either Java or HTML-enabled browsers to access the PMX knowledge base, navigate through the parts classification schema and apply any related attributes to find parts data in seconds, linking to part drawings or documentation via URL tags.

"We've created what many have a called a 'breakthrough' with our use of Java and JavaScript in Krakatoa to create a working client/server architecture on the Web," says Chris Beall, CADIS chief technology officer. "As browser technology matures, we will continue to enhance Krakatoa for PMX with features now found in the CADIS-PMX client/server product, as well as new capabilities made possible by the technology."

Krakatoa for PMX is available immediately, with a list price of $99, 500 for an unlimited user access license.

Based in Boulder, Colo., CADIS has regional sales and support offices throughout the United States. CADIS International Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary located in the U.K., supports the company's sales and marketing efforts in Europe. For more information, contact CADIS at 303-440-4363, 1909 26th Street, Boulder, CO 80302; http://www.cadis.com.


OmniPage Pro 6.0 Retail Upgrade at Best Buy
OMNIPAGE PRO 6.0 RETAIL UPGRADE PRODUCT AVAILABLE CHAINWIDE AT BEST BUY

EXPANDED RESELLER CHANNELS HELP PUSH CAERE OCR TO MERISEL HOT LIST

LOS GATOS, Calif., April 23, 1996--Caere Corporation (NASDAQ:CAER), the leading provider of optical character recognition (OCR) technology, and Best Buy Co., Inc., a leading retailer of electronics and computer equipment, today announced the availability of OmniPage Pro 6.0 Retail Upgrade chainwide at Best Buy in mid-May. The manufacturer's suggested retail price of OmniPage Pro 6.0 Retail Upgrade is $129.

"After testing the OmniPage Pro 6.0 retail upgrade in many of our stores and evaluating its turns and popularity with our customers, we have expanded the availability to include all locations," said Eric Vincent, Senior Buyer at Best Buy. "We are happy to provide our customers with Caere's OCR software to allow scanner owners, to get the most out of their scanning hardware investment." OmniPage Pro on Merisel HOT LIST

OmniPage Pro's expanded distribution in channels like Best Buy and other key resellers helped to push OmniPage Pro onto Merisel's March HOT LIST. Merisel's HOT LIST provides a listing of top selling products in a variety of software and hardware categories including Retail Business Software, where OmniPage Pro is number seven.

"With record sales' months with several of our key resellers, it is no surprise that OmniPage Pro has landed on the Merisel HOT LIST," said Matt Miller, Caere's director of channel marketing. "We are excited that OCR software appears in the Business Software category with such best sellers as WordPerfect, MS Word, and MS Office."

THE PRODUCT

OmniPage Pro 6.0 for Windows eliminates retyping of paper documents by reading scanned and faxed pages and accurately converting them to editable text for use in word processors, spreadsheets, hypertext markup language (HTML) editors, and other text-based applications. The retail upgrade provides an inexpensive way for most scanner users to step up to the robust features and capabilities of OmniPage Pro 6.0 from the basic OCR software included in their scanners.

The $129 (MSRP) upgrade price represents a $350 cost reduction over the non-upgrade product. Users eligible for the upgrade include owners of Caere's OmniPage Pro and WordScan products that were either purchased as stand alone or bundled with most flatbed and edge-feed scanners. Considering Caere's aggressive seeding strategy with the major scanner manufacturers, most scanner owners are eligible for the upgrade, including owners of many Hewlett-Packard, Visioneer, Microtek, Canon, Plustek, Umax, Nikon, Agfa, Logitech, Relisys, and other scanners.

Enabling scanner owners to get the most out of their hardware investment, the OmniPage Pro 6.0 retail upgrade offers all the capabilities of Caere's bundled OCR products plus additional features for extended functionality. These additional features include improved accuracy, an easy to use AutoOCR Toolbar, a spell-check-like verification window, integration with popular Windows applications, a 24-bit color graphic image editor, the ability to "zone" and deskew scanned images, True Page technology to retain original page formatting, and many others.

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1976, Caere Corporation, with U.S. headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. and European headquarters, Caere GmbH, in Munich, Germany, is the worldwide leader in OCR technology and a leading developer of desktop form sprocessing and document management products. Caere can be reached at 1-800-535-7226 x110.

BEST BUY

Best Buy is the nation's leading specialty retailer of name brand consumer electronics, home office products, entertainment software and major appliances. The Company, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, operates 252 locations in 29 states. Best Buy's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, symbol BBY.


Cisco Systems to Acquire StrataCom

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. - APRIL 22, 1996 - Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced an agreement to acquire StrataCom, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRM), a leading supplier of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Frame Relay high-speed wide area network (WAN) switching equipment that integrates and transports a wide variety of information, including voice, data and video.

The combination with StrataCom will enable Cisco to provide end-to-end solutions across public, private or hybrid networks. Cisco and StrataCom will define the future of networking by merging high-performance ATM switching and local area network (LAN) switching with the intelligence and control of routing to develop the next-generation networking infrastructure. The combined entity will be positioned to deliver integrated, scalable multiservice network solutions to public carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises.

Under the terms of the agreement, shares of Cisco common stock will be exchanged for all outstanding shares and options of StrataCom. Each share of StrataCom stock will be exchanged for the higher of one Cisco share or $50 of Cisco stock, depending on the price of Cisco's shares averaged during a specified period preceding the merger. If the average price of Cisco shares falls below $41 during this period, then the exchange rate will be 1.22 shares of Cisco stock to one share of StrataCom stock. The transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests and will qualify as a tax reorganization. Following the transaction, Dick Moley, president and CEO of StrataCom, will join Cisco's board of directors.

The closing price of Cisco common stock on April 19, 1996, was $47.75 per share, giving the transaction an approximate value of $4 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of June 1996 and is subject to various conditions, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act and approval by StrataCom stockholders.

"By combining our networking technologies with those of StrataCom, Cisco will become the first vendor to provide advanced network infrastructure for the intranet and Internet environments and the only vendor to offer end-to-end connectivity across public, private or hybrid networks," said John Chambers, president and CEO of Cisco Systems.

"In addition to having complementary technologies and a shared vision of future networking architectures, Cisco and StrataCom are both entrepreneurial, fast-growing Silicon Valley companies that thrive on the dynamic networking market," said StrataCom's Moley. "There's an excellent fit of cultures, values and personal chemistry."

The transaction is expected to have a slightly dilutive-to-neutral impact on Cisco's earnings in fiscal 1997. However, any dilution is expected to be offset by the gain from certain appreciated securities from prior investments.

Concurrent with this agreement, the companies have entered into licensing and OEM agreements under standard terms. StrataCom will license Cisco IOS software for integration into its line of wide area switching products, and Cisco will distribute and resell StrataCom's entire product line worldwide.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The company's actual results, including the level of earnings of both Cisco and StrataCom, may differ from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, risks associated with acquisitions, such as difficulties in the assimilation of operations, technologies and products of the acquired companies, diversion of management's attention from other business concerns and risks of entering new markets.

StrataCom, Inc., based in San Jose, California, USA, develops, delivers and supports FastPacket networking systems for ATM applications in private wide area networks and public carrier service offerings, such as frame relay and ATM. StrataCom's family of products, including IPX", IGX, BPX, AXIS, FastPAD, and EdgeConnect, is used to integrate and transport a wide variety of corporate information, including voice, data, video, LANs, image and multimedia traffic in narrowband to broadband ATM network applications. Company news and product/service information are available at World Wide Web site http://www.stratacom.com

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the leading global supplier of internetworking solutions for corporate intranets and the global Internet. Cisco's products, including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software, are integrated by the Cisco IOS software to link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs and IBM networks. Company news and product/service information are available at World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco is headquartered in San Jose, California.


CGI to Resell Cognos Business Products
CGI, PARIS-BASED IBM SUBSIDIARY, TO RESELL COGNOS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS

AGREEMENT ENSURES COMPLETE INTEGRATION OF IMPROMPTU&REG; AND POWERPLAY&REG; INTO CGI HUMAN RESOURCES APPLICATIONS

BURLINGTON, MA, APRIL 24, 1996 -- Cognos (NASDAQ:COGNF; TSE:CSN), the global leader in business intelligence products, today announced a worldwide agreement under which CGI, a Paris, France-based subsidiary of IBM, will resell Cognos' market-leading business intelligence tools, Impromptu and PowerPlay, as part of its Human Resources Management applications offering. CGI will completely integrate the Cognos products into the CGI applications and resell them under the CGI name. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"CGI's demand for the best business intelligence solution emphasizes Cognos' market leadership," said Jean-Pierre Jauvin, director, Cognos Business Development and Strategic Alliances. "CGI, one of the leading European vendors of human resources software, will now be able to provide our comprehensive solution to their customers in the most cost-effective manner. This agreement underscores our international growth and horizontal development in strategic markets."

"After an extensive evaluation of all the business intelligence tools in the marketplace, it was obvious that Cognos offered the best solution for our customers," said Jean-Claude Letranchant of CGI. "This agreement substantially expands our Human Resources Management package by adding Cognos' comprehensive database query, reporting and multidimensional analysis capabilities. Our customers will receive Impromptu and PowerPlay with prebuilt catalogs and multidimensional OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) datacubes, substantially reducing maintenance costs associated with interface-only integrations."

CGI's HRM solution, used by over 650 customers in 19 countries, offers a comprehensive set of integrated functional modules covering all the areas of payroll and human resource management: Payroll and Personnel Administration, Recruitment, Position Management, Workforce Analysis, Training Management, Career Development, Time and Attendance, Compensation and Benefits Administration.

CGI

CGI is an international software and professional services company. CGI's expertise includes application development technology, professional services and software solutions. An integral part of IBM, CGI is the dedicated AD center. CGI had sales of $435M in 1995 and employs 4,500 people worldwide.

COGNOS

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos Business Intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- advanced client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA. Cognos' World Wide Web address is http://www.cognos.com.

Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).


Cognos & VMARK Data Warehouse Initiative
COGNOS AND VMARK SOFTWARE TO PARTNER IN DATA WAREHOUSE INITIATIVE

VMARK TO RESELL COGNOS' BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TOOLS WORLDWIDE

BURLINGTON, MA (APRIL 22, 1996) -- Cognos, (NASDAQ:COGNF;TSE:CSN), the global leader in business intelligence products and VMARK Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:VMRK), one of the world's foremost providers of client/server software and services, today announced a worldwide agreement by which VMARK will resell Cognos' award-winning business intelligence tools as part of its UniVersal Warehouse initiative.

The agreement provides both companies with greater accessibility to new markets.

Under the terms of the agreement, VMARK will resell Cognos' data base reporting and on-line analytical processing (OLAP) software, Impromptu and PowerPlay, to its worldwide customer base of more than one million users and through its indirect sales channel of more than 360 value added resellers.

VMARK's UniVersal Warehouse initiative combines its UniVerse RDBMS Server and HyperStar data access middleware with third-party software and a range of professional services to deliver a comprehensive data warehousing solution. The worldwide agreement follows a successful UK-only relationship where Cognos' PowerPlay replaced rivals Forest & Trees, Pilot Lightship and GQL, as VMARK's OLAP client.

The data warehouse market has become one of the fastest growing segments of the computer industry. Characterized by the need for rapid access to large volumes of historical or reference data and for the ability to manipulate, analyze and "warehouse" information from many different sources, its growth is driven by companies looking for a competitive advantage. The worldwide data warehouse market is estimated to reach $7 billion by 1999, a compound annual growth rate of 34.7 percent from 1994, according to International Data Corporation, a research firm located in Framingham, Mass.

"This relationship, alongside other recently announced partnerships, underlines Cognos' position as the world leader in business intelligence," said Ron Zambonini, Cognos' CEO and president. "Impromptu and PowerPlay are the best-of-breed desktop tools for decision makers at all levels of an enterprise, a position which attracts partners who are also themselves world leaders. VMARK's UniVersal Warehouse initiative positions VMARK to be a leader in the market and we look forward to a mutually beneficial business alliance, " Zambonini concluded.

"The addition of Cognos' well-respected business intelligence tools complements our UniVersal Warehouse initiative," said Robert M. Morrill, VMARK's president, CEO and chairman. "Impromptu and PowerPlay greatly enhance our product set as we aggressively pursue the data warehouse market. The partnership will also contribute significantly to the Cognos channel, creating thousands of new Impromptu and PowerPlay customers," Morrill said.

Cognos is the global leader in providing business intelligence software to satisfy enterprise-wide data access and analysis needs. With over 250,000 seats in thousands of companies worldwide, PowerPlay and Impromptu consistently service the widest range of users across corporate, departmental, workgroup, personal and mobile applications. The products support over 100 relational and OLAP data sources and are available in seven major languages. Cognos business intelligence products are sold through the company's 40 sales offices and by over 450 resellers around the globe.

Cognos develops, markets and supports -- both directly and through resellers worldwide -- client/server tools for data access, data analysis and application development on a wide range of open and proprietary computing platforms. Cognos is a publicly held company with dual headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, MA.

Copies of previous Cognos press releases and Corporate and product information are available on Cognos' World Wide Web (WWW) site, at http://www.cognos.com and at PR Newswire's site at http://www.prnewswire.com. Product and company information can also be found at the Cognos CompuServe forum (GO COGNOS).

VMARK Software Inc., with its headquarters in Westboro, Mass, is a global supplier of client/server software and services. VMARK's offerings are available worldwide in virtually all areas of business, industry and government. Its product family includes the UniVerse RDBMS server, HyperStar, object-messaging middleware, and ObjectStudio, an object-oriented application development tool. Its product are complemented by a suite of services including 24 hour customer support, consulting and integration.

You can obtain this release and other information about VMARK Software, Inc. on VMARK's home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.vmark.com.


Compaq Search for Most Imaginative Families
Compaq Searches for America's Most Imaginative Families

HOUSTON APRIL 22, 1996---It's a dream come true! Creative-thinking families who can imagine a powerful, innovative personal computer in their homes may find their wish fulfilled. Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ), the company that asks "Has it changed your life yet?", is kicking off a new program in the U.S. to award Compaq Presario PCs to ten families who creatively answer the question "How could a Compaq Presario family computer change your family's life?" The "'Has It Changed Your Life Yet?' Search for Compaq Families" begins April 22, 1996, and continues through August 26, 1996.

Families can take their chances at winning a Compaq Presario by submitting an attention-grabbing 500 word essay about the impact a Presario family computer could have in their homes. Family members will need to put on their thinking caps and brainstorm together, coming up with creative uses and practical applications for this smart, useful personal computer. Whether it is balancing the family checkbook, keeping up-to-date with world events, e-mailing Aunt Sophie's Tuna Souffle recipe, or keeping track of when Fido last had his shots, the Compaq Presario inspires dozens of uses for a family PC.

"We often hear from customers how our products are changing their lives," said Jim Garrity, Vice President, Communications for Compaq. "This program will reward the ten families which can best articulate how a Compaq Presario could change their lives in the future."

But before clearing off the desktop for their prize, families should call the toll-free "'Has It Changed Your Life Yet?' Search for Compaq Families" Hotline at 1-888-2-WIN-A-PC (1-888-294-6272) to learn how to request an official entry form and list of contest rules. Contest rules and regulations are also available from Compaq Computer Corporation's world wide website at WWW.COMPAQ.COM. Entry forms and essays should be submitted no later than August 26, 1996, and received at:

 "Has It Changed Your Life Yet?"

 P.O. Box 78037

 St. Louis, MO 63178

Entries can also be submitted through August 26 by e-mail to COMPAQ@SHANDWICK-STL.COM.

Winners of the Compaq Presario family computers will be selected from entries with both creative and enjoyable answers to the question of how the Presario, a powerful and resourceful appliance, could be put to work to help a family communicate, work, learn and enjoy its free time.

Thinking creatively about uses of this innovative personal computer shouldn't be too hard. Compaq has created an innovative computer that every member of the family can use for a variety of purposes. The Presario's fast modem opens new avenues of communication from home with the capabilities to fax, e-mail and explore the World Wide Web with the family PC. With dynamic stereo sound and full-screen, full-motion video, the Compaq Presario offers the most dynamic multimedia experience available from a home computer.

Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers and options. The company reported 1995 worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through Compaq marketing partners and sold directly to customers through Compaq Direct Plus at 1-800-888-5858. Compaq provides 24-hour customer support and can be reached through the Compaq forums on America Online, CompuServe, Internet (http://www.compaq.com), and Prodigy, or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-345-1518.


Compaq Federal GSA Contract Renewed
Compaq's Federal GSA Contract Renewed

HOUSTON, APRIL 22, 1996 -- Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced that the company's U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule B/C Contract has been renewed for the period April 1, 1996 through March 31, 1997.

Through the contract, federal government customers can obtain Compaq's high quality, high performance business products, including Compaq Deskpro PCs, which provide users reduced PC costs through Compaq's "intelligent manageability" desktop management tools; as well as the Compaq ProLinea family, offering powerful technology at affordable prices. Also available through the GSA schedule are Compaq's value-line notebook PCs and new models of Compaq's industry leading ProLiant servers, equipped with Microsoft BackOffice and leading web server software. In addition, Compaq will propose for inclusion on the GSA schedule its new Netelligent&#153; internetworking product line to round out its offering of end-to-end solutions for government users.

"Compaq is pleased to continue providing its federal customers the highest quality and highest performance products," said Don Weatherson, Compaq vice president for Government and Education. "We expect government agencies to benefit from Compaq's complete solutions, which combine value-oriented, feature-rich desktop products with integrated, reliable, mission-critical application servers and internetworking solutions."

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Information about Compaq's GSA Contract (number GS-35F-3059D) and the company's other federal programs is available at 1-800-727-5472.

Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers, and options. The company reported 1995 worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq provides 24-hour customer support and can be reached through the Compaq forums on America Online, CompuServe, Internet (http://www.compaq.com), and Prodigy, or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ.


Compaq & Phoenix to Speed Dev of USB
Compaq and Phoenix Announce Effort to Speed Development of USB and Make PCs Easier to Use

PHOENIX TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT COMPAQ'S OPEN HCI-COMPATIBLE ASIC DESIGN

HOUSTON, TX AND SANTA CLARA, CA, APRIL 22, 1996 -- In a move aimed at making PCs easier to use, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) and Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:PTEC) today announced an agreement intended to speed the adoption of the Universal Serial Bus (USB). USB is an emerging industry standard that defines how many peripherals can be connected to a single physical connector in the back of the PC, reducing the number of cables and ultimately replacing the multiple ports currently required.

The agreement allows Phoenix to actively promote and support Compaq's Open Host Controller Interface (HCI) Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design, a program announced last fall to enable motherboard and chipset companies to more quickly and easily develop their own USB-ready products.

"Compaq continues to drive USB and Open HCI adoption in the PC industry by working with a number of USB and Open HCI supporters," said Hugh Barnes, chief technical officer, Compaq Computer Corporation. "Compaq has already licensed its ASIC host controller design to several chip vendors. By working with Phoenix -- an industry leader in PC compatibility with the resources to provide worldwide engineering support for USB and Open HCI -- to promote the Open HCI ASIC design, we will work to accelerate the adoption of this very useful and important standard."

"Compaq's implementation of USB Open HCI will become an essential compatibility standard for the PC industry," said Jack Kay, president and chief executive officer of Phoenix Technologies. "Phoenix is very pleased to promote and support Compaq's ASIC design to manufacturers that are seeking a solid, reliable USB Open HCI solution. Our strong commitment to this program is being met by the formation of a new division within our organization." "Microsoft is committed to supporting USB and the Open HCI initiative," said Carl Stork, director Windows PC Platforms at Microsoft. "We will be providing drivers for Open HCI in future versions of Windows. The agreement between Compaq and Phoenix will accelerate the adoption of USB."

Under the agreement, Compaq provides Phoenix with pre-packaged descriptions of circuits, called macrocells, written in a high-level ASIC description language called Verilog, used by chipset designers to speed development of complex integrated circuits. The macrocell will be offered as a standalone product and as an integral part of Phoenix's overall USB product line. The Phoenix USB product line will include system BIOS extensions for USB compatibility on PCs, as well as a macrocell for USB peripherals and USB hub devices, complemented by a suite of related development software tools.

The Open HCI Specification, developed by Microsoft, Compaq, and National Semiconductor last fall, and backed by more than 25 companies, defines an industry-standard common hardware interface for operating systems, device drivers, and the basic input output system, or BIOS, to manage the USB. USB is a serial bus capable of supporting up to 127 peripherals and operates at 12 megabits per second (Mb/s), approximately the speed of ethernet. USB supports low- to mid-speed peripherals like keyboards, mice, joysticks, virtual-reality game input devices, audio, printers and telephony devices. Phoenix has been involved with USB for over a year and has authored the USB PC Compatibility Specification and the Mass Storage Device Class Specification.

COMPANY BACKGROUNDS

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is the largest supplier of compatibility software to the personal computer industry. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, PhoenixPICO, and PhoenixCard Manager, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product time to market and reduce internal engineering costs. Phoenix is also developing an expanding family of software products, including Phoenix Telephony Suite and Phoenix MUSE, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the Worldwide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com. Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers and options. The company reported 1995 worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through Compaq marketing partners and sold directly to customers through Compaq Direct Plus at 1-800-888-5858. Compaq provides 24-hour customer support and can be reached through the Compaq forums on America Online, CompuServe, Internet (http://www.compaq.com), and Prodigy, or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-345-1518.


Compaq Support for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5
Compaq Announces Support for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and a New Price/Performance Record

HOUSTON, April 16, 1996 -- Continuing to leverage its technological leadership and industry-standard approach to distributed enterprise computing, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) -- the world's leading server vendor -- today announced, around the world, record-breaking price/performance for its ProLiant family of enterprise-class servers. The company also announced the next phase of its partnership with Microsoft" Corp. in developing high-availability computing solutions with the delivery of Microsoft SQL Server for failover for Compaq Online Recovery Server.

Announcement highlights include:

* Record-breaking TPC-C price/performance results of $148 per tpmC on the ProLiant 4500 5/133 enterprise-class server, running Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, on Windows NT Server;

* The industry's best-ever recorded database performance on Windows NT Server -- 3641 tpmC;

* Enhanced system availability with Microsoft SQL Server 6.5's support for Compaq's Online Recovery Server Option.

New TPC-C benchmark results on the Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133 running Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 demonstrate that this platform delivers measurably better price/performance results compared to more costly, proprietary systems from Hewlett Packard, Digital Equipment Corporation and IBM.

The ProLiant 4500 5/133 delivers the midrange-class performance required for demanding application and database server environments in a distributed enterprise, as well as the industry's best price/performance. The ProLiant 4500 5/133 with Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and Windows NT Server delivered the best ever recorded transaction performance on Windows NT Server-- measured at 3641 tpmC -- and a new price/performance record of $148 per tpmC -- which is about at half the cost of traditional midrange systems.

The ProLiant 4500 5/133 models support up to four 5/133 System Processor Boards, each with a 2MB ServerCache-2, delivering excellent scalability for data warehousing, decision support and OTLP applications.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

                                           TOTAL 5 YR COST

SYSTEM                     TPMC    $/TPMC   OF OWNERSHIP    DBASE / OS

COMPAQ

PROLIANT 4500 5/133

(FOUR PENTIUM 133 MHZ)     3641     $148     $537,508    MICROSOFT SQL

                                                          SERVER 6.5 &

                                                          WINDOWS NT

Hewlett Packard

HP 9000 Model K410 c/s     3809     $364  $1,384,763    ORACLE 7 v.7.3

                                                        & HP-UX 10.01

Digital Equipment Corp.

AlphaServer 2100 5/300 c/s  3194     $196   $626,214    SQL Server 6.5

                                                             with

                                                       Windows NT 3.51

IBM RS/6000 PowerServer J30

(eight Power PC 601/75MHz)  3119     $349  $1,089,831  DB2 for AIX 2.1

                                                       and AIX 4.1.2

NCR (ATT) WorldMark 4100S

(eight Pentium 133 MHz)     2692     $489  $646,820    Informix

                                                       Online 7.12

                                                       with NCR UNIX

                                                       SVR4 MP-RAS 3.0

---------------------------------------------------------------------

MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 6.5 SUPPORT FOR COMPAQ ONLINE RECOVERY SERVER

Today, Microsoft also announced the availability of support for Compaq Online Recovery Server. Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 will provide automatic, unattended reconnection of clients and mapping of database tables, allowing clients to transparently failover to the second server in a Compaq Online Recovery Server system. Customers benefit from high-availability business critical data without the requirement to have on-site technical expertise. This solution utilizes a combination of hardware and software to allow two ProLiant servers running Windows NT Server to provide back-up processing for each other in the event of a server outage.

"This new fast failover methodology allows customers deploying Windows NT Server-based solutions to achieve the same uptime levels previously available only to customers who deployed proprietary and expensive database solutions. This level of cost-effective fault tolerance makes Microsoft SQL Server an excellent choice for business-critical database solutions," said Jim Ewel, group product manager for SQL Server, Microsoft Corp. "We are delighted to be jointly defining and delivering a new high availability industry standard solution previously only available in proprietary midrange UNIX environments."

"This is the first of many breakthrough announcements on high availability solutions to come from the Compaq and Microsoft partnership," said Jeff Erramouspe, director of software marketing, Compaq Systems Division. "In addition to the immediate customer benefit of providing increased system availability with the Compaq Online Recovery Server and Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 solution, we are working with Microsoft to deliver future high availability solutions based on the Microsoft Windows NT Server clustering APIs."

SMARTSTART MAKES MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 6.5 INTEGRATION EASY

Compaq will also optimize Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 via SmartStart, the integration tool that optimizes platform configurations and simplifies the installation of tested and reliable servers, relational databases, and other client/server-related software.

COMPAQ AND MICROSOFT PARTNERSHIP

Compaq and Microsoft have partnered since 1983 to offer customers seamless integration of leading-edge systems technology for distributed enterprise computing environments. The joint work on database failover for Online Recovery Server today and clustering solutions for the future represent Compaq and Microsoft's ongoing commitment to supply customers with industry leading performance, scalability and data availability for deploying solutions utilizing the client/server model. Other best-in-class partnership milestones include Compaq's support for Microsoft's Internet Information Web Server, delivery of the industry's first Microsoft BackOffice integrated bundle (Compaq ProLiant Model NT/Array) on Compaq's leadership server platform, joint "Plug 'n Play" specification development, first "Plug 'n Play" enabled PCs, Compaq named as the "Lead Systems Partner for Windows 95", and record-setting benchmark results on Compaq systems running Microsoft's Windows NT Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and SAP R/3.

INNOVATIVE SERVICE AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Compaq and Microsoft share an extensive network of highly trained resellers and service providers. The combined strength of this network is unmatched in the industry with over 10,000 Microsoft Solution Providers and 38,000 Compaq marketing partners worldwide. By joining forces to share expertise and to cross-train these support professionals, Compaq, Microsoft and their channel partners deliver a level of consulting, integration and support capabilities that cannot be matched by any single vendor.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers and options. The company reported 1995 worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through Compaq marketing partners and sold directly to customers through Compaq Direct Plus at 1-800-888-5858. Compaq provides 24-hour customer support and can be reached through the Compaq forums on America Online, CompuServe, Internet (http://www.compaq.com), and Prodigy, or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-345-1518.


COMSHARE INTRODUCES WEB-BASED STRATEGY

COMPANY'S WHOLE PRODUCT STRATEGY STRENGTHENED; USERS' FUNCTIONALITY ENHANCED

ANN ARBOR, MI, APRIL 22, 1996 - Comshare, Inc. (NASDAQ-NM: CSRE), The Decision Support Company, today announced an aggressive initiative to leverage the value of the World Wide Web as a new client/server platform by incorporating web-enabled capabilities into its newest and future software products and applications.

"The World Wide Web is changing the `structure and makeup' of the software industry at an unprecedented rate," said Steven J. Tonissen, senior vice president, marketing. "Comshare is moving quickly and decisively to adopt a Web-based strategy. We are determined to enhance our customers' access to the power of the Internet and the security of the Intranet through the richness and functionality of our complete line of whole-product decision support applications."

"Comshare's commitment to a Web-based strategy reflects its characteristic whole-product approach to decision support application development," said Kirk Cruikshank, vice president of marketing for Arbor Software. "Its strategy correlates with our introduction of the Essbase Web Gateway and the significant market interest in OLAP over the World Wide Web."

Comshare's initial strategy focuses on three distinct areas:

* Production reporting for selected applications will be Web-enabled. As such, once a document has been created, the end user will be free to distribute it as he or she likes. For example, the document could be stored on a Web server and accessed over an Intranet; it could be downloaded over a LAN/WAN and read with a browser, or it could be E-mailed and read with a browser. This would ensure support for those users who are not directly attached to the company's Intranet.

* Comshare will provide a Web-browser OCX with Commander Decision, the management-oriented planning, analysis and reporting system introduced last February, so users can access Web content directly from within Commander Decision instead of using an external Web browser.

* Comshare will Web-enable the Decision Access Module component of Commander Decision and produce a new version of the multidimensional grid that can be embedded or inserted into an Hyper Text Mark- up Language (HTML) document. In this way, users can access and interact with multidimensional data from within a Web browser with the same level of functionality as when working with Commander Decision, not just simple point-and-click drill-down.

"Rather than following the course set by other vendors, our Web-based solution will provide greater interactivity by incorporating active objects based on Java and Web- based OCX technologies," said Dr. David King, Comshare's director of research, "Our Web-based strategy leverages those standards and provides richer solutions with greater interactivity by also incorporating active objects such as Java applets or Web- based OCXs into our software products and applications."

Arbor Software's recently announced Essbase" Web Gateway is integrated in Comshare's Web strategy. The Essbase Web Gateway is a multi-threaded server application that enables high-speed, interactive, read and write access to the Essbase multidimensional database server for operational OLAP (on-line analytical processing) over the World Wide Web. Web functionality for Comshare's decision support applications, including Web OCX for Commander Decision and the Web-enabled Decision Access Module will be available next September.

Comshare is The Decision Support Company. One of the top 50 software companies in the world, Comshare develops, markets and supports complete decision support applications designed to improve business analysis, planning, reporting and decision making. Comshare decision support applications result in better decisions, improved profits, and enhanced competitiveness for its more than 3,000 customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

For more information about Comshare products and services, call 1-800-922-7979 or see our home page on the world wide web at http://www.comshare.com


Graphics Blaster Multimedia Accelerator
Creative Introduces New Graphics Blaster Multimedia Accelerator Cards

Three New Add-on Cards Break Barriers in Performance and Pricing

SINGAPORE - 23 APRIL 1996 - Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal computers, today announced its new Graphics Blaster series of add-on multimedia graphics accelerator cards. Designed for today's Pentium-based systems, the Graphics Blaster brings high performance graphics and high quality enhanced video playback to customers at an unprecedented low price.

Announced today are three Graphics Blaster models: the high-end MA302, the powerful MA202 and the high-value MA201 at the estimated street prices of US$199, US$149 and US$99 respectively. Expected to be available in late May, all three Graphics Blaster models feature high-performance 64-bit accelerator technology from Cirrus Logic, the world's leading provider of graphics accelerator chips.

The top-of-the-line Graphics Blaster MA302 uses the Cirrus Logic GD5462 Laguna Media Accelerator and is the first consumer graphics accelerator to use RAMBUS memory, the type of high performance memory architecture currently used on workstations and other specialty devices. The RAMBUS memory provides a screaming 500 megabytes per second of bandwidth - more than 25% faster than VRAM - which allows simultaneous smooth playback of up to three video windows.

The Graphics Blaster MA202, a 2MB EDO DRAM board, and the Graphics Blaster MA201, an upgradeable 1MB EDO DRAM board, both use the GD5446 Alpine Graphics Accelerator.

All Graphics Blasters provide critical hardware video playback functions like scaling, color space conversion, thus allowing Graphics Blaster to deliver superior quality full-screen playback without dropping frames. Also included is CompCore's SoftPEG software MPEG (Motion Pictures Expert Group) video and audio decoding drivers for Windows 95 and Windows 3.1, allowing software-based MPEG playback of up to 30 frames per second - full-motion video.

"The graphics accelerator market is one of the largest segments of the upgrade market," said Tim Bajarin, president of industry research firm, Creative Strategies. "Creative's history of success in the retail channel, coupled with the strong recognition of their Sound Blaster brand, provides consumers and retailers with the confidence and reliability that is necessary for success in this competitive market."

"Creative's continued vision is to bring emerging multimedia capabilities and advanced technologies to PC customers at affordable prices," said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology Ltd. "With Graphics Blaster, customers can break the envelope for speed at an aggressively low price. No other company has been able to deliver such impressive performance at an equally amazing price - Creative, a well-trusted brand name, is taking the graphics industry by storm."

Creative's extensive software support includes drivers for Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, and OS/2 Warp. The Windows 95 drivers also support Microsoft's DirectX and ActiveMovie APIs for compatibility with upcoming multimedia titles for use in entertainment, education, training and business applications. All Graphics Blaster models are 100 percent Plug-and-Play compatible, easy to install and use -- especially under Windows 95 and upcoming versions of Windows NT.

All three Graphics Blaster models incorporate Creative's Blaster Control Panel. The Blaster Control Panel is a fully integrated suite of utilities designed to enhance and control all aspects of the user's Windows desktop including graphics mode switching on the fly, resolution, color depth, screen size and position, and other critical features.

Creative Technology, Ltd., is the world's leading provider of advanced multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics, communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster" technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the mass market.


Thuridion CREW Groupware for the Internet
THURIDION INTRODUCES CREW -- GROUPWARE FOR THE INTERNET

Scotts Valley, CA. -- April 22, 1996 -- Thuridion, a Scotts Valley, California software company, today announced it will introduce CREW at Spring Internet World '96. CREW is a suite of Internet groupware products that allows real and virtual businesses of any size to provide their users with controlled access to information anytime, anywhere. The CREW suite is the most comprehensive Internet-based communication tool of its kind, a seamless integration of applications that will allow businesses and individuals to share and manipulate schedules, card files, documents and communications over the Internet and intranets.

"This type of convenience and functionality is long overdue on the Internet," says Bob Cagle, President/CEO of Thuridion. "Since it was designed with the Internet in mind, CREW allows a much greater level of communication and information sharing than any other product of its kind."

CREW

CREW is a platform independent Internet groupware product. Regardless of whether users access information from a Macintosh, PC, or UNIX system, the CREW interface will have the same look and feel. There is no CREW client software required so all users need is access to the Internet or intranet and a browser. Thuridion recommends the use of Netscape Navigator 2.0.

The CREW suite includes:

CREW CardFile - For the creation of card files listing people, resources and groups. CardFile provides links to other CREW application data and assists with group scheduling, sending messages, granting access and sharing information.

CREW Calendar - Allows users to schedule with individuals and groups across the Internet as well as on a LAN. Calendar also allows users to share their schedules, even with those who do not have a CREW account .

CREW Messenger - An application for viewing e-mail, voice mail and faxes from one universal in-box through a web browser over the Internet. Messenger also allows the user to send group messages and notifications.

CREW Locker - Allows activities such as file transfer, information sharing and access control. Access to information in a CREW Locker can only be granted by the owner of the locker.

CREW Office - A startup screen that hosts an integrated view of data from other CREW applications. Users can customize the view to include links to Internet sites, search engines and more.

CREW Administrator - A tool to administer user accounts and CREW services. Administrator allows the system administrator to easily and intuitively add new users to the CREW suite of applications.

CREW is the first interactive web based groupware suite. Users can not only view information such as schedules and card files, they can update their information from a browser at home or on the road. The CREW architecture is scaleable through SQL database connectivity. CREW is targeted to ship at the end of July '96 and will run on both Windows NT and UNIX (Q3 '96) servers.

Customization of CREW is available through Thuridion Services which allows resellers and enterprises to personalize user interfaces and integrate customer-specific content into the application.

CREW will initially be distributed as a value added service through telecommunication companies, Internet service providers, on-line service providers, cable companies, resellers and directly to companies with intranet strategies. Thuridion estimates pricing for CREW to be at $75 per user. Site license pricing and pricing for value added services will be determined.

For more information about Thuridion and the CREW suite call 888-439-CREW.

About Thuridion:

Thuridion, a privately held company located in Scotts Valley, California, is a leading-edge software engineering firm comprised of two primary lines of business: Thuridion Products and Thuridion Services. Over the past five years, Thuridion has completed over 150 software engineering projects for a variety of clients. Thuridion provides a range of consulting and product development services to software publishers, hardware manufacturers and high technology enterprises worldwide.

Thuridion is located at 269 Mt. Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066;

Phone (408) 439-9800


Cirrus Controller in Diba Internet Browser
Cirrus Logic to Supply Internet Browser Display Solution for Diba Inc.

FREMONT, CALIF. -- APRIL 18, 1996 -- Continuing to demonstrate success in providing semiconductor solutions for the consumer electronics market, Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: CRUS), today announced that its PC graphics display controller with TV-out, the CL-GD5425, has been selected for use in a new low-cost internet browser from Diba, Inc. that utililizes the television for display and a handheld remote control for user interaction.

Diba builds hardware, software and applications for the development of a new breed of computing platforms referred to as Information Appliances (IA). In addition to the internet browser, Diba plans to use Cirrus Logic technology in an integrated phone and e-mail device. This device makes sending e-mail as easy as making a phone call. A third application called Diba Kitchen, is designed to mount under a kitchen cabinet and provides for a convenient way to access recipes and nutritional information. Both the e-mail and kitchen products use an LCD for the display.

The PC monitor and the television utilize different interfaces and data format techniques. The CL-GD5425 bridges the gap between consumer electronics and PCs by integrating a display controller and TV processing support with scaling, flicker reduction, and a glueless encoder interface that delivers high-quality TV display at the lowest possible cost.

"Diba is at the forefront of developing a new class of information appliances that implement PC technologies," said Jim Fontaine, vice president of marketing for Display Products for Cirrus Logic's Visual and Systems Interface Company. "We are pleased that Diba selected our CL-GD5425 to provide high-quality display on a TV, and are happy to be working with them to bring a new information appliance device to the market."

"The traditional thinking is that the PC is the only viewing device for the Internet and other on-line information services," said Farid Dibachi, chief technical officer for Diba. "We believe that consumers and businesses desire to view information on other appliances, for example, on the TV. Cirrus Logic's technology is an important component in making the display of information on the TV clear and easy to read. User focus group studies have given high marks for the quality of the fonts and images on the TV display."

Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., Cirrus Logic Inc. is a leading manufacturer of advanced integrated circuits for the desktop and portable computing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics markets. The Company applies its system-level expertise in analog and digital design to innovate highly integrated, software-rich solutions. Additional information about Cirrus Logic and its subsidiaries can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.cirrus.com/ or via fax-on-demand at 800-359-6414 (dial 510-249-4200 from outside the United States).

Belmont, Calif., based Diba, Inc. is an innovative software, network, and hardware technology company dedicated to making information more accessible to more people. Founded in 1995, Diba is designing a hardware reference platform and creating the software operating environment and tools for an entire family of Information Appliance (IA) products. This new class of device, coupled with function-specific applications, will allow non-technical end users in businesses and homes to leverage the tremendous array of digital information available today.


Dell Adds Recyclable Chassis to Business PCs
DELL OBSERVES EARTH DAY BY ADDING A FULLY RECYCLABLE CHASSIS TO ITS LINE OF BUSINESS PCS

AUSTIN, TEXAS, APRIL 22, 1996 -- In observation of Earth Day, Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq:DELL) today announced a new PC chassis with two shades of green: one for the environment and another for the pocketbooks of its business and government customers. The new chassis is made of materials that are 100 percent recyclable and incorporates a new design that makes the PCs easier to service and upgrade. These enhancements enable Dell's customers to extend the life of their PCs and reduce the future waste of discarded computers.

The new Dell OptiFrame chassis will be available worldwide at no additional charge on future OptiPlex PCs, beginning this summer with a new business PC based on Intel's powerful Pentium Pro processor. The OptiFrame chassis was first introduced in 1992 and was considered among the most advanced designs of its time for the ease with which it could be assembled and disassembled.

The OptiPlex line is designed for the complex network environments of business and government customers who represent more than 90 percent of Dell's business. These customers spend millions of dollars maintaining and ultimately disposing of computers within EPA guidelines. In addition, the Gartner Group research firm predicts that nearly 25 million obsolete PCs will be ready for disposal by the end 1996.

Our industry adds more than 60 million PCs to the market every year. The question then is what do you do with them when they become obsolete? While other manufacturers spend time on new colors and cosmetic redesigns that may be here today and gone tomorrow, Dell is working to address the needs of its customers to reduce their PC lifecycle costs and help to safeguard the environment, said Eric Harlsem, senior vice president of Dell product group. We have added the environmental advantages of this chassis without adding to the cost of the systems, proving that it can be good business to be sensitive to the environment.

Sturdy, Recyclable Materials.

With the new OptiFrame chassis, recyclability does not equate to flimsy materials. The chassis is made of a durable plastic that is free of coatings or fillers that would normally inhibit their ability to be recycled. The structure of the chassis is supported with preplated cold rolled steel, which is designed to support large monitors weighing up to 150 pounds. With a twist of a screw driver, both materials can be quickly separated and readied for recycling. The plastic is identified and marked in accordance with international ISO standards, further simplifying the recycling process, which Gartner estimates can cost corporate customers up to $600 per PC.

Easy Access - No Keys and No Screws to Lose The new chassis sports a non-screw, snap-on and snap-off feature that will make it easier to service and upgrade the PC. This is a welcome innovation for Fortune 500 customers who can spend up to $4,000 annually for technicians to repair, maintain and upgrade a single PC. The traditional chassis lock has been replaced with secured looped fasteners that allow customers to select their choice of locking mechanisms, eliminating the need for users to keep track of special keys.

Designing and producing systems that can be manufactured, maintained and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner has been a consistent priority for many high-tech companies," said Greg Pitts, Environmental Programs Director at Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp. (MCC). "Dell deserves applause for taking bold steps in incorporating environmental design and management, and especially for demonstrating that environmentally preferable systems can be cost-effectively manufactured and brought to market without adding to the cost of their products. Dell's system demonstrates that good environmental practices are good business." MCC is an industrial research and development consortium that provides consortial R&D services. Dell has been a part of the consortium's industry/government effort to develop a roadmap for environmentally conscious electronic systems manufacturing. A Fortune 500 company, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct marketer of computer systems and one of the largest computer system manufacturers in the world, based on annual revenues of $5.3 billion for the past four quarters. Dell designs and customizes products and services to end-user requirements, and offers an extensive selection of peripherals and software through the DellWare program. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number, 1-800-BUY-DELL (1-800-289-3355) or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web server at http://www.dell.com/.


WebPLAN for Win95 Manufacturing Groupware
WEBPLAN FOR WINDOWS 95 LAUNCHED

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, APRIL 19, 1996: Enterprise Planning Systems today announced the Windows 95 release of webPLAN, a new generation of manufacturing groupware for Intranets. Windows 95 allows the product to be run as a stand-alone manufacturing application or as a client to webPLAN on a Windows NT server.

Since launching a Windows NT beta version of webPLAN in October, 1995, Enterprise has distributed over 2,000 copies of the product. "The marketplace has been telling us that they wanted a Windows 95 version as well. We have moved quickly in response to this growing demand for our software," said Michael G. Ker, President and CEO of Enterprise Planning Systems. "Ease of use and the affordability of a Windows 95 advanced planning product will appeal to manufacturers of all sizes."

Enterprise Planning Systems, founded in 1984, with international headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario and U.S. headquarters in Chicago, Illinois is a leading provider of advanced planning and scheduling software, utilizing web-enabled technology with Intra/Internet operability, for manufacturers. Enterprise markets a family of products called webPLAN. These software products run on Windows 95, Windows NT and most UNIX platforms. Enterprise has incorporated web-based technologies, such as HTML and Java, in their products since early 1995. They have also developed Collaborative Planning capabilities for both products, webUNIVERSAL and webPLAN, to utilize their products over the Internet.

To download a free copy of webPLAN for Windows 95, visit the Enterprise web site at HTTP://WWW.ENTERPRISE.ON.CA.


Advantage Database Server 4.1 for Windows
Advantage Database Server Brings Client/Server Revolution to Millions of Users

NEW DBMS GIVES STRANDED "XBASE USERS" A MIGRATION PATH TO WINDOWS CLIENT/SERVER

New security features added to leading .DBF Client/Server solution

BOISE, ID (APRIL 23, 1996) -- Extended Systems announced today a new Windows Client/Server DBMS with enhanced security and data encryption features. Advantage Database Server 4.1 brings Windows Client/Server performance and integrity to existing .DBF databases. The Advantage database engine offers native support for popular Windows development environments such as Delphi, Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Visual Objects. Advantage Database Server 4.1 is now shipping. The five-user server is just $895. The Windows interface is priced at $299.

LEADING APPLICATION DEVELOPERS ABANDON LARGE XBASE MARKET

With the Xbase application development environment slowing, countless database applications are at risk of being orphaned at a total cost estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Advantage Database Server, however, extends the viability of existing corporate Xbase applications by giving them the performance, integrity and security of Client/Server technology.

Advantage 4.1 allows corporate users to migrate their existing DOS Xbase applications to a Windows Client/Server environment. With the new expanded security features incorporated into Advantage 4.1, the index corruption and data integrity problems that have plagued Xbase users are things of the past.

USER BENEFITS

 Security      - Protects sensitive information and reduces the

                 threat of corruption

 Integrity     - Eliminates index corruption

 Performance   - Reduces network traffic and improves productivity

 Flexibility   - Supports popular Windows front-end development tools

 Scalability   - Convert from standalone to Client/Server in seconds

 Compatibility - Simple integration into existing applications reduces

                 technical and financial risks

ENHANCED ADVANTAGE SECURITY

To ensure data security, Advantage 4.1 allows network administrators to "hide" Xbase data files from users that are not accessing the data through an Advantage application. Now, Xbase data file directories can be "hidden" by removing all access rights for specificed users-ensuring only Advantage applications with security enabled have access to these critical files. This limited access keeps prying eyes away from sensitive data that might otherwise be accessed from the DOS or DOT (.) prompt. In addition to protecting sensitive information, this enhanced security also reduces the threat of corruption.

DATABASE ENCRYPTION FOR NETWORK SECURITY

Advantage 4.1 also supports encryption of one or more fields in one or more records. It can also encrypt entire database files. Advantage 4.1 encryption provides an easy way to integrate data security over the network wire.

SCALABLE DATABASE SOLUTION FOR DELPHI, VISUAL BASIC AND VISUAL C++

In cooperation with SuccessWare International, Extended Systems has developed a scalable Windows database interface called SDE2. Now the same .EXE will run on a standalone PC or a network without modification or configuration changes. SDE2 also offers native .VBXs and .DLLs for Delphi, Visual Basic and Visual C++.

TRANSACTION PROCESSING WITH COMMIT AND ROLLBACK

With its powerful new Transaction Processing System, Advantage 4.1 provides even more database integrity. In fact, Advantage 4.1 is the only product that provides true Client/Server transaction processing for .DBF databases. Building Transaction Processing into your application is easy. Three simple transaction commands (BEGIN, COMMIT and ROLLBACK) give your applications the power to ensure multiple update transactions finish entirely or not at all.

ENTERPRISE-WIDE ODBC CONNECTIVITY

Using an industry-standard Level-2 ODBC driver, Advantage 4.1 allows new SQL applications and legacy Xbase applications to simultaneously share data and index files. Now your application can share its data with any ODBC compliant development or analysis tool. With the Advantage ODBC interface, one .EXE will work with both .DBF and SQL data sources. Since it supports user-friendly Xbase command syntax, there is no need for companies to retrain their developers.

A LOYAL CUSTOMER FOLLOWING

Earlier versions of Advantage Database Server have allowed companies like UPS, Charles Schwab, Pratt & Whitney, Prudential and Dell Computer to deploy Client/Server applications without hardware upgrades or data porting. Advantage has enhanced their existing investment in .DBF data, front-end legacy applications, development expertise, end-user training and databases.

Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Extended Systems has been providing the Advantage database engine since July 1993. Advantage Database Server is a scaleable, Client/Server DBMS that allows users to easily migrate their existing .DBF databases and applications to a Client/Server environment. With over 75,000 users worldwide, Advantage Database Server has grown to be a leading migration path for companies looking to migrate PC databases to Client/Server technology. Contact Extended Systems at (800) 235-7576 for more information. Internet users can access product information at http://www.extendsys.com.


FORTE Tracking Tech. Licensed to VictorMaxx
FORTE TECHNOLOGIES LICENSES PATENTED TRACKING TECHNOLOGY TO VICTORMAXX

VictorMaxx is Granted Permission to Use FORTE's Patented Head-Tracking Technology in Its Products

(ROCHESTER, NY)-FORTE Technologies, Inc., an industry leader in the development of interactive virtual reality (VR) products, today announced it has granted VictorMaxx Technologies, Inc. a license to use FORTE's patented head-tracking technology in its virtual reality products. FORTE granted the license in conjunction with a settlement between the two companies.

In July 1995, FORTE Technologies filed suit against VictorMaxx Technologies claiming the head-tracking device used in VictorMaxx's CyberMaxx(tm) head-mounted display infringed on FORTE Technologies' patent. Under the settlement, FORTE has granted VictorMaxx a license to use its head-tracking technology in manufacturing the CyberMaxx 2.0 head mounted display.

"By licensing our head-tracking technology to VictorMaxx, we hope to further the VR industry through the development of quality VR products," said Paul Travers, president and CEO of FORTE Technologies.

FORTE Technologies has been revolutionary in its strides to help develop the virtual reality market. The company has built a strong foundation with plans for a long line of stand- alone and networkable VR products. The VFX1 HEADGEAR Virtual Reality System and CyberPuck VR Game Controller are the first in a line of virtual reality peripherals designed by FORTE using the patented tracking technology.

"FORTE has developed the tracking and the virtual reality technology that is setting the standards for the industry," added Travers. "This technology is merely the foundation for the development and implementation of new VR peripherals. We have agreed to license our tracking technology to VictorMaxx as a way to help the VR market grow, and now that the credit has been given its proper place, we can focus on creating a strong marketplace where the consumer and retailer feel comfortable about VR."

FORTE Technologies is a market leader in the development of interactive virtual reality technology. The product line includes the VFX1 HEADGEAR Virtual Reality System and the CyberPuck Virtual Reality Game Controller. FORTE Technologies' products are available directly from the company as well as through Ingram Micro, American Software & Hardware, Tiger Software, Incredible Universe, PC Mall and other selected distributors and retailers. FORTE is a voting member on the USB, ACCESS.bus and VESA committees.

For more information, contact Bryan Del Rizzo, FORTE Technologies, 1057 E. Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14623. Telephone: (716) 427-8595. Fax: (716) 292-6353. Email: fortevfx1@aol.com. World Wide Web: http://www.fortevr.com.


Gateway 2000 Launches PC Ordering Via WWW
Gateway 2000 launches first complete PC ordering via the World Wide Web

"Build Your Own Gateway" leads industry in Internet commerce

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D., April 23, 1996 - Gateway 2000, Inc. (NASDAQ: GATE) announced today it is the first major manufacturer to provide consumers the ability to custom configure, order and pay for a personal computer via the World Wide Web.

"With thousands of new consumers going on-line every week, the Internet is becoming the world's great new shopping mall," said Gateway Chairman and CEO Ted Waitt. "Only the most flexible direct manufacturers will be able to provide the levels of service demanded by these sophisticated PC buyers. Gateway is proud to pioneer this level of service."

PC shoppers can access the company website at HTTP://WWW.GW2K.COM and utilize the Build Your Own Gateway feature to design the system they want. Buyers receive a price quote for their configuration and are able to complete the entire transaction while on-line.

Special encryption methods build into the system address concerns about credit card security. Response to the on-line order system has been positive since it was made available through the website on April 10.

"PC customers have been clamoring for on-line ordering for some time and Gateway 2000 is again first to deliver. We have made it easy for our customers to order the exact PC they want in a convenient and comfortable way," said Waitt.

In addition to building their own systems, customers can also check the status of their orders on-line, as well as get tech tips and leave messages for Gateway sales personnel to contact them concerning their configurations.

ABOUT GATEWAY 2000

Gateway 2000, a Fortune 500 company founded in 1985 and based in North Sioux City, S.D., sells more PC-compatible systems through the direct market channel in the U. S. than any other PC manufacturer. Gateway products and services consistently win top awards from leading industry publications, and independent surveys show that Gateway customers are among the most satisfied and brand-loyal PC buyers. The company's 1995 sales were $3.7 billion. Gateway 2000 is listed on the NASDAQ market as GATE.


Gateway 133MHz Pentium Multimedia Notebook
Gateway 2000 announces 133 MHz Pentium Processor Multimedia Notebook

Award-winning Solo line standardizes CD-ROM technology

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D., APRIL 22, 1996 -- Gateway 2000 today announced they will begin sales of the fastest Intel CPU available for portable PC's. The 133MHz Pentium processor will be the latest addition to the award-winning Gateway 2000 Solo notebook line-up. The Solo and all forthcoming portable products from Gateway 2000 will feature the latest in CD-ROM technology as a standard component.

Gateway 2000 will also increase the scope of the mid-range portable class by introducing the 100MHz Pentium processor. Both the 100 and 133MHz Pentium processor systems will feature a 66MHz bus, increasing the speed of information transfer between peripheral interfaces and the system. The release of these two processors will also be hallmarked by the offering of an 11.3 inch SVGA TFT display. This provides users with a minimum 17 percent increase in viewable area over 10.4 inch displays. The Gateway 2000 Solo features the lowest weight in a multimedia notebook in the industry, along with stereo speakers, the EZ Pad Pointing Device, a lithium ion battery, Infra-red module and optional docking bar. The Solo line of multimedia notebooks starts at $2899.00.

Bob Burnett, director of portable products said, "We fundamentally believe that portable customers want multimedia functions all of the time. The CD-ROM component has become more essential to the overall system than the floppy disk drive. Most software and reference material is distributed on CD, and the portable customer generally has the need for a system as powerful and feature-packed as the desktop back at the office."

Also, coming soon to the Gateway 2000 portable products line-up is the 2GB hard drive option. The 2GB is the largest drive available in a notebook. The performance and functionality of the Solo make it a suitable replacement for any desktop system, without sacrificing power and speed. Burnett stated, "The success of the Gateway 2000 Solo clearly indicates we are meeting the needs of the mobile customer. By enhancing the Solo's feature set, we continually add value while recognizing the future of the portable PC industry."

ABOUT GATEWAY 2000

Gateway 2000, a Fortune 500 company founded in 1985, currently sells more PC-compatible systems through the direct market channel in the United States than any other PC manufacturer. The company's 1995 sales revenues were $3.7 billion, up $1 billion from 1994. Gateway 2000 is listed on the Nasdaq market as GATE. Headquartered in North Sioux City, South Dakota, the company has more than 8,000 employees worldwide.

Gateway 2000 on the Internet: http://www.gw2k.com


Hitachi 13.3-inch Super TFT LCD Monitor
HITACHI RELEASES 13.3-INCH "SUPER" TFT LCD MONITOR

Cathode Ray Tube-like Wide Viewing at a Fraction of CRT Monitor Size

TOKYO, JAPAN, APRIL 18, 1996

Hitachi, Ltd. announced that on April 22 it will release the "Selectop" an easy-to-use PC/workstation monitor featuring a 13.3-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen with a new, wide-viewing angle "super" TFT technology.

The Selectop combines the "super" TFT technology developed by Hitachi that offers picture quality on a par with that of a CRT display, with the company's advanced LCD panel fabrication technology. The result is a display that overcomes the small size and narrow viewing angle that have been major drawbacks of conventional TFT LCDs, while at the same time preserving the light weight, compact size and low power consumption of such displays.

Product Features

* Wide viewing angle and high display quality

(I)   The display has a vertical and horizontal viewing angle of

      140 degrees.  (Conventional TFT LCDs had a vertical viewing

      angle of 40 degrees and a horizontal viewing angle of 90

      degrees).

(II)  The monitor with low-reflection high-clarity flat screen

      provides uniform image quality, high contrast and fast response,

      and a dirt-resistant surface.

* Large-screen, high resolution display of 16.19 million colors

(I)   The 13.3-inch TFT LCD has an effective display area that is

      almost the same as that of a commercial 15-inch CRT.

(II)  Can display 16.19 million colors at XGA resolution (1024-by-768

      pixels).  This answers users' demand for a larger display area

      and higher picture quality, and also provides near-true-color

      capabilities.

* Instant connectability

(I)   The TFT LCD monitor is equipped with a CRT-compatible interface

      for ready connectability with PCs and workstations.

(II)  Multiscan capability provides compatibility with XGA (1024 by

      768 pixels), SVGA (800 by 600 pixels) and VGA(640 by 480 pixels)

      modes.

(III) Windows 95 Plug & Play ready

* Light, compact, low power consumption

(I)   Takes up half the space of a Hitachi 15-inch CRT display.

(II)  Consumes half the power of a Hitachi 15-inch CRT display.

(III) Is half the weight of a Hitachi 15-inch CRT display.

Product specifications

* Effective display area (mm):  270.3 (Hor.) ~ 202.8 (Ver.)

* Number of pixels:  1024 (Hor.) ~ 768 (Ver.)

* Pixel pitch (mm):  0.264 (Hor.) ~ 0.264 (Ver.)

* Number of colors:  16,190,000

* Viewing angle range (degrees)

  - Vertical:  70

  - Horizontal:  70

* Contrast ratio:  100:1

* Luminance/Brightness:  120 cd

* Approx. power consumption: 45 watts

* External dimensions (mm):  365 (W) X 315 (H) X190 (D)

* Approx. weight:  6 kg

Sales target

Est. 23,000 units in the first year (including exports)

Pricing & availability

Est. Price:  YEN 388,000

Availability:  June 28, 1996


HP AssetView Asset-Management Software
HP Introduces Industry's Most Comprehensive Asset-Management Software

HP AssetView Helps Companies Better Manage Their Technology Assets

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 22, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company today announced HP AssetView software, which helps companies better manage their technology assets.

HP believes that HP AssetView software is the most comprehensive asset-management product on the market. It stores up to 400 pieces of information for a full range of technology assets -- including personal computers, portable computers and other mobile equipment, workstations, minicomputers, hubs, routers, printers and fax machines -- in Microsoft Windows, Windows NT, MS-DOS, UNIX system, Macintosh and OS/2 environments. For every personal computer, for example, HP AssetView software tracks make, model, location, serial number, processor type, hard-drive capacity, memory configuration, software licenses, lease information, maintenance costs, warranty, service history, depreciation and other information.

HP AssetView software also is flexible. It lets information-technology departments track assets by product type, manufacturer, geography, building, subsidiary, sector, division, department and user. Information-technology managers can define which reports they want and when they want them. In addition, network administrators and help-desk workers can access HP AssetView software on-line to get real-time information, such as service history or network configuration.

The Asset-management Problem

Controlling costs and maximizing return on technology investments have become more difficult in the distributed computing environment of the 1990s. Technology assets are now widely dispersed throughout the enterprise, making them less visible and harder to track. Companies without an asset-management solution are at a competitive disadvantage because they likely spend more time and money purchasing, upgrading, servicing and disposing of their technology equipment. Using the wealth of information in HP AssetView software, companies can regain control over their assets, optimize their information-technology investments, lower costs and increase end-user productivity.

"HP AssetView lets you see what you have, who is using it, how it is configured, what you paid for it and more," said Mandeep Khera, worldwide operations manager for HP's Asset Management Operation. "When you can see exactly what technology you have, you can decide how to streamline your assets, make them work together and plan for future investments and upgrades."

Today's introduction broadens the asset-management solutions HP offers. In October 1994, the company announced HP Asset Management Services, which let customers outsource their entire asset-management program to HP. Now, with the introduction of HP AssetView software, customers also can build and manage their own programs or combine HP AssetView with some HP Asset Management Services.

HP AssetView software runs on an HP UNIX system workstation and is available through HP's direct sales force. Pricing starts at $22,000 for a one-user license and increases, depending on the number of concurrent users. Prices include HP AssetView software, relational-database license, report-writer license and 4GL license. Data-collection tools also can be purchased separately.

HP offers a broad range of services to design, integrate, finance, implement, operate, manage and maintain computing environments consisting of multivendor hardware, software and networks. In 1995, HP generated $4.4 billion in service revenue. HP information technology service and support programs are delivered by 17,500 professionals worldwide.

Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105, 200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.


New HP Printer with Disney Swr, Crafts Kit
Coming to a Printer Near You: Mickey, Donald and the Gang

New HP Printer Comes with Disney Interactive Software, Crafts Kit for Family Entertainment

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 22, 1996 -- Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced a color home printer that comes with Disney Interactive's Mickey and Friends Print Studio CD-ROM and new home-craft software for family entertainment.

The printer is part of a new line of color home printers with built-in banner printing. Prices start at about $300. The DeskJet 680 series printers are perfect for creating banners, greeting cards and a variety of home crafts, as well as for everyday family printing.

"The DeskJet 680 series printers enable people to make a lasting impression with their ideas and creations," said Michelle Hamilton, HP home printers product manager. "If you can dream it and create it on your PC, you can print it. The experience doesn't end when you turn off the computer."

HP MAKES COOL PROJECTS A SNAP

The DeskJet 682C printer makes family projects easy. With the new printer, customers can create a Disney birthday party, from invitations to placemats and other decorations; produce creative greeting cards and stationery; create personalized coloring pages and bookmarks that come alive with Mickey and his friends; and turn their refrigerators and bedroom walls into art galleries with cards, calendars and other creations.

The printer comes with the HP Home Project Kit, which includes three components:

* Disney Interactive's Mickey and Friends Print Studio includes more than 200 images of Mickey, Donald, Goofy and the rest of the gang. Customers can choose from more than 15 print projects and a variety of page layouts, with just a point and click. The Mickey and Friends Print Studio is for non-commercial personal and family use only.

* PrintPaks Family Fun Kit is a new multimedia craft kit designed for color inkjet printers. The kit provides everything families need to create magnets, window art and banners, including software featuring 50 specially designed images from PrintPak's unique library, as well as all the magnets, frames, string and suction cups.

* The special media kit, including HP greeting card stock, envelopes and HP's new banner paper, allows banners to be printed on a single, continuous sheet of paper instead of individual pages that must be taped together.

HP BRINGS QUALITY HOME

The HP DeskJet 680 series printers are high-quality, reliable color inkjet printers that provide spectacular image quality with HP's RealLife Imaging System. This integrated suite of HP technologies automatically provides customers with vivid colors and sharp black with no special paper required. For instance, ColorSmart automatically selects the best settings for images, text and graphics, reducing color printing to a single click.

DeskJet 680 printers provide speedy performance at up to 5 pages-per-minute (ppm) for black and 1.5 ppm for color. The printers include a variety of family-friendly features, such as two-sided printing, quick set-up and easy driver installation. HP's Printer Toolbox gives customers immediate on-screen information for solving common printing problems and for performing tasks such as printing envelopes and banners, as well as feedback such as "out-of-paper" or "insert black or color cartridge."

The DeskJet 680 series printers have a one-year limited warranty and have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star designation for low power consumption, using approximately 80 percent less energy than dot-matrix printers.

U.S. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

The DeskJet 682C printer is expected to sell for about $329. In addition to the DeskJet 682C printer, the new series includes the DeskJet 680C and DeskWriter 680C printers. The DeskJet 680C printer is identical to the DeskJet 682C printer, but it is packaged without the Home Project Kit. It is expected to sell for about $309 and is available through computer resellers. The DeskWriter 680C printer, available at the same price, is designed exclusively for Macintosh computers and is expected to be available through retail stores and computer resellers on July 1. The DeskJet 680 series printers replace the HP DeskJet 660 series printers, the industry's best-selling printers since their introduction in 1995.

Suggested prices for HP products and services described in Access HP are quoted in U.S. dollars and apply only in that market. To check prices and availability in markets outside the U.S., check with your local HP sales office or distributor.


HP ChemLMS Applic for Quality Control Labs
HP Announces PC-Based HP ChemLMS Application For Quality Control Laboratories

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. APRIL 18, 1996

Hewlett-Packard Company today announced a new preconfigured, PC-based client application for HP ChemLMS. Designed in conjunction with leading pharmaceutical and chemical quality control (QC) labs, QC client for HP ChemLMS offers laboratory information management system (LIMS) capabilities with the convenience of using Microsoft Windows and NT desktop environments.

LIMS sample workflow can be structured to follow the user's own non-automated laboratory workflow model using the fully automated client work management solution. For example, a lab manger can place a "folder" of samples in a chemist's "inbox." The chemist then is notified that new work has arrived and can retrieve the sample information for further processing tasks.

A Windows-based procedure wizard captures the power of HP ChemLMS' Procedure Specification Language (PSL), making lab methodologies, test procedures, business rules, and specifications easy to define.

The HP QC client provides an easy-to-use MS Windows interface for system startup and configuration, making it possible for laboratory personnel to configure user profiles, sample work flow and triggered events.

Modular in design, the HP QC client makes it easy for functionality to be added or substituted. The popular Microsoft Visual Basic software development environment facilitates creation of custom solutions based on a particular lab's needs.

A major manufacturer of chemistry-analysis instrumentation since 1965, HP's Chemical Analysis Group entered the 1990s with comprehensive solutions for the analytical laboratory. Leveraging core competencies in measurement, computers and communications, HP combines a full range of integrated information management and standard networking products with HP and other vendors' analytical instruments to increase analytical productivity. All of these products can be integrated to provide the chemist with information, quickly and easily.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 105,200 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP analytical products and services can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com/go/chem

Information in this release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets.


Hyperion CFO Integrated Financial Suite
HYPERION ANNOUNCES NEW INTEGRATED FINANCIAL SUITE

FOUR NEW PRODUCT RELEASES INTEGRATE FINANCIAL PROCESSES, DATA; PROVIDE EASY END-USER ACCESS TO FINANCIAL INFORMATION

STAMFORD, Conn., April 19, 1996 -- Hyperion Software (NASDAQ: HYSW) announced today a new product suite for the high-end client/server market by delivering four major product releases that integrate financial processes and data, and provide easy end-user access.

"Called Hyperion CFO," the four releases are now marketable in North America as a complete suite encompassing the company's accounting, reporting, budgeting and analysis lines -- two of which, reporting and budgeting, already dominate their markets independently. Currently, Hyperion has more than 2,700 customers, averaging $1 billion in revenues, who are using one or more of its products. The initial entry price for the entire suite, with the new integration capabilities announced today, ranges from $300,000-500,000.

Hyperion, noted for its open connectivity and information access capabilities, also will continue to sell its products on a modular basis. Leveraging an optimal product design that allows the company to uncouple and implement its products individually, Hyperion is offering financial executives in large corporations the solution that recent survey data says they're now seeking. Combined with its award-winning service component, the new suite is positioned strongly against partnered products and weaker client/server technologies. Hyperion believes the product suite will open new opportunities for cooperative implementation with "Big 6" accounting firm partners.

"HYPERION CFO" - COMPLETE FINANCIAL OFFERING

Hyperion's primary strategy is to give users fast access to and analysis of critical financial information. To accomplish this, Hyperion is now providing sophisticated, tightly integrated applications to support each of the major financial processes: Hyperion Financials for accounting, Hyperion Enterprise for reporting, Hyperion Pillar for budgeting and Hyperion OLAP for analysis.

Hyperion CFO links a company's various information stores to create a data mart for financial information. By applying a common set of end-user access tools for analyzing and reporting on the information in this integrated data store, Hyperion is now solving a critical market need with a strong array of purpose-built financial products.

"In selecting applications, 'IS' departments will increasingly be evaluating core applications based on their ability to support new business processes that leverage pervasive connectivity," said Clare Gillan, director, applications and information access for IDC in her February 1996 presentation entitled, "New Investments in Enterprise Applications: Finance and IS Priorities." She said that improving management reporting, one of Hyperion's strongest capabilities, is the key driver of new investments in accounting systems.

Hyperion's applications are open to accepting information from its own and other source systems, plus allow financial and management executives to leverage this combined data through an intuitive, familiar set of data access tools.

"Hyperion CFO integrates financial processes and provides easy, end-user data access," said James A. Perakis, president and CEO of Hyperion Software. "Regardless of which Hyperion product you're using to get at the data, you'll find common screens, plus the same report writer and analysis tools. Hyperion CFO fulfills our product philosophy by providing fast, dynamic query capabilities against information that spans the entire financial cycle."

DEFINING INTEGRATION

By providing a consistent look and feel across applications, Hyperion CFO reduces cross application training and provides efficient access to information. End-users can "drill through" from one application to another; for example, from summary information to source information. A common report writer can be used against multiple financial data sources. Hyperion defines integration as:

 - A common look and feel

 - Data transfer between applications

 - Drill through from summary balances to supporting detail

 - Easy maintenance across applications

Hyperion's common data access technology is a middleware layer that provides consistent data access to purpose-built databases. Specifically, it provides application intelligence, data intelligence and meta data intelligence, and leverages application programming interfaces (API's) to access information efficiently and securely. Sitting on top of the common data access engine are the end-user tools, Hyperion Analyst for ad hoc analysis and Hyperion Reporting for production reports providing easy end-user access to the data.

HYPERION OLAP IS CRITICAL LINK IN HYPERION CFO SUITE

In a separate press release issued today, Hyperion Software announced the commercial release of Hyperion OLAP, the first client/server software application that advances current on-line analytical processing (OLAP) technology from its status as a tool into a software application with built-in business intelligence.

The new product features a powerful underlying OLAP engine, with advantages not offered today by current competitors, such as the ability for users to uncouple from the server and superior performance in large-scale applications.

"Hyperion OLAP leverages the common data access layer and serves as the unifying component in our product strategy," said Charles Cho, senior director, advanced applications group. "In essence it complements the integration linking the Hyperion CFO solution."

Hyperion OLAP, also sold on a stand-alone basis, helps organizations tackle complex, high-volume, multi-dimensional analysis and reporting tasks, such as customer and product line profitability. By combining financial intelligence and superior information access capabilities with TM1, a high-performance OLAP engine, Hyperion OLAP is a significant improvement over generic OLAP toolsets.

The new Hyperion OLAP 2.0 release features wide-area network (WAN) access via Hyperion's common data access technology to a shared client/server database, multiple platform and protocol support, and a graphical application manager supporting up to 16 dimensions and 32,000 elements per dimension.

HYPERION ENTERPRISE RELEASE 4 XA

Hyperion is taking the optimum path of providing a financial management solution for companies that are either conservative or more aggressive with their technology strategies. Hyperion Enterprise Release 4, commercially available immediately, provides advanced reporting functionality, a choice of data entry options, plus powerful new ad hoc query and analysis capabilities -- all optimized for the Windows 3.x, 16-bit environment.

Hyperion Release 4XA, expected to be commercial this summer, is designed and optimized for 32-bit operating systems like Windows 95 and Windows NT, and includes a more advanced architecture for high volume, complex financial reporting and consolidation.

"Hyperion Enterprise Release 4XA provides organizations with the flexibility they need to react to change in their financial organizations," said Annette Treutlein, vice president of First Union's Credit Card Division. "We now can change our organizational structure, by reporting period, in just seconds -- not hours -- without impacting our historical data. In addition, the performance and application control advantages of Hyperion's 32-bit architecture is a big benefit for First Union's system administrator."

Hyperion Enterprise Release 4XA includes complete global consolidation and legal reporting, larger application volumes, a new security model and new ease of use capabilities. "This release of Enterprise embodies our architecture for the future," said Craig Schiff, vice president, products and services, Hyperion Software. "While Hyperion's Enterprise line has always been well ahead of the competitive technology curve, this newest product brings financial reporting and consolidation capabilities to a new level that is not even closely rivaled in the market."

HYPERION PILLAR 2.5 FEATURES INT'L SUPPORT, INTEGRATION

Two key components of Hyperion Pillar 2.5 are its French and German translation for the international market, augmenting the multi-currency features released last fall, and its new integration capabilities. Hyperion Pillar now enjoys the same look and feel as other Hyperion products and will enable Pillar to move information into Hyperion Enterprise, Hyperion OLAP or Hyperion Financials. The release is expected to be commercial this quarter in the U.S., with the international version shipping in October.

"The addition of the Hyperion Pillar ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) driver provides direct access to Pillar data for seamless integration with other products," said William Stein, vice president, Hyperion Pillar. "This is an important component of the tie in to the Hyperion CFO solution, and also works well independently." With the international budgeting market heating up, the company is beginning to make key inroads into European markets. Hyperion Pillar holds the leading market share for packaged corporate budgeting software, and is in use by more than 450 companies worldwide.

HYPERION FINANCIALS RELEASE 2.0 NOW COMMERCIAL

With over 70 enhancements in its Ledger, Admin and Payables packages, Hyperion Financials Release 2.0, shipping now, features expanded database support for both Sybase System 10 and 11, better end-user access to information and the ability to shorten business cycles. Two Sybase System 11 customers are already live, and Hyperion Financials also plans to deliver an Oracle platform this quarter.

Hyperion Financials facilitates measurable change to the closing process by focusing on the entire financial process -- not just the speed of individual tasks, such as journal postings and the number of invoices processed per hour. "Release 2.0 allows customers to get their jobs done faster," said Wah Chu, vice president, Hyperion Financials. "A number of new enhancements, including the new impacted posting capability in Hyperion Ledger, dramatically reduces the time required to complete the closing. This feature allows summary and detail balance information to be updated during posting, making summary data immediately available for inquiry and reporting."

Two recently signed Hyperion Financials customers, Phelps Dodge Mining Company and McQuay International, both said that their earlier belief in Hyperion's integration plans affected their choice of Hyperion over competitive accounting systems.

"We picked Hyperion because of its vast experience in client/server software, its financial applications experience and its focus on providing integrated financial systems for large, multi-user operations," said Tom Gjurgevich assistant controller of Phelps Dodge Mining Company, a $1.8 billion division of Phelps Dodge Corporation. "In part, we bet on Hyperion's vision of product integration, and we're very pleased with this announcement today." Phelps Dodge currently holds licenses to Hyperion's Enterprise, Financials, Pillar and OnTrack products.

Mary Ollhoff, manager of accounting and planning for McQuay International, a $512 million provider of commercial air conditioning systems, says her company's recent Hyperion Financials decision was based on a lengthy history of top-quality Hyperion service, plus the now available integration capabilities. "My experience with competitive G/L vendors was not good. One company's workflow capabilities required too drastic a change to my business processes, and another company offered no real answers on who would provide servicing. Several others didn't even understand financial processes, and still others weren't even really shipping product."

Both companies plan to be live this year, and said the longer implementation cycles of competitive ledgers also contributed to a vote for Hyperion. Hyperion Software, with $165 million in sales for the 12-month period ended March 1996, develops, markets and supports complete financial management and accounting solutions for large, multinational corporations. The company's client/server products include accounting, reporting, budgeting and analysis software. With more than 2,700 corporate customers, Hyperion Software's client base includes 65 percent of the Fortune 100 and over 50 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. A winner of the Inc./MCI Positive Performer's 1995 National Award, Hyperion Software is known for its exceptional customer service. Hyperion Software is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.


HYPERION OLAP NOW COMMERCIAL

COMPETITIVELY AHEAD ON PERFORMANCE IN LARGE-SCALE APPLICATIONS, PLUS ABILITY TO UNCOUPLE FROM SERVER

STAMFORD, Conn., April 19, 1996 -- Hyperion Software (NASDAQ: HYSW) announced today the commercial release of Hyperion OLAP, the first client/server software application that advances current on-line analytical processing (OLAP) technology from its niche as a tool into a software application with built-in business intelligence.

The new product features a powerful underlying OLAP engine, licensed from TM1 Software, with advantages not offered today by current market leaders, such as the ability for users to uncouple from the server and superior performance in large-scale applications.

Hyperion OLAP provides high-volume, high-performance analysis capabilities to the primary market driving OLAP sales: finance departments in large corporations, the heart of Hyperion Software's business. "With Hyperion OLAP, we have created a complete application solution for complex business analysis," said Charles Cho, senior director of Hyperion's advanced applications group. "Smart dimensions incorporate account, time and currency intelligence. Hyperion OLAP immediately processes complex questions, and provides analysis for 'what if' scenarios. While competitors are announcing third-party OLAP relationships and plans to develop and market analytical applications, Hyperion has released a fully integrated OLAP product." For example, a large French retailer recently used Hyperion OLAP's beta version to determine the top 50 customers in its market. The company needed to analyze 14 dimensions of data that had more than 17 million possible combinations using a 90 megahertz Pentium with 20 megabytes of RAM. Hyperion OLAP consolidated the data, sorted the results and printed reports all in eight minutes.

Hyperion OLAP also includes powerful production reporting, flexible data input mechanisms and intelligent drill-downs in a spreadsheet environment familiar to financial users. Additional features include:

oFast application development: drag and drop graphical application building, and maintenance with graphical rule definition, application wizards and templates;

o "Remote" business analysis: the option of being uncoupled from the server is a distinct advantage for satellite operations and traveling staff;

o Robust data loading capabilities: including custom data source profiles, comprehensive open database connectivity (ODBC) support and data translation capabilities;

o Instant calculation on demand: does not require the large disk space leading competitors require to store pre-calculated data and is a better choice for dynamic environments;

o Performance advantages: since Hyperion OLAP calculates on demand, it has advantages over leading competitors' disk-based technology that require calculating the entire "cube" all at once;

o Fully customizable desktop;

o Task security and data security;

o Remote analysis: high-performance wide-area network (WAN) access to data.

Combined with Hyperion's common data access functionality, Hyperion OLAP allows customers to use the same Hyperion reporting and analysis modules available with other Hyperion applications, maximizing users' investment in Hyperion products.

Hyperion OLAP is available for $60,000 per server, 10 users, or as part of the company's new "Hyperion CFO" integrated financial offering, also announced today in a separate press release.

"Hyperion OLAP completely redefines the business benefit available from packaged OLAP applications," said Manny Perez, TM1's chief technical officer and founder. "Hyperion has put into the product their prowess and years of expertise in serving the needs of the financial applications market. TM1 Software contributed the superior, scaleable, distributed architecture, and hyper compact, dynamic performance of the TM1 engine."

Hyperion Software, with $165 million in sales for the 12-month period ended March 1996, develops, markets and supports complete financial management and accounting solutions for large, multinational corporations. The company's client/server products include accounting, reporting, budgeting and analysis software. With more than 2,700 corporate customers, Hyperion Software's client base includes 65 percent of the Fortune 100 and over 50 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. A winner of the Inc./MCI Positive Performer's 1995 National Award, Hyperion Software is known for its exceptional customer service. Hyperion Software is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.


IBM Adds Premium Features to ThinkPads
IBM Adds Premium Features to its Mainstream ThinkPad Notebooks

PCI Comes to the 365 and 760 Series and Docking Stations

SOMERS, NY, April 23, 1996 ... Delivering more value for the price- sensitive and performance-conscious mobile user, IBM* today enhanced its popular ThinkPad* 365 and 760 series to include more performance at attractive prices.

By providing additional midrange models of the 760 and a full line of mainstream 365 series products, with a choice of Pentium or 586-class processors, IBM is offering more affordable notebooks with prices starting at just $1,999.(1)

The new ThinkPad 760 series is equipped with powerful Pentium** processors backed by the complete PCI notebook solution, including PCI-based video graphics, PC CardBus and PCI-based docking. It is complemented by IBM's new SelectaDock*, a new innovative modular approach to desktop docking, which offers flexible, upgradeable full desktop expansion with a choice of PCI, PC CardBus and ISA expansion capabilities.

IBM delivers industry leadership and investment protection given the new PCI-based 760 notebooks are backwards compatible to the current ISA-based docking solutions.

"The ThinkPad brand has successfully penetrated the mainstream market with these additions to the 365 and 760 series," said Steve Ward, General Manager for IBM's mobile computing. "These upgrades to our product lines offer the ultimate in mobile capabilities, and protect our customers in their current ThinkPad 760 options. They also broaden our presence in the mainstream market with the right set of features and very affordable prices. Several of the new models were specifically designed for fleet buyers and small business owners looking for the most reliable and affordable mobile computing solutions. We are also pleased to announce models designed for the consumer market that offer outstanding prices with IBM ThinkPad performance and quality."

Affordable Power in the Mainstream

With high-end features in unprecedented mainstream models, the ThinkPad 365 is now equipped with a choice of Intel's** 120 MHz or 100 MHz Pentium processors,(2) with PCI bus for high-performance video and graphics, or IBM's 586-class processor. Additionally, large, high-resolution 11.3-inch or 10.4-inch color screens enhance computing comfort. Other features include integrated quad-speed CD-ROM drives (CD-ROM model only), wireless infrared printing and file swapping and IBM's integrated TrackPoint* III pointing device.

All models are loaded with an extensive selection of software titles, come standard with 8 megabytes (MB) of RAM, offer a choice of 540 MB, 810 MB, or 1.08 gigabytes (GB) hard drives(3) and hot-swappable nickel-metal hydride batteries.

ThinkPad 365 models are lightweight, ranging from 5.8 lbs. to just 6.4 lbs. with an integrated quad-speed CD-ROM drive.(4)

ThinkPad Family Offers Desired Features and Prices

"Since the introduction of the ThinkPad in 1991, IBM has built an excellent reputation among high-end notebook users," said Kimball Brown, analyst with Dataquest, a market research firm in San Jose, California. "Backward compatibility has been -- and it appears with these announcements, will continue to be -- a strong selling point for ThinkPad notebooks. To date, IBM has struggled to gain a strong market share position at the low-end of the notebook market. However, starting in the second half of 1996, we expect strong growth from IBM's 365 series of ThinkPads. Backward compatibility, IBM quality and support, and strong price/performance at the low-end should enable IBM to attract consumers and business users who previously couldn't afford a ThinkPad."

Award-Winning Design

For the first time ever, the newly upgraded high-end 760 series is offered at a low-end price, starting at just $3,399.(1) The innovation-packed ThinkPad 760 series, widely recognized as the world's premiere notebook computer, includes more powerful Pentium processors, with speeds up to 133 MHz, as well as large, high resolution 11.3-inch or 12.1-inch color displays.

Other feature enhancements include: PCI architecture with high performance PC CardBus capabilities; 16 MB of RAM (expandable to 80 MB); a 64-bit graphics engine with 2 MB of video RAM (one model only); IBM's Total Image Video with MPEG-2 (5) (Moving Pictures Experts Group); IBM's built-in Mwave* digital signal processors (DSP) that integrate TheatreSound;* digital data/fax modems (28.8 Kbps); speakerphone and answering machine functions and TrackPoint III pointing device.***

Sporting the same innovative and flexible modular design as the previous internationally honored 760 models, the new 760 series offers an automated tilt keyboard with integrated palm rest and integrated high-speed infrared wireless communications. Users that demand the utmost in versatility will appreciate IBM's UltraBay* which offers the most extensive combination of modular device support in the notebook industry. This often-copied feature accommodates easily swappable options, such as a quad-speed CD-ROM drive or diskette drive, which can be swapped with a second lithium-ion battery for extended travel or a second 1.2 GB hard-drive for greater storage. Additional UltraBay options include a wireless cellular phone fax module or an additional PC Card slot.

New PCI-Based Backward Compatible ThinkPad 760 Notebooks

Unlike any other vendor in the mobile market, IBM offers full desktop expansion and backward compatibility. The new PCI-based notebooks also work in the existing ISA-based docking stations, in turn protecting the customer's initial docking investment.

Similarly, prior ISA-based notebooks will work in IBM's new SelectaDock port replicator, which offers greater convenience and security.

"Businesses have invested in a variety of ThinkPad models and docking stations in the past few years, and we placed protection of their investment as a top priority," said Steve Ward, General Manager for IBM's mobile computing. "As we move to the new PCI architecture and customers purchase our new PCI-based notebooks, they can do so with peace-of-mind, knowing that they will be compatible with their current ISA-based ThinkPad docking options. Only IBM offers notebook users this degree of security."

Further Innovation in Modular Design

The new SelectaDock extends the flexibility pioneered by the ThinkPad family by providing a modular design -- essentially a building block approach to docking. Users can now purchase a SelectaDock base unit, which is an inexpensive, convenient base port replicator for single connection access to desktop peripherals. In addition, the base unit offers key-lock notebook and PC Card device security features normally found in full-priced docking stations. This base unit can be used alone or attached to a more comprehensive desktop docking station.

Further extending the flexibility found in the ThinkPad 760 notebook, the new SelectaDock Model 1 includes an additional UltraBay which shares the CD-ROM, second hard disk or diskette drive with the notebook.

The docking station also includes a full-sized PCI or ISA expansion slot, additional CardBus slots, a SCSI II and game ports, an internal power supply and an LED status indicator.

Convenient Service and Support

IBM's new ThinkPads include one of the most convenient and advanced mobile service and support programs anywhere. IBM Online Housecall* gives IBM HelpCenter* technicians the ability to remotely diagnose and repair many software problems. Twenty-four hour, seven-day-a- week hardware support(6) comes standard during the warranty(7) period, as does convenient EasyServ* courier repair service (available in North America).

Configurations

ThinkPad 760 and 365 models are loaded with an extensive selection of software titles selected specifically for mobile users. The ThinkPad 760 models are available with Windows**** '95 or Ready-to-Configure (blank hard drive) options for purchases of 24 notebooks or more. The 365 models are also available with Windows '95.

All ThinkPad models will be configured to support OS/2* Warp, Version 3, and OS/2 Warp Connect with Win-OS/2. The new ThinkPads with OS/2 Warp Connect with Win-OS/2 will be announced in June.

Pricing and Availability

The new ThinkPad 760 notebooks are available through authorized dealers with estimated prices starting at $3,399.(1)

The new ThinkPad 365 models will be available in May. All 365 models will be available through authorized dealers. Models including the 586-class processor and one 100-MHz Pentium model will also be available through retail stores. Estimated prices start at $1,999.(1)

The new SelectaDock Base Model and Model 1 is available immediately through authorized dealers with prices starting at $149 and $648, respectively.(1)

In addition, IBM customer financing offers an array of convenient and flexible financing options to support customers' acquisitions of IBM personal computers. Terms and conditions vary by geography. For more information about customer financing offerings, contact a local IBM or IBM customer financing representative in your geography.

EDITOR'S NOTE: IBM news releases are available on the Internet, via the IBM Home Page at http://www.ibm.com The IBM Fax Information Service (800-IBM-4FAX) allows editors to receive facsimiles of IBM news releases and spec sheets of IBM products. To receive a detailed spec sheet on the ThinkPad 760 series enter document "3934," for the ThinkPad 365 series enter document "3934" and for the SelectaDocks enter "3310" at the voice menu.

(1)  Estimated IBM authorized reseller prices. These products

     are available from IBM resellers and actual resale prices

     may vary.

(2)  Internal processor speed. Application speed will be less.

(3)  MB = million bytes, GB = billion bytes

(4)  Actual weight may vary.

(5)  Supports MPEG-2 Half Horizontal Resolution.

(6)  Response times may vary.

(7)  Copies of IBM's statement of limited warranty

     are available by calling 800-772-2227.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Talk to Your Computer with Next OS/2 Warp
Merlin Is Made Easy with Speech Recognition, UI Improvements and Better Internet Integration

Talk to Your Computer with IBM's Next Version of OS/2 Warp

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Apr. 23, 1996...Are you talking to your computer, yet? That's the question IBM is asking thousands of software application developers this week at the IBM Technical Interchange developer's conference in Nashville, Tenn. The company today unveiled an early copy of the next version of OS/2* Warp, code-named Merlin. Integrating IBM's latest VoiceType* technology in speech navigation and dictation, an improved user interface which includes an enhanced version of the Lotus SmartCenter, and easier-than-ever Internet access, OS/2 Warp "Merlin" will be the first major Intel-based operating system with built-in speech recognition and will take the concept of ease-of-use to an entirely new level.

"IBM has just raised the bar on operating system ease of use," said Kathryn Dzubeck, executive vice president of Communications Network Architects, Inc., a computer consultancy in Washington, D.C. "Human-centric versus machine-centric input will provide a major productivity increase for corporate and consumer PC users."

Talk, Don't Type

Built-in speech navigation and dictation capabilities in Merlin will allow OS/2 users simply to tell their computers what they normally would have to type or execute with a mouse. The navigation portion will allow people to vocally navigate through menu bars and objects on the desktop in order to do things such as open files and launch applications, or pop onto the Internet hands-free with a simple phrase like 'Jump to CNN Home Page.' Working with a computer has never been so easy, and using a computer has never been so much fun.

The dictation component will allow users to dictate memos and other documents and then paste them into word processing or e-mail applications. With this technology, doctors will be able to review X-rays or examine patients and dictate their findings directly into a computer. Insurance agents can vocally process claims. Attorneys can create legal briefs while flipping through research materials. And business professionals can dictate electronic memos while simultaneously reading through hard-copy documents.

"We believe that speech recognition in computers will be the next major industry breakthrough when it comes to ease-of-use," said Wally Casey, vice president of client product management in IBM's Software Group. "Just as the Macintosh changed the industry when it introduced a graphical user interface, OS/2 Merlin will alter the way people interact with computers -- from new computer users to business professionals to anyone who wants quick and easy Internet access."

The Technology Behind the Talk

Based on IBM's latest VoiceType technology, speech recognition in Merlin will run with any common OS/2-supported sound card, like Sound Blaster, which comes as a standard feature in most audio-enabled PCs. By integrating industry-leading VoiceType technology into the OS/2 base, IBM is offering customers an incredible value.

With years of IBM research behind it, the speech technology in Merlin has advanced to a point where it is very easy to use. Merlin will be speaker-independent, meaning the computer will understand what most users say, without any training. And it even will know the difference between words with the same pronunciation yet different spellings, like to, too and two.

Merlin also will come with a continuous navigator, allowing users to speak as they normally do, without inserting pauses between words, in order to navigate through the desktop and menus.

The navigation vocabulary in Merlin will include common desktop navigation words. Dictation will come with a base vocabulary of 10,000 words and will allow the addition of up to 42,000 more unique terms. Customers also may purchase separate vocabularies for professions like healthcare and law. And speech will be supported in six languages: U.S. and U.K. English, French, Spanish, German and Italian.

Application Support

This week at its developer conference, IBM is meeting with application developers to rally support for speech-enabled OS/2 applications. Currently, any OS/2 Presentation Manager (PM) object will automatically work with the VoiceType navigator. PM objects include menu-bar headings, drop-down menus and buttons on the screen.

IBM will be delivering a developer toolkit later this year, which will allow solution developers to add a richer set of speech functions to their applications.

"I'm excited about the new opportunities that will be created by integrating VoiceType into the OS/2 base," said Jim Karn, operations director for Pittsburgh-based Alien Robotics, a solution developer that voice enables software using IBM's VoiceType Dictation on a number of operating system platforms. "This will open up an entirely new level of solutions that we will be able to create for our customers and a whole new set of business opportunities for our company."

As with previous versions of OS/2, IBM will provide premier technical support for application developers through its Solution Developer Program.

New User Interface and Internet Enhancements Contribute to Ease-of-Use

Merlin will boast more than just speech recognition. It also will sport a cleaner and more logical user interface with visual enhancements like three-dimensional shadowed icons, 256 colors, an array of customizable bitmaps and backgrounds, an attractive system font that reads well on laptop computers and customizable colored tabs in a newly-designed settings folder.

The WarpCenter...

IBM has taken the best of the SmartCenter technology from Lotus and the LaunchPad from OS/2 Warp to create the new OS/2 WarpCenter. The WarpCenter is an object-oriented icon ribbon on the desktop in Merlin that will allow users to quickly and easily launch and group programs and check on the status of their systems. It includes a "Warp button" that dynamically creates a view of everything on the computer desktop, a task list that indicates which programs are currently running, status indicators for disk space and battery power, a calendar, clock and timer.

Users will be able to customize their WarpCenter simply by dragging and dropping icons onto it and then grouping those icons into trays. A tray could group any combination of objects: folders, applications, even icons representing World Wide Web pages.

With the WarpCenter visible at all times in any application, users could launch a new application, check the contents of a drive or even jump onto the World Wide Web without minimizing the space within which they currently are working. The WarpCenter also can be deactivated if the user so prefers.

Merlin will include other features, like superior networking capabilities, great security and OpenDoc run-time support, that should distinguish it as the operating system of choice for the connected consumer to the large enterprise customer. Merlin will go into beta later this quarter and become generally available in the second half of this year.

For Internet users, IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and technology on the World Wide Web. The IBM home page is at http://www.ibm.com. The fastest, easiest way to find any information about IBM software is to go to the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com. The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IBM Offers SOMobjects Free on the Web

Expanded platforms; new Internet support and services

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 23, 1996 . . . At the IBM Technical Interchange '96 today, IBM announced that SOMobjects* Version 2.1 can now be downloaded from the Internet at no charge, making it easier to develop and maintain applications for network-centric computing environments. This powerful programming tool allows applications to access and use software components, even when they are written in different programming languages, deployed on different operating-system platforms, or residing remotely in host/client or client/server networks.

IBM also announced a new World Wide Web site for SOMobjects support and information and the early availability of the next release of System Object Model (SOM)* technology, SOM 3.0 for OS/2*. In addition to OS/2, IBM is developing SOM 3.0 technology for a range of operating-system environments, including AIX*, MVS*, OS/400*, Windows** 3.1, NT** and 95, and other UNIX** systems. Tandem Computers Inc. and IBM also have an agreement to port SOM 3.0 to Tandem platforms.

Through SOM technology, SOMobjects provides a highly efficient mechanism for building, packaging, and manipulating class libraries of objects that can be shared across applications. Development becomes easier because SOMobjects provides a language-neutral programming environment and manages local and remote communication among objects.

"The widespread availability of SOMobjects will enable more developers to take advantage of standards-based SOM technology for creating and using component software on the widest range of platforms," said Steve Mills, general manager, IBM Software Solutions Division. "The elimination of price and support barriers will increase the adoption and deployment of SOM-based components and applications and spur growth in component commerce."

"IBM is making it more cost-effective for tool vendors such as Secant to build and supply distributed object solutions within large enterprises," said John Pompeii, director of Systems Architecture and Development, Secant Technologies. "The free availability of SOMobjects 2.1, increased functionality of SOM 3.0, and new support and services will help us provide more competitive offerings to our customers."

SOMobjects 2.1 is available free of charge via the Internet for development on OS/2, AIX, and Windows 3.11 operating systems. SOM support for Windows NT and 95 is provided through IBM VisualAge* C++ for Windows Version 3.5, which is available for a base price of $449.00. The VisualAge family of powertools enables developers to build cross-platform applications from reusable, object-oriented software components.

SOM is IBM's implementation of the Object Management Group (OMG) Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)** standard for open object interoperability. Direct-to-SOM support, which automates the creation of SOM objects using familiar C++ or COBOL syntax, is provided through VisualAge for C++ and VisualAge for COBOL on the OS/2 platform, and VisualAge for C++ for Windows.

SOM 3.0 for OS/2 offers significant enhancements to SOMobjects 2.1, including CORBA 2.0 interoperability through the Internet Interoperability Protocol (IIOP)**, and CORBA 2.0 services. Naming, events, persistence, lifecycle, concurrency, transactions, identity, and externalization are among the new CORBA services.

Availability

Information, resources and SOMobjects 2.1 and SOM 3.0 early beta code are currently available for downloading through a new IBM Software website on the World Wide Web, SOMware at the Club, at http://www.software.ibm.com/object/somobjects. Beta testing of SOMobjects 2.1 for MVS and OS/400 platforms is underway. SOM technology is incorporated in OS/390 Open Edition*.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IBM Solution Developer Pgm Streamlines
IBM Solution Developer Program Streamlines Developer Support

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 23, 1996...IBM today announced that it is streamlining developer support with its new Solution Developer Program.

Members will retain the services developers have always had from IBM, but will also now benefit from the new ways IBM has created to help developers take their products to market.

The announcement was made at the IBM Technical Interchange, an annual developers conference where over 3,000 developers from all over the world are on hand. The conference showcases the latest in IBM software technology through intensive tutorial sessions, general elective sessions and exhibits covering areas such as the Internet, application development, and even a peek at the next era of personal computing...speech recognition.

Attendees were enthusiastic about the Solution Developer Program. "This new program makes working with IBM much easier," said Brad Wardell, president, Stardock Systems, Inc. "Before, developers could sometimes get confused trying to navigate the various offerings from IBM. Now all the information we need is in one location. It's great."

The Solution Developer Program was formed to help commercial solution developers grow their business in IBM hardware and software platforms and technologies and is the framework that ties together all of IBM's current developer assistant programs under a family of developer programs. This framework is the first step to providing assistance with Technical Support, Business Services and Marketing Support.

"We are providing a program that helps developers acquire the services they need and offers a free information tier with access to fee-based programs and services," said Howie Hunger, director, Solution Developer Programs. "Quite simply, we are making it much easier for these companies to do business with IBM.

Success for Developers

According to Hunger, IBM has three very straightforward goals for the Solution Developer Program.

IBM will help developers by giving them the support they need to successfully build products on IBM platforms and middleware, and by providing easy, early access to information, tools and leading-edge technology. IBM can help developers gain competitive advantage through lower development costs and/or decreased time to market.

IBM will work with developers to extend market access around the world by providing lead generation and delivering sales catalogues and marketing materials promoting developer applications.

The Solution Developer Program provides general support for all developers and in-depth support for those working on OS/2*, AIX*, Object Technology, DB2*, AS/400*, S/390*, SystemView*, CICS*, MQSeries*, Distributed Computing, ImagePlus* and FlowMark*. There is also retail and enterprise communications support. Members receive information through the Solution Developer Program home page at http://www.developer.ibm.com/ or via postal mail. To register, developers should access the program's home page. or call 770/835-9902 worldwide, 800/627-8363 in the U.S. and Canada.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IBM & Dev Partners Unveil New Swr Technology
IBM and Development Partners Unveil New Software Technology in Music City, USA

Three thousand software developers convene for IBM Technical Interchange

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 23, 1996. . .Three thousand software developers from around the world today converged on the home of country music for the IBM Technical Interchange '96 (April 23-26). An Annual conference, Technical Interchange offers software developers the opportunity to explore the latest in software technology and discuss the best way to apply that technology to match the requirements of today's business environment.

"Technical Interchange is a gathering of the best and the brightest software developers from around the world," said Gian Carlo Bisone, general manager of software marketing, Software Group, IBM. "Strong independent software support is crucial to the success of our products and we are delighted with the level of attendance. IBM has two priorities this week: to share our new technology with developers and to listen and learn so that we continue to make it easier for these companies to do business with IBM."

Reflecting its importance, the Technical Interchange is a major forum for new product announcements showcasing application development and systems management as well as speech recognition and Internet access and support.

IBM hit the headlines today with a range of new products and programs all designed with a common purpose: to make computing in a complex and highly-networked world easier for developers, users and information technology managers.

Tires of pecking at a computer keyboard? IBM brings relief with the 'tell-your-computer-what-to-do magic' unveiled in an early copy of the next version of OS/2 Warp, code-named Merlin. With built in speech navigation and dictation capabilities, the new operating system takes the concept of ease-of-use to another level for personal computer users around the world. Other improvements include a user interface incorporating an enhanced version of Lotus SmartCenter and easier-than-ever Internet access.

Demonstrating leadership in enabling the integration of heterogeneous networks and applications, IBM continued its roll out of the Enterprise Communications family of server and clients. The Communications Server for OS/2 and AIX, part of the recently announced IBM Software Servers, represent a leap forward in communications solutions.

To help small to mid-size System/390 users upgrade to new technology, IBM announced new enterprise computing hardware and software offerings that reflect an open, total solution approach to business problems. These include a new server called R/390, which combines a RS/6000 computer with an integrated S/390 processor card, providing customers with the flexibility to exploit both S/390 and UNIX capabilities in the heterogeneous world of network computing.

And a Year 2000-ready version of the VSE/ESA operating system which provides companies with the tools they need to make the necessary systems modifications so that date changes are not problematic on January 1, 2000.

Designed to help commercial solution developers grow their business and benefit from teaming with IBM, the company announced the Solution Developer Program. This new program streamlines and improves support for companies, large and small, writing applications and programs that run on IBM hardware and software platforms.

Contributing to the growth of component commerce, which makes it easier for developers to build and maintain applications, IBM announced that software developers can now download SOMobjects Version 2.1 from the Internet at no charge. This enables developers to take advantage of standards-based System Object Model (SOM) technology for creating and using component software. In addition, IBM announced the early availability of the next release of SOM, SOM 3.0 for OS/2, as well as a new World Wide Web site for SOMobjects support and information -- SOMware on the WEB is at http://www.software.ibm.com/objects/somobjects.

Making it easier for AIX users to access the Internet, IBM announced the latest release of its AIX operating system (Version 4.2) which includes new features that enhance portability, scalability and usability, while adding significant new Internet capabilities and packaging options.

The following software development partners will also be making announcements: Computer Data Strategies, Development Technologies, MGI, Softouch Systems, Stardock Systems, Pinnacle Technology, Syntegration and T4 Systems.

For more information on IBM Technical Interchange and the excitement in Nashville this week, visit the show's web site at http://www.austin.ibm.com/developer/conferences/ti_96.

For Internet users, IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and technology on the World Wide Web. The IBM home page is http://www.ibm.com. The fastest, easiest way to find any information about IBM software is to go to the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com. The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


IDEA Print Server for Networked Printers
IDEA Announces the IDEA Print Server

IDEA PRINT SERVER PROVIDES IBM MIDRANGE IPDS AND SCS PRINTING ON NETWORKED PRINTERS

BEDFORD, MASS., April 15th, 1996 -- IDEA's PC Communications Division, a leading provider of data access solutions, today announced IDEA Print Server, a Windows-based software solution that allows IBM midrange users to perform host printing functions using existing local area network (LAN) printers. IDEA Print Server enables high-end SNA printing capabilities, including SNA Character String (SCS) or Advanced Function Printing/Intelligent Printer Data Stream (AFP/IPDS) to be printed on up to seven LAN printers at a fraction of the cost typically required to perform this task.

"Traditionally, allowing high-level host printing on networked printers has been very costly for organizations and has involved the addition of host printers or protocol converters," said Bob Janiak, IDEA's product manager. "We are committed to offering organizations an easy-to-use cost-effective solution that offers users a high-end, stable printing platform without changing their network or host operating system."

Most IBM midrange sites, coexisting with LANs, have printers dedicated to each environment, a source of unnecessary expense. Most of the host printers are centralized near the host and far away from the end users. Functional upgrades to host printers, such as adding IPDS are expensive.

IDEA Print Server eliminates the duplication of printer resources by allowing up to seven LAN and/or direct-attached PC printers to be used for host printing, resulting in significant cost savings. By using LAN printers, IDEA Print Server is a software solution that enables host printing near the end users, eliminating the inconvenience of centralized printing and enhancing productivity. Software options are available for functional upgrades that provide investment protection, including IPDS printing and capacity enhancements that increase the number of host sessions from four to seven.

IDEA Print Server is Windows-based and connects to IBM AS/400, System/36 or Advanced 36 hosts via twinax, or to AS/400s via Token Ring or Ethernet. The product then connects to the LAN or direct-attached PC printers using any Windows-supported protocol or topology, and can be used in standard LAN environments without network modifications. When IDEA Print Server is connected to an IBM midrange host via twinax, it enables both SCS and IPDS printing. When connected to AS/400s via the Token Ring or Ethernet board in the AS/400, it enables SCS printing for up to seven hosts concurrently.

For example, IDEA Print Server can be installed in an envrionment with an AS/400 and a Novell LAN to allow the configuration of up to seven networked printers as host printers, using the Novell IPX protocol. In the same respect, in a Windows NT or Windows for Workgroups environment, IDEA Print Server could use that native network protocol, NETBUI, to print host data. Other network protocols, supported by Windows 3.X or Windows 95 include IP, IPX, NETBUI, and Vines, and can be used by IDEA Print Server to print host data using LAN printers.

When IDEA Print Server runs on Windows 3.X or aWindows95-based PC, it becomes a host printing resource that is available to any terminal or terminal emulation software, regardless of what emulation or PC operating system may be running on that PC, or how the user is connected to the host. This offloads any host printing that the user may have been running on individual PC's, adding capabilities such as IPDS.

Pricing and Availability

IDEA Print Server is available immediately and is priced from $395 to $6,995. Pricing outside the U.S. is determined on a country by country basis by IDEA's worldwide network of subsidiaries and distributors.

IDEA for Information Access

IDEA designs, manufactures and markets client/server, information access solutions that enable end-users to easily access data located on multiple hosts and servers within a corporate Intranet. With an installed base of more than 1,000,000 users worldwide, customers include all sizes of industrial and manufacturing companies, entertainment and service companies, financial and academic institutions, and federal and state agencies.


HTML Transit Web Publishing Tech Licensing
COREL CORPORATION AND PROCESS SOFTWARE LICENSE HTML TRANSIT WEB PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY

Third-party licenses get templates into the hands of Intranet publishers.

SAN JOSE, CA --&nbsp;April 29, 1996 -- At the Internet World Conference, InfoAccess announces the licensing of their template-based technology to Web-suite providers, Corel Corporation and Process Software. Based on the InfoAccess HTML Transit product, the publishing technology automatically converts large volumes of word processor and page layout files to colorful, hypertext-linked Web pages.

TEMPLATES PROVIDE AUTOMATION AND CONSISTENCY

The Transit technology works like a style sheet for Web publishers, providing full control over the display of Web pages. Reusable templates let users specify, in advance, the appearance and structure of their documents. Once the templates have been created, built in conversion filters read the source files and apply the settings to the documents -- providing a high degree of control over the look and feel of a Web site and creating a production system for easy updates.

"By providing broad distribution through our partnerships with Process and Corel, we are increasing the awareness of template-based publishing and offering the technology to corporate users who need an industrial strength solution," said InfoAccess president, Jim Culbertson.

COREL CORPORATION -- FIRST TO INTEGRATE THE TECHNOLOGY

Later this month, Corel Corporation is shipping an entry-level version of HTML Transit, CorelWeb.Transit, in their new CorelWEB.DESIGNER. Corel plans to continue incorporating the Transit technology into their product line and will include the conversion module in an upcoming suite of publishing tools targeted at Intranet users.

"The Transit conversion module will serve as an integral part of our Web publishing suites, as we continue providing comprehensive toolkits for the World Wide Web," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and CEO of Corel Corporation. InfoAccess offers a special upgrade price of $295 to all Corel customers who require the full functionality of HTML Transit.

PROCESS SOFTWARE ADDS HTML TRANSIT TO PURVEYOR INTRASERVER

Process Software has selected HTML Transit as the Web page creation module in the new release of the Purveyor IntraServer. The Transit module provides a comprehensive solution and an easy migration path to the Intranet, by overlaying existing word processor files with the template technology and automatically generating Web ready pages. Since publishers can maintain one set of source files for both paper and Web distribution, updates can be integrated to the Web site by simply reapplying the translation template for that particular collection of source documents.

"We've chosen to partner with InfoAccess because HTML Transit solves one of the basic issues facing corporations today --&nbsp;the decision to implement company-wide Intranets," said Dave Roselund, Vice President of Product Marketing at Process Software.

ABOUT INFOACCESS

Utilizing the technology in their GUIDE product line, InfoAccess has specialized for ten years in developing custom solutions for customers such as, the U.S Navy and Ford Motor Company. With the development of HTML Transit, InfoAccess continues to provide solutions for today's electronic publishing requirements. InfoAccess, 2800 156th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98007. Telephone 206-747-3203, Fax 206-641-9367, http://www.infoaccess.com, e-mail: info@infoaccess.com


Insignia Solutions Partners Program
Insignia Solutions Implements Insignia Solutions Partners Program

VARs Use NTRIGUE to Increase Business by Extending Their Windows NT Market Penetration

SANTA CLARA, CA, APRIL 22, 1996 -- Insignia Solutions (Nasdaq: INSGY) has implemented the Insignia Solutions Partners (ISP) program which provides comprehensive training, a pricing plan, technical support, marketing and sales support to existing and new VARs who resell NTRIGUE.

NTRIGUE is a high-performance, multi-user Windows NT-based application server that delivers Windows 95, Windows 3.x and Windows NT applications to all X terminals, UNIX workstations, Power Macintosh and Macintosh computers and PCs. Through the ISP program, VARs can use NTRIGUE to increase revenues from existing customers by delivering Windows NT to new desktops. NTRIGUE also leverages a VAR's existing investment in Windows NT training -- minimizing the time needed to generate revenues from the addition of NTRIGUE to a VAR's existing family of solutions.

"I have had a lot of experience with support from software vendors and Insignia Solutions is the best I've found," said ISP participant Dave Braithwaite of Youmans, Braithwaite & Rechif. "I'm looking at using NTRIGUE to introduce our services into a market that I was previously unable to reach. This thing is bullet-proof."

NTRIGUE GENERATES NEW BUSINESS FOR VARS

VARs that currently sell Windows NT-based solutions or services can benefit by joining the ISP program. NTRIGUE allows Windows NT to be accessed by additional desktops in the enterprise including X terminals, UNIX workstations, PCs and Macintosh computers. VARs can expand their Windows NT-based business in existing accounts and also pursue opportunities with new customers who have requirements for providing Windows NT applications to heterogeneous desktops.

Existing UNIX VARs can also benefit from the ISP program. VARs whose customers are transitioning from UNIX to Windows NT, or are considering such a transition, can use NTRIGUE to bring the two environments together. NTRIGUE allows these VARs to provide additional services to customers where UNIX is co-existing with Windows NT.

ISP PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

VARs who participate in the ISP program are granted a full NTRIGUE license for resale or internal use. The ISP program also gives participants exclusive leads from designated geographical areas and options for reselling Insignia Solutions' technical service and support programs. At the same time, VARs with their own technical support organization can purchase any of the NTRIGUE support plans at a discount for their own use. In this case, VARs provide first-line support to customers, and Insignia Solutions provides second-level support to VARs. ISP participants also have dedicated Insignia Solutions sales and pre-sales support representatives.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Insignia offers a two-day NTRIGUE training class which covers planning, installation, configuration and system administration. Classes are scheduled monthly and held at venues throughout the U.S. Insignia Solutions also offers a five-day training course on NTRIGUE and Windows NT designed for technical staff responsible for the configuration, installation and support of NTRIGUE, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server. For more information on these courses and the ISP program, contact Insignia Solutions at 800-241-8499 or e-mail var.partners@insignia.com.

INSIGNIA SOLUTIONS

Insignia Solutions is a leading developer of PC compatibility solutions for Macintosh computers, UNIX workstations and X Windows-capable desktops. The publicly-held company develops, markets and sells solutions that provide Microsoft Windows and MS- DOS applications on the desktop (SoftWindows), and via a Windows NT server to a variety of enterprise desktops (NTRIGUE). Insignia Solutions' products support Digital, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Motorola, NeXT, Silicon Graphics and Sun/SPARC workstations and Macintosh computers; as well as all X Windows-capable desktops. The U.S. headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, and its main research and development facilities are in High Wycombe, England. The company's sales and marketing departments are located in Santa Clara; Andover, Massachusetts; and High Wycombe. Additional information about Insignia Solutions and its products can be obtained by calling Insignia Solutions at 800-848-7677 and visiting the company's web site at http://www.insignia.com.


MacTransfer for Win95 Accesses Mac Disks
Insignia Solutions Gives Windows 95 Users Transparent Access to Macintosh Disks With MacTransfer for Windows 95

Customers Can Purchase and Instantly Download MacTransfer for Windows 95 on the Internet

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 The only 100% transparent solution that allows Windows 95 users

 to access Macintosh diskettes

 Seamlessly lets customers use high-density Macintosh disks on PCs,

 eliminating concern about what platform the data was stored on

 Handles Macintosh and Windows 95 file name translation automatically

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SANTA CLARA, CA, APRIL 15, 1996 -- Insignia Solutions (Nasdaq: INSGY) is now selling MacTransfer for Windows 95, a software program that enables Microsoft Windows 95 users to read, write and format high-density Macintosh diskettes on their PCs.  Customers can now purchase MacTransfer over the Internet and immediately download the software, resulting in instant global access to the product.

"We're breaking new ground with MacTransfer for Windows 95," said Insignia Solutions chairman and CEO Robert P. Lee.  "Windows 95 users can access Mac disks seamlessly, without ever knowing that the disk was not formatted on a PC."

100% COMPATIBLE, EASY TO USE

MacTransfer makes Windows 95 100% compatible with high-density Macintosh disks.  The software works behind the scenes so there are no cables or complicated file transfer programs.  Customers simply use the Windows Desktop, Windows Explorer or a DOS command to use the files on a Macintosh disk.  Customers can even open Mac files within their favorite applications.

Unlike other Mac diskette readers, MacTransfer does not require the user to copy a file from the diskette to the Windows 95 hard disk. Customers can access Mac files directly from the floppy.

AUTOMATE FILE NAME TRANSLATION

MacTransfer delivers easy access to data stored on a disk -- regardless of how the disk was formatted.  MacTransfer even handles Macintosh and Windows 95 file name translation automatically, allowing customers to see the same file name regardless of the platform the diskette was formatted on.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

MacTransfer for Windows 95 is available immediately for $39 on the Internet.  Customers simply follow the links from www.insignia.com to www.software.net.  MacTransfer for Windows 95 will also be available through major retailers and directly from Insignia Solutions with an expected street price of $55. For more information, call Insignia Solutions at 800-848-7677.

INSIGNIA SOLUTIONS

Insignia Solutions is a leading developer of PC compatibility solutions for Macintosh computers, UNIX workstations and X Windows-capable desktops.  The publicly-held company develops, markets and sells solutions that provide Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS applications on the desktop (SoftWindows), and via a Windows NT server to a variety of enterprise desktops (NTRIGUE).  Insignia Solutions' products support Digital, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Motorola, NeXT, Silicon Graphics and Sun/SPARC workstations and Macintosh computers; as well as all X Windows-capable desktops. With its U.S. headquarters in Santa Clara, California, the company maintains research and development facilities in High Wycombe, England and in Santa Clara.  The company's sales and marketing departments are located in Santa Clara; Andover, Massachusetts; and High Wycombe.  Additional information about Insignia Solutions and its products can be obtained by calling Insignia Solutions at 800-848-7677 and by visiting the company's web site at http://www.insignia.com.


Test Drive NTRIGUE App Server via Internet
Insignia Solutions Invites Corporate Evaluators to Test Drive NTRIGUE Via the Internet

Debuts versatile demonstration server for NTRIGUE on private intranets and over the Internet

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 Immediate, simple access to NTRIGUE demo

 Shows how an NTRIGUE server can be used to deploy or demonstrate

 applications on private intranets and over the Internet

 Features popular applications, including Microsoft Exchange

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SANTA CLARA, CA, APRIL 4, 1996 -- With the debut of NTRIGUE on the Web, Insignia Solutions (Nasdaq: INSGY) is now offering corporate evaluators an opportunity to test drive NTRIGUE, its Windows NT-based application server solution, over the Internet. Corporate evaluators can simply access Insignia's web page (www.insignia.com), download the NTRIGUE client and connect to the NTRIGUE on the Web server to test drive the product in real time. The NTRIGUE client can be downloaded in just a few minutes, so users can be up-and-running right away. NTRIGUE on the Web gives corporate evaluators looking for a Windows application server solution an opportunity to try the NTRIGUE solution remotely, at their convenience, with no need to configure a special server in-house.

NTRIGUE

NTRIGUE is a high-performance Windows NT-based application server that delivers Windows 95, Windows 3.x and Windows NT applications to all X terminals, UNIX workstations, Power Macintosh and Macintosh computers and PCs. Desktop-neutral, NTRIGUE offers users a cost-effective way to deliver consistent Windows applications to all enterprise desktops and acts as a management tool to enable MIS departments to centrally manage corporate desktop applications.

EASY ACCESS

NTRIGUE on the Web allows corporate evaluators, resellers and other interested parties to test drive NTRIGUE at their own site. One click on the Insignia "NTRIGUE Interactive Web Demo" icon takes them to the NTRIGUE server, which features a variety of popular applications. Insignia has also set up a Microsoft Exchange server to demonstrate how the NTRIGUE server can be used to deploy Exchange on corporate intranets with UNIX, Mac and PC desktops.

NTRIGUE ON THE WEB ILLUSTRATES LATEST INTERNET COMPUTING TRENDS

Computing on intranets and the Internet is still in its infancy, but there are two major trends impacting applications. The first is the implementation of a portable, secure language like Java in which the user must download each applet and run the applet on his/her local machine. The second involves the use of a thin client to handle display and input/output to connect to a remote server where the actual applications are run. NTRIGUE on the Web illustrates this second trend as it allows users to access remote applications on a private intranet or over the Internet. It complements the first trend by providing a way to access larger, more complex applications for which downloading is not an option.

NTRIGUE SERVER SIMPLIFIES APPLICATION DEMONSTRATIONS

NTRIGUE on the Web allows users to evaluate NTRIGUE quickly and easily. There is no need for an in-house server. After a simple download of the NTRIGUE client, users are ready to go; subsequent connections to any NTRIGUE server on the Web require just one intuitive click on a Web page. Running Windows programs on NTRIGUE on the Web eliminates the need to redesign programs to run in a new Web programming language while retaining portability and performance across disparate machines.

In addition, the NTRIGUE on the Web shows other vendors how they can demonstrate their own applications without having to create special demo versions and without having to download large application executables.

HOW IT WORKS

Installed with several popular applications, NTRIGUE has been set up with extra security to act as a public server, and Insignia's Web page has been augmented to load a helper application. NTRIGUE on the Web currently supports the ICA client from Citrix Systems, Inc. Insignia intends to release Macintosh and UNIX clients in the future. For intranet applications, end-users can access NTRIGUE via X11, which is readily available on all platforms now.

While the PC market is moving towards NT and application developers continue to migrate to Windows and Windows NT as their primary or sole development platform, UNIX and Macintosh customers remain loyal. As a result, heterogeneous computing environments are likely to remain the rule rather than the exception.

"NTRIGUE is ideal for customers looking to maximize Windows access for users in their heterogeneous enterprises," said Robert P. Lee, Insignia Solutions' president and CEO. "NTRIGUE on the Web makes it easy for customers to try NTRIGUE for themselves, without the need for a back-end server. This will enable virtually anyone to evaluate the product almost instantly. The concept of an application server on the Web is relatively new. Citrix was the first company to do it, and we plan to augment their technology with universal access for Mac and UNIX clients on both corporate intranets and the Internet."

OPEN SOLUTION

NTRIGUE's display interface is based on the X Window system standard, an open solution for distributed graphics display, so it works with any desktop that is X11R5 or X11R6 compliant. NTRIGUE supports both the X Window protocol for fast LAN access for intranets, and the ICA protocol for low-bandwidth connections over telephone lines, ISDN and the Internet.

UNPARALLELED COLOR SUPPORT

NTRIGUE takes full advantage of the X desktop and supports a full spectrum of colors with the highest resolution. From 16 to 256 colors, up to 16 million colors and down to monochrome, NTRIGUE provides unparalleled compatibility. NTRIGUE provides full support for applications such as Photoshop, which cannot run in operating environments that do not support at least 256 colors.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

NTRIGUE, and Insignia's newest offering, NTRIGUE for WinFrame, are available for immediate delivery directly from Insignia Solutions or through its extensive network of authorized distributors and partners. For additional information, contact Insignia Solutions at 508/682-7600 or 800/848-7677.

INSIGNIA SOLUTIONS

Insignia Solutions is a leading developer of PC compatibility solutions for UNIX workstations, X Windows-capable desktops and Macintosh computers. The publicly-held company develops, markets and sells solutions that provide Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS applications on the desktop (SoftWindows), and via a Windows NT server to a variety of enterprise desktops (NTRIGUE). Insignia Solutions' products support Macintosh computers as well as Digital, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Motorola, NeXT, Silicon Graphics and Sun/SPARC workstations and all X Windows-capable desktops. With its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, the company maintains research and development facilities in High Wycombe, England and in Santa Clara. The company's sales and marketing departments are located in Santa Clara; Andover, Massachusetts; and High Wycombe. Additional information about Insignia Solutions and its products can be obtained by calling Insignia Solutions at 800/848-7677 or by visiting the company's Web site at http://www.insignia.com.


Intel LANDesk Management Suite v2.5
Intel Lowers Cost of Business Computing with New LANDesk Management Suite v2.5

Windows NT and Internet Capabilities Expand Intel Architecture Management Solution

HILLSBORO, Ore., April 22, 1996 - Intel Corporation today announced new and enhanced management capabilities in the new LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 that reduce the PC support costs found in business computing. New features--including support for Windows NT environments and for management over the Internet--provide greater control and increased user uptime for Intel architecture-based PC networks.

"Intel is delivering on two commitments: making the Intel architecture easy to manage, and lowering the costs of business computing," said Ed Ekstrom, general manager of Intel's Network Products Division. "The new LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 is a robust, full-featured solution for managing clients and servers over the network, and it helps customers realize the full benefits of systems based on Pentium" Pro and Pentium processors."

For customers who are adding Windows NT-based systems in their enterprises, LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 provides powerful tools to help manage those transitions. The new product provides an integrated suite of critical management applications that support blended NetWare and Windows NT servers and their clients, saving administration time and increasing user productivity.

A New Bottom Line for Business Computing

Intel introduced the award-winning, full-featured LANDesk Management Suite v2.0 as the first integrated desktop management suite designed for Novell NetWare-based PC LANs in January 1995. The LANDesk Management Group of products leads the LAN management market segment with 35 percent share for 1995, according to International Data Corporation. With the release of LANDesk Management Suite v2.5, Intel is adding Windows NT support to enable centralized control of the multiple network operating system (NOS) environments found in business computing today.

LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 offers integrated multi-NOS management to DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95 workstations that log into both NetWare and Windows NT, enabling customers to control a multi-NOS LAN from one central console. The software can dynamically discover and manage the complete range of Microsoft network devices and Windows NT domains. In addition, LAN administrators can also now conduct inventory and remote control operations on IBM OS/2 workstations.

The new LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 includes upgrades of key v2.0 applications including remote control and inventory, software distribution, server monitoring, metering, centralized alerting, print management, and DMI management.

Advanced Management Features for Internet, Intranets and DMI

LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 enables LAN administrators to employ the Internet and intranets for major management tasks today, increasing their flexibility and access to clients. By supporting Internet TCP/IP, key LANDesk applications such as remote control, inventory and software distribution can be used over the Internet through use of WINSOCK-compatible IP (v1.1 or higher).  With this capability, for example, virtually any web-enabled intranet client can be remotely accessed and inventoried and can receive software distributions from LANDesk Management Suite.

LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 also allows LAN administrators to take better advantage of products supporting the Desktop Management Interface (DMI). The software makes it possible to filter DMI indications to the LANDesk Alert Management System (AMS), which in turn executes the appropriate corrective action or notification. With this new feature, AMS allows customers to proactively manage even more aspects of the network, minimizing crisis situations and maximizing network uptime.

Pricing and Availability

Available immediately, the LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 core system including a five-node license is priced at $750 (U.S. suggested list). Additional node licenses are:  $1,000 for a 10-node license, $6,250 for a 100-node license, and $50,000 for a 1,000-node license; volume pricing is available for node quantities of more than 5,000. Through August, Intel is offering a 50-percent discount to customers who purchase LANDesk Management Suite to complement an enterprise management platform that employs LANDesk product technology-such as Microsoft Systems Management Server, Tivoli TME, and Hewlett-Packard OpenView. An additional 10-percent discount (for a total 60-percent discount) is available through August to customers using Novell's ManageWise who purchase LANDesk Management Suite v2.5 to complement ManageWise in their enterprises. ManageWise was co-developed by Intel as a base management solution for NetWare.

Customers may upgrade previous versions of LANDesk Management Suite -- including LANDesk Management Suite v2.x, LANDesk Manager v1.5x, and LANSight* for NetWare -- at 50 percent of the suggested retail price through August. LANDesk Management Suite is available worldwide through a network of distributors and value-added resellers. Additional product information is available at (800) 538-3373 for U.S. and Canadian customers; at 44-793-431-155 for European customers; or at (503) 629-7354 for other international customers.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products.


NetWorld+Interop Showcases Internet Focus
NetWorld+Interop 96 Las Vegas Showcases the Networking Industry's Focus on the Internet

New Internet Event Interop DotCom Draws 10,478 Attendees to the Debut Show

FOSTER CITY, CA, (APRIL 24, 1996)--NetWorld+Interop 96 Las Vegas, the Summit for Network Computing, held April 1-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, continues to be a showcase for the pervasive growth of the Internet, intranets and network industry innovation and development, and as such, was the site for nearly 200 new product, service and technology announcements. Major networking industry vendors such as Novell, Inc., IBM, Cisco Systems Inc., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corporation, BBN Corp., Hummingbird Communications Ltd., and Simware Inc., used NetWorld+Interop as the forum to announce and articulate their Internet and intranet strategies and new products to the industry as a whole. In Las Vegas, 53,419 qualified attendees and 608 exhibitors were on hand to witness these developments.

Further proof of the increased level of industry interest in the Internet was the positive response to Interop DotCom, the marketing and educational event for Internet business applications and services that debuted in conjunction with NetWorld+Interop Las Vegas. Interop DotCom was announced only six weeks before NetWorld+Interop Las Vegas and attracted 10,478 attendees and over 60 Internet-focused exhibitors including industry leaders Netscape and Sun Microsystems as well as exciting start-ups such as HmPg Inc.

"NetWorld+Interop is a reflection of the state-of-the-art in production-quality networking technology and a leading indicator of where the networking and Internet markets are going," said Michael Millikin, Senior Vice President of NetWorld+Interop. "In Las Vegas it was particularly rewarding to look at both events -- N+I and Interop DotCom -- and realize that these events are catalysts helping to drive and shape the explosive growth of the Internet as well bringing the most up-to-the-minute information on the Internet revolution to industry decision makers and buyers."

"NetWorld+Interop continues to be the most important networking event in the industry for UB Networks," said Doug Wheeler, vice president, marketing at UB Networks, a NetWorld+Interop exhibitor. "At UB, we are globally committed to the NetWorld+Interop shows. No other networking event in the industry allows us to leverage the wide range of marketing opportunities or brings in the amount of highly qualified leads that NetWorld+ Interop does."

NETWORLD+INTEROP TECHNOLOGY ON THE INTEROPNET

NetWorld+Interop attendees and exhibitors witnessed a classic example of an intranet in action through the InteropNet, the world's largest event-oriented, enterprise, multivendor, multiprotocol network. Technology Highlights of the Las Vegas 96 InteropNet included multi-point video over ATM, ATM edge devices, OC-12 (622Mbps) ATM links, and 100baseT and 100VG exhibitor networks deployed next to Ethernet and Token Ring. Two different backbones were implemented on the InteropNet-a primary ATM cloud with a mesh of dedicated permanent virtual circuits between routers and a dual-attach FDDI ring providing full redundancy. Direct links to the Internet were provided via a DS-3 (45Mbps) connection which experienced outbound bursts up to 16Mbps and sustained rates of 8Mbps.

For the first time anywhere, the InteropNet proved interoperability of ATM in a multivendor demonstration of IISP. Traffic over the ATM networks reached 140Mbps peaks, and the OC-12 (622Mbps) connection function flawlessly. In addition, the ATM edge devices proved interoperability between multiple vendors, and highlighted the challenges that multicast and broadcast traffic present to ATM networks. Devices on the network nearly doubled from last year as thousands of devices used both the InteropNet and its Internet connection.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The main goal of NetWorld+Interop is continuing education, and the Las Vegas Conference Program provided attendees with in depth technical training in networking and interoperability. Reflecting key trends in the industry as a whole, some of the most popular tutorials and workshops in Las Vegas were: ATM & IP: Theory & Practice, Networking with NT & Windows, Intro to TCP/IP & Internetworking, IPng: The Next Generation Internet Protocol, Audio-Video over the Internet, Design & Optimization of Data Communications Networks and Internet Plug-and-Play with DHCP.

Themes for the Las Vegas General Conference included ATM, Internet Technologies, and Network Management & Security. Papers delivered at the third annual Engineers Conference emphasized traffic management and four other cutting-edge topics. A special one-day CTI/Telecommunications Symposium was also incorporated in the program for the first time. Over 1100 attendees took part in this new conference component, which exclusively focused on computer telephony integration, an increasingly important source of competitive advantage for enterprises of all sizes.

The Internet Executive Conference featured leaders from Federal Express, Digital Equipment and Precept Software providing insights into their own organizations' experiences, as well as legal and technical experts who supplied advice on how to enter the Internet arena safely and cost-effectively. The NetWare User Conference, the Network Analysis Forum and a Netscape Developers Conference preview also took place in conjunction with NetWorld+Interop Las Vegas. Total conference and class registration exceeded 7,500, creating the largest NetWorld+Interop Conference yet.

In addition to the Conference sessions, attendees heard from industry leaders Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation; Robert Frankenberg, chairman and CEO of Novell, Inc.; John Gerdelman, president Network MCI Services, MCI Communications Corporation; Peter Neumann, principal scientist, Computer Science Laboratory, SRI International; and Maks Wulkan, executive vice president and co-founder of Eicon Technology at the five keynote addresses.

BEST OF SHOW AWARDS

NetWorld+Interop honored innovative and noteworthy products during the highly competitive Best of Show Awards. These awards, sponsored by McGraw-Hill Publications, were judged by the editors of Data Communications and LAN Times, and recognized products that most significantly advanced distributed computing and networking technology. The winner of the prestigious overall Best Of Show award was Ipsilon Networks Inc. for its IP switch ATM 1600.

NetWorld+Interop is a comprehensive networking event that offers a combination of conferences, tutorials, workshops, exhibits and interactive technology demonstrations. Launched in Las Vegas in 1994, NetWorld+Interop also produces events in London, Sydney, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Atlanta, Paris and, in 1997, Singapore. Recognized as The Networking Summit, these events address the business, engineering and product application issues of the Internet and the networking industry. They are the industry's premier events where attendees come to experience new and emerging networking technologies before making critical purchasing decisions. At the NetWorld+Interop web site (http://www.interop.com), attendees can research the latest in exhibitor product information, technology conference offerings, show events and year-round NetWorld+Interop information.

SOFTBANK Expos, the world's largest Internet conference & trade show company, presents 21st century technology events. Its shows and conferences include NetWorld+Interop, Interop DotCom, Remote Access 96, JavaOne, Seybold Seminars, Internet@Seybold, Windows Solutions, ComputerMania, WebINNOVATION, Interactive 96, Support Services and Computer Training & Support. The events begin with the best available educational conferences which attract the brightest professionals in the technology community. The interactive trade show floor is a professionally enriching experience for the qualified attendees who visit the exhibitors year-round with on-line events and a collection of focused newsletters.

SOFTBANK Expos, 303 Vintage Park Drive, Foster City, CA 94404

1-800-4-SBEXPOS, 415-578-6900, http://www.sbexpos.com


Intergraph SOLID EDGE Mechanical Design Swr
Intergraph Delivers on Ease of Use and Interoperability; Solid Edge is First "Microsoft Office Compatible" Software for High-Performance Mechanical Design

HUNTSVILLE, ALA., APRIL 25, 1996 -- Intergraph Software Solutions today announced that SOLID EDGE, the company's new mechanical design and drafting software, is the first high-performance mechanical design system to satisfy Microsoft's compatibility requirements and has qualified for the designations "Microsoft Office Compatible" and "Designed for Microsoft Windows 95."

"SOLID EDGE signals a new era of usability, openness, and interoperability for advanced-capability technical software applications," said Tommy Steele, president, Intergraph Software Solutions. "Our participation in the Office Compatible and Windows 95 programs confirms Intergraph's vision of the technical desktop that brings together all the engineering and office automation tools in a unified, highly productive computing environment."

SOLID EDGE provides breakthrough performance for mechanical designers combining advanced parametric, feature-based solid modeling tools with the familiar Windows environment at $5995 (U.S.). It is immediately available in English and will be available in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Japanese. For product information or a seminar schedule, call 800-546-5550, contact a local Intergraph TEAM SOLID EDGE reseller, e-mail solidedge@ingr.com, or visit the internet at http://www.intergraph.com/mech/solidedge.shtml.

UNPRECEDENTED EASE OF USE

The Microsoft Office Compatible and Windows 95 designations signify that SOLID EDGE incorporates the Windows look and feel, with consistency and integration that makes it easier for customers to learn and use a broad range of software products. SOLID EDGE augments the familiarity of Windows with an innovative user interface that brings unprecedented ease of use to high-performance solid modeling. Built-in help, examples, and multimedia tutorials shorten learning curves and rapidly build user proficiency.

"SOLID EDGE is an industrial-strength example of good user interface design," says Theo Mandel, Ph.D., consultant, author, and principal of Interface Design and Development. "It proves that sophisticated programs don't have to provide difficult-to-learn or difficult-to- use interfaces just because the application is complex."

"SOLID EDGE's remarkable ease of use has already been proven in test drives by thousands of mechanical designers," said Bill McClure, vice president, Intergraph Mechanical Software Solutions. "CAD novices and experts alike have been able to apply advanced 3D solid modeling techniques within minutes of interacting with the software."

REMOVES PRODUCTIVITY BARRIERS

Unlike other mechanical CAD packages that run under Windows operating systems, SOLID EDGE was designed to take full advantage of the new technologies integrated into Windows 95 and Windows NT. This includes the Windows look and feel, automated installation, send mail functionality, and support of OLE 2.0 objects, drag-and-drop, and compound files, as well as OLE Automation.

In addition, SOLID EDGE is the first software package to incorporate OLE for Design and Modeling Applications, extensions to the OLE specifications that bring cut-and-paste, drag-and-drop integration among applications that deal with 3D objects including mechanical part and assembly models.

"With support of leading-edge Windows technologies, SOLID EDGE establishes an entirely new position for CAD on both the engineer's desktop and in the corporate computing environment," adds McClure. "OLE and OLE for Design & Modeling remove the productivity barriers that have isolated CAD from corporate integration while providing maximum flexibility for customers to choose the best solution for the task at hand."

THE SOLID EDGE ADVANTAGE

SOLID EDGE offers mechanical design professionals an uncompromising 3D CAD solution. The result of Intergraph's advanced-capability Jupiter technology, SOLID EDGE offers remarkable ease of use, a unique focus on assembly design, and plug-and-play interoperability. Developed specifically for WindowsR 95 and Windows NT operating systems, SOLID EDGE is the first Windows-based mechanical CAD system to implement innovative assembly design functions and revolutionary software integration technologies.

TEAM SOLID EDGE comprises more than 140 Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and integrates the talents, experience, and resources of the reseller channel with Intergraph's worldwide marketing and sales efforts for the mechanical design market.

INTERGRAPH BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A member of the Fortune 1000, Intergraph Corporation (Huntsville, Ala.) is the world's largest company dedicated to supplying interactive computer graphics systems. Products range from point solutions, meeting individual and departmental needs, to integrated, enterprisewide systems. The company's common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol: INGR.

INTERGRAPH SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS (ISS) develops and markets integrated software for the Technical Desktop - the combination of compatible technical applications and personal productivity tools in a single desktop computer. Technical applications include computer-aided design, engineering, analysis, manufacturing, and infrastructure. ISS also provides core system software, training, consulting, and implementation services.

E-mail us at solidedge@ingr.com or visit us on the internet at http://www.intergraph.com/mech/solidedge.shtml


Conquest Of The New World Lands at Retail
Lie, Cheat, Steal, Explore, Trade, and Conquer.

Experience Nation-Building At Its Best.

Conquest Of The New World Lands At Retail.

April 24, 1996 -- Irvine, California -- Interplay Productions announced today the release of Conquest Of The New World for IBM PC and 100% compatibles. The exploration, discovery and conquest of the new world in the 15th century comes to life in this new strategy game from Interplay. From the creators of the award-winning CASTLES and CASTLES II: Siege & Conquest, this new strategy game is as epic in its nature as the New World was to those first few explorers.

"We believe that Conquest Of The New World takes strategy gaming to the next level with its superior SVGA graphics and compelling gameplay," commented Jim Veevaert, marketing manager for Interplay. "In order to showcase Conquest, we've created a dedicated web site that pushes on-line technologies to the limit and allows gamers to play an actual game of combat without downloading the demo."

Packed with outstanding graphics and gameplay, Conquest Of The New World is a turn-based strategy game where players can compete as the Native Americans or one of five different countries: England, France, Spain, Holland or Portugal, each with their own advantages and handicaps. Players must balance building, trade, politics and warfare in their quest to declare independence, build the ultimate nation and achieve victory. Grand battles, discovering riches and developing resources are just some of the elements that players will encounter in Conquest Of The New World.

A built-in tutorial provides game fundamentals along with on-screen instructions and automatic and manual game settings allow players to macro- or micro-manage their game, choose their own victory conditions and fully customize their game. Unlike other games in the genre, this outstanding title is filled with SVGA graphics, a zoom-in function which reveals exciting 3D animations, a full orchestral score and life-like sound effects from the 15th century.

Developed by Quicksilver Software, Conquest Of The New World supports solitaire and multi-player variations. Up to six players can battle it out over a network via hot-seat, or two people can go head-to-head over a modem (IPX, serial and modem connections are supported).

Conquest Of The New World was produced by Interplay's Vince DeNardo in conjunction with the development team at Quicksilver Software. Vince DeNardo's other production credits at Interplay include the award-winning CASTLES II: Siege & Conquest and the American versions of Alone In The Dark and Alone In The Dark 2. Mr. DeNardo began his career in the interactive multimedia industry at Computer Gaming World Magazine as art director, writer and assistant editor. In his spare time he raises Siberian huskies and likes to dogsled.

Available on CD-ROM, Conquest Of The New World will run on any 486DX2/66 or faster with DOS 5.0 or later or Windows 95 and at least 8Mb RAM. A double-speed CD-ROM drive, hard drive installation, VESA- compatible SVGA video adapter with at least 512K video RAM, mouse and Sound Blaster compliant sound card are required. Check out Interplay's first-ever single-game-dedicated web site for Conquest Of The New World at http://conquest.interplay.com.

Founded in 1983, Interplay Productions is a company dedicated to manufacturing and distributing a wide range of award-winning entertainment and educational software designed by gamers, for gamers. Interplay releases products through its Interplay, MacPlay, VR Sports and Shiny Entertainment divisions and its affiliated labels for personal computers as well as leading console game platforms. In addition, the company's OEM division represents a wide variety of publishers software to the OEM community for hardware bundling.


InterPlot Driver Pack V2.0 for Windows NT
Intergraph Announces InterPlot Driver Pack Version 2.0

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. APRIL 26, 1996 -- Intergraph Software Solutions (ISS) outlined major printing performance gains with this week's release of its new InterPlot Driver Pack Version 2.0 for Windows NT.

Intergraph tests show that Version 2.0 provides up to nine times better printing performance for dense vector data and up to three times better printing performance for large or extensive raster data, compared to version 1.0 of the driver pack.

The upgrade includes drivers for particular plotter models as well as generic drivers that can work with almost any plotter that accepts the driver's print commands. It supports many types of formats and most major-brand plotters.

The package provides access to plotters from Windows NT applications such as Intergraph's Imagineer Technical and Solid Edge, Microsoft's Paintbrush and Notepad as well as InterPlot applications like IPLOT 8 and APLOT Professional. Version 2.0 also allows optimum printing of large formats such as banners, flip charts, posters and signs using popular graphics packages such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and other programs that run under Windows.

"This next step in our InterPlot Driver Pack offers speed, convenience, management tools and trouble shooting capabilities," said Dennis Sanders, director of digital imaging at Intergraph. "Version 2.0 is an attractive, sensible upgrade to an outstanding product which has already achieved great customer acceptance and loyalty."

New features make work more efficient, and the InterPlot Driver Pack Version 2.0 installs directly into the Windows NT printing system. Driver setup, monitoring and manipulation is done within Print Manager. It also provides several methods for changing plot appearance, ranging from all plot jobs to a per-plot basis, including the ability to associate plot labels with each job.

INTERGRAPH BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A member of the Fortune 1000, Intergraph Corporation is the world's largest company dedicated to supplying interactive computer graphics systems. Products range from point solutions, meeting individual and departmental needs, to integrated, enterprisewide systems.

Noted for delivering interoperable systems and applications, Intergraph bases it products on Windows, Windows NT and UNIX operating systems.

Intergraph Software Solutions (ISS) develops and markets integrated software for the Technical Desktop the combination of compatible technical applications and personal productivity tools in a single desktop computer. Technical applications include computer-aided design, engineering, analysis, manufacturing, publishing and earth sciences. ISS also provides core system software, high-end applications, and training, consulting, and implementation services.

You can reach us on the Internet at http://www.intergraph.com


Kurzweil VOICE For Widnows Release 2.0
KURZWEIL APPLIED INTELLIGENCE, INC. INTRODUCES KURZWEIL VOICE FOR WINDOWS RELEASE 2.0

AWARD-WINNING VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM IS NOW COMPATIBLE WITH WINDOWS 95 AND SOUND BOARDS FROM CREATIVE LABS NEW SOFTWARE INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY FOR PC USERS

WALTHAM, Mass., April 23, 1996 -- Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc. (NASDAQ: KURZ), today announced Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0, the latest version of its award-winning voice recognition system for Windows 95 and Windows 3.1x.

Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 now runs on the industry-standard Sound Blaster 16 platform from Creative Labs, as well as other Windows-compatible 16-bit sound boards. This dramatic step in broad-based sound board compatibility creates an opportunity for millions of users to enhance the way they interact with their PCs.

Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 enables PC users to combine voice input with the keyboard and mouse to create an easy and natural approach to personal computing. Release 2.0 supports voice input for both navigation, which drives the Windows operating system and Windows-based applications on a command and control basis, as well as dictation, which enables users to create text and enter data simply by speaking into a microphone attached to their PCs.

"With the introduction of Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0, Kurzweil AI has once again set the standard for ease-of-use and overall price/performance in the voice-enabled personal computing market," said Mark D. Flanagan, executive vice president of Kurzweil AI and general manager of the Company's PC Applications Group. "Now that Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 runs on a standard PC, and is compatible with Creative Lab's Sound Blaster 16 platform, millions of users will be able to take advantage of our affordable, high-performance voice recognition solution."

RELEASE 2.0

Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 improves user productivity through enhanced ease-of-use, outstanding recognition accuracy and throughput, and the seamless integration of its navigation and dictation capabilities into the Windows operating system and the leading Windows-based applications. Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 is speaker-independent and can be used immediately upon installation, without the need for any training or customization.

Release 2.0 combines Kurzweil AI's new discrete speech recognition technology with the Company's breakthrough continuous digit recognizer, which allows the user to rapidly and efficiently enter numeric data.

Other key features of Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0 include:

* ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY: Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 provides users with a quick, convenient and flexible way to control their PCs using voice commands, and also translates their spoken words into correctly spelled text faster than most people can type.

* EASE OF USE: Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 is as easy to install, learn and use as the the leading Windows-based applications it voice-enables. This natural and intuitive 'voice interface' makes it easier for people to use their PCs to get their work done.

* SPEAKER-INDEPENDENCE: Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 delivers a technological step beyond speaker-dependent systems which must be trained by the individual user. With Release 2.0, no training is required.

* OUTSTANDING RECOGNITION PERFORMANCE AND THROUGHPUT: Release 2.0's initial 'out-of-the-box' accuracy can be 90 percent or higher. The system continuously adapts to the user's speech and language patterns over time, boosting ongoing recognition accuracy to 97 percent or higher.

* COMMAND AND CONTROL CAPABILITY: Release 2.0's enhanced navigational capabilities allow the user to efficiently control the Windows environment and Windows-based applications by voice. The product now dynamically tracks dialog boxes and menus so users can always 'say what they see' to accelerate their work.

* DICTATION CAPABILITY:Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 enables users to adjust accuracy and response time to maximize dictation throughput. Release 2.0 converts the user's spoken words into accurate text and data instantaneously, allowing the user to dictate faster than most people can type.

* CONTINUOUS DIGITS CAPABILITY:The breakthrough continuous digits recognizer included with Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 allows users to efficiently enter numeric data at speeds surpassing even the most accomplished typists. This key feature is ideally suited for dictating lists of numbers or entering data into spreadsheets and databases.

* MODELESS OPERATION: Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 enables the user to move from command and control to dictation, and from discrete speech to continuous speech, in a seamless and natural manner, without having to deal with confusing mode switches. This tight integration of recognition 'states' provides unrivaled flexibility and ease-of-use.

* LARGE VOCABULARY OPTIONS: With Release 2.0, users can choose either a 30,000- or 60,000- word vocabulary option depending on their PC configuration. Both options can be customized by adding user-specific vocabulary. The product also has on-line knowledge, including acoustic models, and spellings for a total of 200,000 words.

* EXTENSIVE APPLICATION SUPPORT:Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 provides the user with built-in commands for Windows 95, Windows 3.1x and for the latest versions of over 30 leading Windows software applications, including Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite, CorelOffice and Lotus Notes. The product also allows the user to easily voice- enable any other Windows applications.

* MACRO CAPABILITIES: With Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0, voice macros are easy to create and extremely convenient to use. These voice macros allow the user to greatly simplify and automate every-day PC computing tasks.

* SUPPORTS 'HANDS-FREE' COMPUTING: Release 2.0 empowers people who cannot, or will not, use a keyboard or mouse to run their PCs entirely by voice. In addition, Kurzweil VOICE for Windows can help PC users avoid the pain or injury that can result from repetitive use of the keyboard and mouse.

* NETWORK SUPPORT:Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 can now be installed on Windows-compatible networks, allowing user profiles to be accessed from multiple clients, greatly simplifying network administration.

* NOISE TOLERANCE: Release 2.0 automatically filters out much of the typical noise in the work environment such as telephone rings, slamming doors or paging systems.

WHAT THIRD PARTIES ARE SAYING

"Given its ease-of-use and outstanding recognition accuracy, Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 is the best voice recognition solution for the general PC user," said Phil Terry, knowledge strategist for Moody's Investor Service, New York. "Key enhancements in this version of Kurzweil VOICE, such as the ability to easily voice-enable any Windows application, make it a substantial upgrade to an already excellent product."

Renee Griffith, president and CEO of Zephyr Business Services, a leading reseller of voice recognition products in the San Francisco Bay area stated, "Whether you have repetitive stress injury (RSI), or want to prevent the pain and injury associated with excessive use of the PC keyboard and mouse, Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 is the answer. The product's overall design ensures ease-of-use, and it now supports 'hands-free' computing. And, as a Kurzweil AI Authorized Business Partner, I'll add that there is no better company to be working with in the voice-enabled PC computing market."

Mark Lowe, senior product manager for Multiple Zones International, Inc., a leading direct marketer of PC products based in Bellevue, Wash., said, "Voice-enabled PC computing is a rapidly emerging market, and Kurzweil AI has reinforced its leadership position with the introduction of Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0. We feel we are marketing a tremendous product, and our customers are receiving outstanding value and overall performance."

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The minimum system requirements for Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0 include: a 486 DX4/75 microprocessor or higher, with a Pentium recommended for Windows 95 (Release 2.0 will take advantage of the additional processing power of faster PCs to boost accuracy and throughput); 8MB of dedicated RAM for the 30,000- and 16MB of dedicated RAM for the 60,000- word vocabulary options (RAM dedicated to Kurzweil VOICE is in addition to the RAM required for the operating system and applications); 35MB of dedicated hard disk space; VGA or higher resolution video adapter; and, Windows 95 or Windows 3.1x (running in enhanced mode).

Release 2.0 now runs with sound boards from Creative Labs, as well as other Windows-compatible, 16-bit sound boards; supports networks compatible with Windows; and, ships with the high-performance, noise-canceling Telex Nomad microphone.

PRICING, SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND AVAILABILITY

The suggested retail price for Kurzweil VOICE for Windows Release 2.0, which includes software, documentation and a Telex Nomad microphone, is $695.00. An upgrade to Release 2.0 is available to registered users for $295.00. Kurzweil AI offers 90-day, toll-free support for Release 2.0, with a variety of options available beyond that 90-day period.

The product is now shipping, and is available through a network of Authorized Business Partners as well as leading national resellers. Interested parties can call 1-800-380-1234 for more information.

Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc., headquartered in Waltham, Mass., was founded in 1982. The Company develops, markets and supports automated speech recognition systems used to create documents and interact with computers by voice. Kurzweil VOICE is an easy-to-use voice recognition system for Windows-based PCs; and, the Company's medical reporting systems, VoiceMED and Clinical Reporter are used in over 500 healthcare institutions nationwide.

This release and other information related to Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc. can be referenced on the Company's home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.kurz-ai.com, or by calling 1-800-380-1234.


Lotus Components Enter Beta Testing
First Major Vendor to Offer Component Software for Lotus Business Partners and End Users

Lotus Components Enter Beta Testing

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 24, 1996 - Lotus Development Corp. today announced that Lotus Components have entered beta testing, with product shipment scheduled for this summer. Previewed at Lotusphere in January, Lotus Components are a new line of small, task-focused software modules, based on ActiveX (formerly OCX) technology, that are enhanced for Lotus Notes. Lotus will be the first major vendor to deliver components-based business productivity software for end users and application developers.

Lotus Components allow Notes Release 4 end users to select and use task-specific applications within their familiar Notes environment, eliminating the need to launch separate applications. Notes application developers can embed Lotus Components into their applications, allowing them to develop and customize Notes applications more quickly.

"Lotus Components afford my business a tremendous development opportunity. We are excited to be beta testing this product and are pleased with what we've seen," said Lotus Business Partner John Stack, director of technical development, InfoImage. "The beta is very stable and it's been easy to get up-to-speed on the technology. We've already used Lotus Components for business critical tasks and have begun development of several customized Component solutions for our product line."

"There's been a great deal of talk in the market recently about component technologies. We're excited to be the first major vendor to actually deliver component products with significant value to both end users and application developers," said Michele Hagan, marketing director for Lotus Components. "Since January, we've been showing Lotus Components to a variety of audiences around the world and the response has been outstanding. People quickly grasp the value that Lotus Components bring to Notes."

Lotus Components Based on ActiveX Technology and Enhanced for Notes

Lotus Components are based on ActiveX (formerly OCX) technology and enhanced for the Lotus Notes Release 4 environment. Lotus Components share the Lotus Notes user interface, including context-sensitive menus, SmartIcons, InfoBox and the live status bar. Lotus Components can be integrated into Notes applications using Notes/FX, LotusScript and Visual Basic. Lotus Components will work with any Windows 95 or Windows NT Notes client (Notes Mail, Notes Desktop or Notes).

The Lotus Components product line is comprised of the Lotus Components Starter Pack, the Lotus Components Software Developer Toolkit and the Lotus Components Product Warehouse. The Lotus Components Starter Pack, now in beta, includes six components: Chart, Draw/Diagram, File Viewer, Comment, Project and Spreadsheet. The Starter Pack will also include the Lotus Components Template Builder, which allows users and developers to easily customize and distribute Lotus Components for their specific business needs.

Lotus Components Provide Value for Notes End Users, Application Developers and Component Developers

For Notes end users, Lotus Components enable them to complete their everyday business tasks without leaving Notes, easily embedding the Lotus Components they need directly into their Notes documents. Lotus Components eliminate the need for users to constantly launch and work in separate desktop applications. The small footprint of Lotus Components also reduces end users' memory and hard-disk storage requirements.

For Notes application developers and Lotus Business Partners, Lotus Components provide a set of reusable, customizable and programmable software modules, allowing them to create and deliver Notes application solutions more quickly. Lotus Components offer Notes developers a wide range of pre-defined properties and methods to control the way a Lotus Component looks and responds within a Notes application. The Lotus Components Product Warehouse will be provided to manage the distribution and licensing of Lotus Components throughout organizations.

For ActiveX developers, the Lotus Components Software Developer Toolkit can be used to enhance a standard ActiveX control to become a Lotus Component, integrated with Lotus Notes. This extends a significant market opportunity to ActiveX developers, providing them access to the fast-growing Notes installed base.

Lotus Components Web Site To Provide Product Information, On-Line Support and User Forum

The Lotus Components web site (http://components.lotus.com) provides the latest product information including frequently asked questions, white papers and other marketing literature. Upon shipment of the product, the web site will also offer free trial software, on-line support, demonstrations and sample applications, as well as a forum for users to offer feedback on the product. At a later date, users will also be able to purchase Lotus Components via the web site.

Special Introductory Pricing for Notes Volume Purchasers

For 1996, the Lotus Components Starter Pack will be available at an introductory estimated retail price (ERP) of $19 per seat for volume customers who purchase Notes through the Lotus Passport Program. The single user license ERP is $49 per seat. For Lotus Passport Maintenance customers owning both SmartSuite and Notes, the Lotus Components Starter Pack will be available at no charge in 1996. The Lotus Components Software Developer Toolkit and the Lotus Components Product Warehouse are expected to be available later in 1996 at no charge.

French, Japanese, German, Italian and Spanish language versions of Lotus Components are expected to be available later in 1996. Information on additional international language versions will be available later in the year. For the latest information on the Lotus Component product line, please refer to the Lotus Web site (http://components.lotus.com). Customers can also call 1-800-555-5921 in the U.S., or in Canada at 1-800-GO-LOTUS.

Lotus Notes is the leading client-server platform for developing and deploying strategic groupware applications that help organizations communicate, collaborate and coordinate strategic business processes within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve improved business results. More than 8,000 companies and 4.5 million people use Notes to improve key business processes such as customer service, sales and account management, and product development. Lotus Notes supports all major operating systems including IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac OS, UNIX platforms including IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer, and Microsoft Windows and Windows NT. Notes is also available as a NetWare loadable module for the Novell environment.

Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

All prices and terms are for the USA only.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases and other collateral are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Lotus Word Pro 96 for OS/2 Warp in Beta
Lotus Announces Word Pro 96 Edition for OS/2 Warp

Outlines Technology Strategy for Delivering SmartSuite for OS/2 Warp Applications Using IBM's Developer API Extensions

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 23, 1996 -- At the IBM Technical Interchange '96, Lotus Development Corp. announced today that Word Pro 96 Edition for OS/2 Warp recently entered customer beta testing and will be generally available in the United States this summer. Lotus Word Pro, Lotus' full-featured word processor, is the first application to deliver Team Computing features to OS/2 Warp users.

With its built-in Team Computing and Internet capabilities, Word Pro 96 helps teams of individuals work together more effectively by automating the collaborative process of creating, reviewing and editing shared documents. Lotus today also outlined its technology strategy and delivery plans for its next generation SmartSuite applications for OS/2 Warp. SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp applications, including Word Pro, Freelance Graphics, 1-2-3, Approach and Organizer, are based on common 32-bit code bases, allowing Lotus to more quickly deliver cross-platform advances in both personal and team productivity on OS/2 and Windows. In addition to breakthrough features such as TeamReview and TeamConsolidate, the new applications will include extensive Internet access and publishing functionality, as well as a new level of programmability with LotusScript.

"Lotus is excited about delivering a new generation of OS/2 business applications beginning with Lotus Word Pro," said Jeff Papows, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We believe customers will be pleased with the enhancements we have achieved in these products."

IBM Developer API Extensions Ease OS/2 Application Development

Lotus has adopted a technology strategy for its OS/2 development efforts in which major portions of the SmartSuite for OS/2 applications are developed using IBM Developer API Extensions. This innovative set of tools enables application developers to build cross-platform applications for OS/2 and Windows using a common source code base. The Developer API Extensions extend the OS/2 Warp API set to include those most commonly used in 32-bit Windows programs. In practice, Lotus has found that as much as 90 percent of the code can be reused in writing OS/2, Windows 95 and Windows NT applications.

"Lotus is demonstrating how the Developer API Extensions save developers time and money while opening up an entirely new market for them," said Wally Casey, vice president of client product management for IBM Personal Software Products. "Other developers are following Lotus' lead and we hope many more will be inspired by their success."

Word Pro for OS/2 Warp Offers Breakthrough Team Computing, Internet Features, Individual Productivity and Integration

With its unique Team Computing features, Lotus Word Pro automates the process of editing and reviewing documents. TeamReview in Word Pro enables the user to quickly and easily distribute a document for review via floppy disk, e-mail, network, Internet/Intranet, or Lotus Notes. The document's author can easily assign access and editing rights for each individual reviewer, thereby maximizing control over the editing process. Once multiple edits are made to a document by the reviewers specified in TeamReview, Word Pro's TeamConsolidate feature automates the process of seamlessly accepting, rejecting and consolidating these edits into one final draft. Word Pro is also the only word processor that provides built-in, direct Internet and World Wide Web support, allowing users to access, share and publish information via the Internet from within their familiar desktop environment. Direct Internet access means that a Word Pro document can be opened from an FTP or Web server without having to first save it locally with a browser. Word Pro also provides the tools needed to create and edit HTML files, including HTML 3.0, and save them directly to the Internet without having to type cryptic tags and codes.

In addition, Word Pro offers extensive individual productivity enhancements, including:

o Lotus InfoBox, a new one-stop shopping tool for changing the attributes of a selected item, streamlining everyday tasks;

o SmartMasters, professionally designed templates that let users create a wide range of documents from memos and letters to complex business documents;

o SmartControls, which enable users to easily organize and navigate a document with tools such as Divider Tabs, Page Gauge and Page Sorter;

o SmartSense technology, which provides tools including SmartCorrect, SmartEditing and Format Check to increase individual productivity; and

o Ask the Expert, a personalized way to get help in Word Pro using natural-language queries.

Word Pro is well integrated with the Lotus product line including shared code with the new generation of SmartSuite for OS/2 applications, for common features such as charting and InfoBox. In addition, Word Pro uses a common file format for sharing work between Word Pro for OS/2 and Word Pro for Windows users. Documents from other word processors are easily shared as well, including documents created in DeScribe, WordPerfect, Word and DCA/RFT. For example, users can directly import a WordPerfect or Word document, edit that document in Word Pro, and save it out in that same WordPerfect or Word file format without losing any formatting or data. For enhanced programmability, Word Pro includes LotusScript, Lotus' new object-oriented, BASIC scripting language, common across all Lotus applications, including Lotus Notes.

As a native OS/2 application, Word Pro 96 for OS/2 Warp leverages OS/2's strengths as a stable and reliable, third-generation 32-bit operating platform. Word Pro's Workplace Shell integration provides intuitive ways for users to work with information, including drag-and-drop file printing and management.

For example, users can now save an open file by dragging it to a folder on the desktop. They can also create new documents with a click of the mouse with Word Pro's new content-based SmartMasters, included as icons in the OS/2 templates folder. Additionally, Word Pro's new LotusScript programming language includes support for REXX, to enable more powerful application development on the OS/2 platform.

Pricing and Availability

Lotus Word Pro 96 Edition for OS/2 Warp, which entered beta in March, is expected to be available in the United States this summer for an estimated retail price (ERP) of $105 (on CD-ROM only), with a $20 in-box rebate coupon offered for all current Lotus product users. As a limited time, introductory offer, current users of Describe and WordPerfect for OS/2 will also be eligible for the $20 rebate.

Lotus Freelance Graphics 96 Edition for OS/2 Warp will enter beta in May, followed by beta testing of the new releases of 1-2-3, Approach and Organizer for OS/2 Warp in the second half of the year. Lotus SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp is expected to ship in Q3 1996 and will include the new releases of Word Pro and Freelance Graphics, and for registered users, automatic shipment of the new versions of 1-2-3, Approach and Organizer as they become available. The ERP for SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp will be $399 (CD-ROM only). Users of any Lotus or competitive suite, word processor, spreadsheet, database or presentation graphics application can upgrade to SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp for an ERP of $149.

OS/2 customers who purchase SmartSuite for OS/2 or SmartSuite for Windows 3.1 applications between April 23, 1996, and shipment of SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp, can upgrade to respective Lotus' new OS/2 releases for a shipping and handling charge of $10 for standalone and $15 for suite purchases by calling Lotus Customer Service at 1-800-343-5414 in the U.S. or 1-800-GO-LOTUS in Canada.

As part of Lotus' Global Product Strategy, French, Italian, German, Spanish and International English versions of SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 Warp will ship simultaneously with the U.S. English version. Information on additional language versions will be made available closer to shipment. Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality software products and support services that reflect the company's unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond organizational boundaries.

The company also provides numerous support services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour support center.

All prices and terms are for the USA only.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All Lotus news releases and other SmartSuite collateral are available on the Internet, via the Lotus Development Corp. Home Page at http://www.Lotus.com. The Lotus Home Page is an easy way to find information about Lotus and its business partners' products and services.

Please Note: Questions about the content or currency of this press release should be directed to your local IBM representative.


Lucent Chooses Lynx OS for Multimedia Prods
Lucent Technologies Chooses Operating System From Lynx Real-Time Systems for Multi-Media Products

Lucent's MMCX is First Product for New Multimedia Networks

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 23, 1996 -- Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. announced today that Lucent Technologies -- formerly AT&T's systems and technology business -- has selected LynxOS as the operating system for its MultiMedia Communications eXchange (MMCX) Server.

The MMCX is the first product to bridge the separate worlds of private voice and data networks. For the first time, the MMCX allows people to use all the familiar office telephone features -- such as conferencing or transferring calls -- on multimedia calls involving voice, data, image and video.

Lucent chose the LynxOS operating system for two reasons: the product's ability to support deterministic, real-time functionality, and the company's high level of support, service, and technical expertise. "The MMCX is state-of-the-art, requires multi-threading, and accomplishes many tasks simultaneously, like taking information from a LAN and transmitting it to a conference call on a PBX," said Joy Pinsky, general manager for the MMCX. "Customer expectations for multi-media applications -- especially in the voice arena -- make real-time functionality a must-have. Without it, quality of service would be totally unacceptable."

LynxOS is the only commercial operating system that delivers hard real-time performance while complying with POSIX and UNIX standards. To support complex applications, LynxOS fully supports the Microprocessor Memory Management Unit (MMU). This enables programmers to partition computing programs, thereby safeguarding processes in one area from defects or bugs in another.

"We're finding that communications engineers are the fastest- growing segment of the market turning from home-grown real-time operating systems (RTOS) to off-the-shelf RTOS solutions, like LynxOS," said Inder M. Singh, President and CEO of Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. "Programmers are more productive when they focus on developing complex applications, rather than worrying about creating an RTOS from scratch."

POSIX, An Enabling Standard for Sophisticated Applications

One of the key advantages to buying an off-the-shelf RTOS is that they are often in compliance with critical industry standards.

No other real-time operating system matches the degree of LynxOS' compliance to POSIX. IEEE's POSIX standard plays a key role in leading the embedded, real-time world toward open systems. It defines the industry's standard application programming interface (API) for UNIX, and provides the first standard API for real-time embedded applications.


Maxtor 2GB Hard Disk & Norton Utilities
Maxtor's 2.0 GB Hard Drive and The Norton Utilities --

Two Best-Sellers for the Price of One

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- April 24, 1996 -- Maxtor Corp. has teamed with SYMANTEC CORP. (NASDAQ: SYMC) to offer the popular Norton Utilities software free with the purchase of a Maxtor 2.0 GB hard disk drive.

For a limited time, a CD-ROM containing the Norton Utilities 8.0 is packaged free inside Maxtor's 2.0 GB retail upgrade kit. The CD-ROM has a retail value of $120 and contains complete versions for both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95.

Maxtor's 2.0 GB Enhanced IDE drive is the latest addition to its family of desktop hard drives designed to meet today's demanding storage capacity requirements. The retail upgrade kit includes everything end users need to install a new hard disk quickly and easily.

The Norton Utilities 8.0 keeps computer systems running at their peak. Version 8.0 features new Windows configuration utilities and background Windows Speed Disk and Disk Doctor to make the Norton Utilities the only comprehensive solution for advanced information recovery, protection and diagnostics.

"Maxtor is committed to providing customers with high-quality, reliable storage," said Jim Welsh, Maxtor|s director of North American retail sales. "We're pleased to offer the Norton Utilities to help users manage and protect information," he added.

"People are spending more and more of their lives with their computers. They need to protect this investment solidly with the Norton Utilities," said Karen Black, Symantec's vice president, advanced utilities. "The combination of increased capacity from Maxtor and information protection from Symantec improves the performance of the entire system," she added.

Maxtor 2.0 GB drives with the free Norton Utilities are available at COMPUSA, CIRCUIT CITY, EGGHEAD SOFTWARE and STAPLES INC.. Tech Data and MICROWAREHOUSE are also carrying this package. For additional information, call 1-800-2-MAXTOR (1-800-262-9867).

Maxtor Corp. develops, manufactures and markets hard disk drives for desktop and mobile computer systems and had sales of $1.2 billion in calendar year 1995. A wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Hyundai Electronics America (HEA), Maxtor has headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and employs approximately 8,300 people worldwide.

Symantec Corp. is a global organization employing more than 2,200 people devoted to the development, manufacturing, marketing and support of computer software for individuals and businesses. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 1995, Symantec posted total revenue of $334.9 million. Best known as the industry leader in desktop utility software, the company has in recent years broadened its product offerings to include a range of enterprise solutions for both desktop computers and wide-area networks.


Microdyne Marketing Rights to Novell Hwr
MICRODYNE PURCHASES PERPETUAL MARKETING RIGHTS TO NOVELL HARDWARE PRODUCTS

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Microdyne Corporation (NASDAQ: MCDY) today said it has purchased perpetual marketing rights to all of the hardware technology currently sold by Microdyne under license from Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL), and has obtained a perpetual royalty-free right to sell those products in Novell trade dress. More than 30 products and product families are included under the agreement.

Microdyne will pay approximately $6.8 million for the exclusive, perpetual rights to the products, which include the industry-standard NE2000-series of adapter cards. Microdyne will continue to sell Novell software products including its bundled NetWare solutions as well as other products marketed in Novell trade dress.

Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, Microdyne Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets data communications and network connectivity products. The company also provides manufacturer support services and manufactures telemetry products. For its fiscal year ended October 1, 1995, Microdyne had sales of over $170 million.


Meridian Ships CD ROM Network Servers
MERIDIAN DATA SHIPS NEW LINE OF CD ROM NETWORK SERVERS IDEAL FOR STANDALONE AND RACK MOUNT APPLICATIONS

New CD ROM Servers Offer Modular Network Storage for Novell NetWare Networks, Include Advanced CD Application Management Software

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 10, 1996) -- Meridian Data, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: MDCD) today announced CD NET 800 SERIES CD ROM SERVERS, modular new integrated solutions that allow workgroups and departments to easily install, manage and expand their CD ROM collections over Novell NetWare networks.

Bundled with Meridian's CD Net Plus v6.1 Software, the CD Net 807 and CD Net 814 standalone servers provide simultaneous access to up to 7 and 14 high-performance CD ROM drives, respectively. The small-footprint CD network appliances--configured with processor, cache memory, network interface and CD ROM drives in an air-filtered, lock-secured cabinet--are plug-and-play, installable anywhere on the network.

To accommodate OEM and system integrator applications, Meridian also offers the CD Net 807-R and CD Net 814-R servers in a heavy-duty rack mount configuration. Designed to fit standard 19-inch equipment racks, the CD Net 800-R servers provide modular expansion of CD ROM networking resources using off-the-shelf cabinetry.

"With the CD Net 800 Series, the Novell administrator can configure and access CDs as dedicated, peer-to-peer appliances or optionally as a CD ROM subsystems under the control of a NetWare Loadable Module (NLM), such as Meridian's CD Net for NetWare," said Jeff Hill, product manager at Meridian Data. "Using our Remote Drive Connectivity software, a virtually unlimited number of CD ROM drives can be configured on the NetWare server. Either way, network managers and users now have unprecedented control over their CD ROM resources."

CD Networking Software

CD Net Plus v6.1 Software includes Meridian's industry-unique CD Net Tools, an easy-to-use graphical interface that lets NetWare managers quickly evaluate server status conditions, isolate troublesome drives and tune CD ROM throughput for optimal system performance.

The tools augment an advanced suite of administrative and user applications, which provide a single control point for CD ROM resources across multiple servers and allow an unlimited number of CD volumes to be mapped to one or more user desktop drive letters.

The CD Net 800-R expansion module, which is not pre-configured with software, is used to upgrade the total capacity of the CD Net 814- R. The expansion module may also be connected via its SCSI cable to servers running Meridian's CD Net for NetWare, CD Net for Windows NT or CD Net for VINES software products.

Pricing and Availability

Available immediately, Meridian's CD Net 800 Series products have a starting suggested list price (U.S.) of $3,495 for a 4-drive server. All CD Net 800 and 800-R servers are configured with a choice of 4x- or 6x-speed CD ROM drives. The products are compatible with Novell NetWare 3.12 and NetWare 4.1, or higher.

About Meridian Data

Founded in 1986, Meridian Data, is a leading provider of CD ROM networking software and servers. Its high-productivity CD solutions are widely employed throughout Fortune 500 and government businesses.

Meridian Data is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif., and maintains offices in Lawrenceville, N.J., Herndon, Va., Atlanta, Ga., Naperville, Ill., and London, England. Meridian's products are available through leading distributors and value-added resellers.


Meridian Data CD Networking Swr Tools
MERIDIAN DATA ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY-UNIQUE CD NETWORKING SOFTWARE TOOLS FOR NEW LINE OF CD ROM MINISERVER PRODUCTS

Advanced Management Applications Enable Administrators to Monitor CD ROM Usage and System Performance on Novell NetWare Networks

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 9, 1996) -- Meridian Data, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: MDCD) today announced CD NET TOOLS and CD NET TOOLS PRO, industry-first performance monitoring and usage statistics applications that allow an administrator to optimize CD ROM system usage and easily identify throughput problems on Novell NetWare networks.

CD Net Tools is included as a standard application with Meridian's new CD NetLink Miniservers, network appliances which can add an unlimited number of 7- or 14-CD ROM drive subsystems at any point on a Novell network. The easy-to-use graphical interface lets NetWare managers quickly evaluate server status conditions, isolate troublesome drives and tune CD ROM throughput for optimal system performance.

CD Net Tools Pro--an advanced suite of CD analytical applications -- is an optional statistical package add-on for CD Net Plus v6.1 Software. The new system utilities provide detailed drill-down information on individual drive performance, saving statistics as data files and gathering real-time or historical data. These features are important not only to diagnose the network, but to generate equipment and CD ROM license justification reports.

"CD Net Tools and CD Net Tools Pro augment our premier Windows-based CD ROM management applications, differentiating Meridian from other providers," said Bill Etheredge, vice president of sales at Meridian Data. "Together, these industry-unique tools deliver major advantages for commercial and governmental enterprises: real-time monitoring and tuning of CD networking resources; a single control point for CD ROM access across multiple servers; and the ability to map an unlimited number of CD volumes to one or more user desktop drive letters."

Advanced CD Management Applications

Designed for serious system administration, CD Net Tools Pro provides drill-down access to detailed drive-level performance information and usage statistics for each CD ROM drive in every server. Through continuously-scrolling graphs, it displays information such as active number of users, raw CD ROM drive throughput and CD cache hit rate. The graphical CD networking application suite allows a system administrator to:

* See the current status of each drive--normal operation or

  error-disabled operation.

* Record date and time when the drive was last reset.

* View user statistics: current number, historical maximum and

  absolute maximum.

* Monitor the total amount of data read from a drive over a

  user-selected time period.

* Check the number of errors detected over time vs. maximum errors

  allowed.

* Use scrollable charts to review system activity.

* Save detailed statistical information to log files for subsequent

  analysis.

* Evaluate the degree of utilization of each CD application.

* Display lists of users, connect time and inactive time.

Pricing and Availability

Available immediately, CD Net Tools and CD Net Tools Pro are compatible with Meridian CD Net Plus v6.1 Software and Novell NetWare 3.12 and NetWare 4.1, or higher.

CD Net Tools is included at no additional charge with Meridian's CD NetLink Miniserver 7 and CD NetLink Miniserver 14 products. The optional CD Net Tools Pro has a suggested list price (U.S.) of $495.

About Meridian Data

Founded in 1986, Meridian Data, is a leading provider of CD ROM networking software and servers. Its high-productivity CD solutions are widely employed throughout Fortune 500 and government businesses.

Meridian Data is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif., and maintains offices in Lawrenceville, N.J., Herndon, Va., Atlanta, Ga., Naperville, Ill., and London, England. Meridian's products are available through leading distributors and value-added resellers.


Meridian CD Netlink Miniservers
MERIDIAN DATA OFFERS NEW CD NETWORKING MINISERVER THAT INSTALLS IN MINUTES WITHOUT NETWARE SERVER DOWNTIME

New Product is First Truly-Scalable CD ROM Networking Solution for Novell NetWare Networks: Supports Several or Thousands of CD ROM Drives

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 8, 1996) -- Meridian Data, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: MDCD) today announced CD NETLINK MINISERVERS, scalable CD network appliances which allow administrators to add thousands of 7- or 14-CD ROM drive subsystems at any point on a Novell NetWare network. The CD NetLink Miniserver 7 or CD NetLink Miniserver 14 can be installed in typically less than 15 minutes--without interrupting access to the network server--compared to alternative CD server installations which can take up to several hours.

"With the CD NetLink Miniserver products, Meridian provides a cost-effective, very easy-to-install CD networking solution," said Gianluca Rattazzi, president and chief executive officer of Meridian Data. "Customers can now take advantage of an affordable, yet fully scalable, architecture. This means unprecedented CD networking convenience and support, ranging from small organizations that may have limited budgets--like K-12 libraries or university reference centers--right up to a large corporate network with departmental needs."

"We're pleased that Meridian Data is enabling our users to control and connect to an expanded number of CD ROMs, enhancing their access to information across NetWare networks," said William Donahoo, vice president of marketing for the NetWare Products Division at Novell, Inc. "The ability to easily scale CD storage and manage related applications -- across single and multiple NetWare servers--is a significant value-add for our large installed base of NetWare users."

Administrators may choose whether to install the CD NetLink Miniserver as a dedicated, peer-to-peer solution or, using Meridian's Remote Drive Connectivity software, as a CD ROM subsystem which runs under control of an installed NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) on the Novell server. NLM-based solutions include Meridian's CD Net for NetWare, offering an advanced suite of administrator and user applications. In either case, with Meridan's industry-unique architecture, the Novell server remains up during CD NetLink installation.

With this flexibility, CD NetLink allows organizations to easily integrate CD ROM storage modules--such as Meridian's high-performance CD NetROM Subsystems--on the network, then add more later as the number of CD titles and users grow. CD NetLink's software "virtual interface card" makes it possible to configure thousands of drives on a Novell network, including adding more drives to NetWare servers with existing CD ROM drives installed.

The CD NetLink Miniserver 7 supports up to 7 SCSI CD ROM drives; the CD NetLink Miniserver 14 supports up to 14 drives. Each configuration supports an unlimited number of NetWare users when used as a remote CD ROM subsystem, or 100 concurrent users when used as a peer-to-peer miniserver.

Management Tools

CD NetLink Miniservers include Meridian's CD Net Plus v6.1 Software, a suite of advanced Windows-based administrative management applications and easy-to-use client interface. The applications provide a single control point for CD ROM resources across multiple servers and allow an unlimited number of CD volumes to be mapped to one or more user desktop drive letters.

Meridian's all-new CD Net Tools--another industry-unique management application--is also included with CD NetLink. The software toolkit allows an administrator to monitor how the CD server is accessed by users, providing the ability to assess CD ROM usage and system performance and easily troubleshoot problematic drives.

CD Net Tools Pro, an optional upgrade package, provides advanced system utilities offering detailed drill-down information on individual drive performance, saving usage statistics as data files and gathering real-time or historical data. These features are important not only to diagnose the network, but to generate equipment and CD ROM license justification reports.

Pricing and Availability

Available immediately, CD NetLink Miniserver 7 has a suggested list price (U.S.) of $895; the CD NetLink Miniserver 14 is priced at $1,195. The miniservers include SCSI port(s), cabling, power supply adapter and CD Net Plus v6.1 Software. The products are compatible with Novell NetWare 3.12 and NetWare 4.1, or higher.

The optional CD Net Tools Pro is priced at $495.

About Meridian Data

Founded in 1986, Meridian Data, is a leading provider of CD ROM networking software and servers. Its high-productivity CD solutions are widely employed throughout Fortune 500 and government businesses.

Meridian Data is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif., and maintains offices in Lawrenceville, N.J., Herndon, Va., Atlanta, Ga., Naperville, Ill., and London, England. Meridian's products are available through leading distributors and value-added resellers.


Meridian Data Enhances CD Networking Swr
MERIDIAN DATA ANNOUNCES ENHANCEMENTS TO ITS INDUSTRY-LEADING CLIENT/SERVER CD NETWORKING SOFTWARE

Includes New CD ROM Administrative Management Tools, Advanced Capabilities for Enterprise Networking Environments

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (April 23, 1996) -- Meridian Data, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: MDCD) today announced CD NET PLUS V6.1 SOFTWARE, the first CD networking solution to incorporate CD NET TOOLS for monitoring CD application usage, server activity and system performance. The new software vastly simplifies the use, administration and management of enterprise CD ROM drives and applications in Novell" NetWare" network environments.

CD Net Plus centralizes CD ROM resources on a dedicated server without impacting the load on existing file servers, thereby optimizing network performance. A virtually-unlimited number of CDs can be shared simultaneously across multiple servers throughout the organization, enabling novice and expert clients to use compact disc a standard network peripheral device.

Easily installed on a network-ready PC server, the new software is also bundled with Meridian's line of CD Net Servers and CD NetLink Miniservers. This means that a high percentage of installed CD Net users--over 2 million network seats in workgroups, departments and enterprises, worldwide--can take advantage of significant CD networking enhancements.

Advanced CD Networking Capabilities

Meridian's award-winning suite of administrative and user applications, coupled with its advanced CD client/server architecture, has been further enhanced with these CD Net Plus v6.1 innovations, including:

 A single control point across multiple servers for managing entire

 CD collections, granting/denying user access based on enterprise

 security and enabling corporate compliance with title licensing

 agreements;

 Real-time multiuser sharing of dozens of CDs under one or more

 desktop drive letters, eliminating the drive letter barrier existing

 in Windows and NetWare applications;

 Unprecedented scalability in the number of CD Net servers that

 can be configured and accessed throughout the enterprise--now

 supporting up to 29,000 servers per network;

 Incorporation of CD Net Tools, the first performance monitoring

 and usage statistics applications that allow an administrator

 to identify system throughput problems, quickly evaluate server

 status conditions and isolate troublesome CD ROM drives;

 Seamless integration with CD NET TOOLS PRO, new optional system

 utilities that provide detailed drill-down information on individual

 drive performance and save statistics as historical data files

 for subsequent CD ROM license justification reports;

 Refinement of CD Net's ability to service user requests simultaneously,

 including burst-mode network communications, new client-side

 caching and improved server-side caching and memory management;

 Fault-tolerant CD load balancing, in which the CD Net Plus server

 distributes client requests to replicate titles in least-busy

 CD ROM drives; and

 Remote-console Windows-native administration and configuration

 management, with logical CD ROM drive lock/unlock/eject controls

 for securing media resources.

Pricing and Availability

Available in May 1996, CD Net Plus v6.1 Software has a suggested list price (U.S.) of $895 for a 10-concurrent-user license. Additional licenses are configurable at the time of initial purchase or through subsequent license expansion. CD Net Plus Software is compatible with Novell NetWare Lite, 2.x, 3.x and 4.x networks, or higher.

Organizations running previous versions of CD Net Plus can upgrade to the new software for $195. The optional CD Net Tools Pro product is priced at $495.

About Meridian Data

Founded in 1986, Meridian Data, is a leading provider of CD ROM networking software and servers. Its high-productivity CD solutions are widely employed throughout Fortune 500 and government businesses.

Meridian Data is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif., and maintains offices in Lawrenceville, N.J., Herndon, Va., Atlanta, Ga., Naperville, Ill., and London, England. Meridian's products are available through leading distributors and value-added resellers.


May Internet World Features Internet Search
May Internet World Features Tools & Techniques for Searching the Internet

April 25, 1996, Westport, CT--The May issue of INTERNET WORLD published by Mecklermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: MECK) features a special section devoted to the tools and techniques available for searching the Internet.

As the overwhelming quantity of information on the Internet continues to grow, ever more powerful search tools and services are being launched to help users cope. We provide a detailed searching guide and explore the latest news services, search engines, and agent technologies being employed on the Net.

In "Guiding Lights," Ron Conte, Jr. describes a wide variety of search tools and directories available for finding Web sites, Gopher sites, software, news, and other Net resources.

In "At Your Service," Carole Holzberg details the numerous custom search services that will track and forward information on topics you specify for a fee.

Intelligent agents also are being developed to gather information. In "Unleashing Agents," Steve D. Griswold describes the first wave of products incorporating software agent technology.

In "Agents of Change," Jeff Ubois interviews agent technology experts Don Norman and Jim White, who talk about the nature of intelligent agents and their work at Apple and General Magic

Our IW Labs test this month is "Search Engine Showdown," in which Gus Venditto reviews seven major search engines Alta Vista, Excite, InfoSeek, Lycos, Open Text, WebCrawler, WWW Worm and tells which is best.

Rounding out the search section, Eric Richardson in "Add an Engine" tells Webmasters how they can enhance their sites by installing one of the many free and commercial search engines available.

Also in this issue:

 Ryan J. Donmoyer in "Net Scams" reveals how cyber con artists

 are using the Net to separate victims from their money.

 Larry Krumenaker in "Roboscopes" tells how you can command remote

 telescopes to focus on heavenly bodies and capture their images.

 Mike Godwin in "Call to Arms" tells readers how to join the battles

 being waged to overturn the Communications Decency Act.

 Rosalind Resnick in "Follow the Money" discusses the state of Internet

 commerce and the companies and business approaches that have been

 most successful.

 Dave Greenstein in "API Trumps CGI" describes the use of APIs on

 Web sites to overcome the limitations imposed by CGI scripting.

Mecklermedia Corporation, based in Westport, Connecticut, is the leading provider of Internet information through its publications INTERNET WORLD, WEB WEEK, WEB DEVELOPER, and its Internet World Trade Shows, Web Developer Seminars, and iWORLD Web site, http://www.iworld.com.


iWORLD Acquires BrowserWatch
iWORLD, Mecklermedia's Web site, Acquires BrowserWatch

April 22, 1996, Westport, CT--Mecklermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: MECK) announced today that iWORLD, the leading Web site for Internet news and resource, has acquired BrowserWatch, the leading browser news Web site.

"The acquisition of BrowserWatch further enhance and proves our commitment to becoming the best Internet news and resources site on the web," said Alan Meckler, chairman and CEO of Mecklermedia. "It represents the excellent coverage of Internet news and analysis one can expect from iWORLD now and in the future."

"BrowserWatch is a valuable new resource for our electronic magazine," said Tristan Louis, publisher of iWORLD. "It is a welcome addition to our resources, which already include The List, The Internet Shopper, iWORLD's Electronic Commerce Guide, and Steve Harmon's twice daily Internet Stock Reports. Dave Garaffa, the original creator of BrowserWatch, will stay on as editor of BrowserWatch, providing the content BrowserWatch users have learned to love."

"BrowserWatch and iWORLD's mission are essentially the same: to provide the best editorial content regarding the Internet industry," said Garaffa. "I am proud to join the iWORLD site and its great line of editorial products."

Mecklermedia Corporation, based in Westport, Connecticut, is the leading provider of Internet information through its publications INTERNET WORLD, WEB WEEK, WEB DEVELOPER, and its Internet World Trade Shows, Web Developer Seminars, and iWORLD Web site, http://www.iworld.com.


mFactory mTropolis v1.1 Authoring System
mFactory Announces mTropolis Update

mTropolis v1.1 Offers Significant New Features and 200% Faster Performance

Burlingame, Calif. -- April 22, 1996 -- mFactory, Inc., a leading provider of multimedia software tools, announced today an update to their award-winning mTropolis software. mTropolis is the first high-performance, object-oriented authoring system for building highly interactive multimedia titles and applications for use on Macintosh and Windows-based personal computers, as well as the Internet.

mTropolis version 1.1 offers several new features designed to save significant development time and provide mTropolis authors with more information and control. Also included with the v1.1 upgrade is full support for Apple's QuickTime VR, adding even more realism to the multimedia experience. In addition, beta testers of v1.1 are seeing faster performance speeds of up to 200% when running large, complex applications. mTropolis v1.1 is expected to ship in early May, 1996, and will be available as a free product upgrade to all new and existing purchasers of mTropolis v1.0.

"mTropolis 1.1 demonstrates our commitment to delivering the best tools for rapid title development and performance that lead to the highest degree of interactivity and realism," said Hamish Forsythe, co-founder and president of mFactory, Inc. "We've worked very closely with our initial customers of 1.0 to produce this follow-up release. You can expect mFactory to quickly respond with new capabilities and products to help our customers address the challenges of innovative multimedia creation."

"We're very pleased with how quickly mFactory has responded to our needs in the delivery of mTropolis v1.1," said Rachel Rubin, technical director for Activision. "Our title, Muppets Treasure Island, is a very sophisticated game that demands tremendous performance capabilities which 1.1 delivers."

NEW MTROPOLIS V1.1 FEATURES

Apple QuickTime VR Support

mTropolis v1.1 now offers complete support of Apple's QuickTime VR (QTVR) technology! mTropolis v1.1 deals with finished QTVR movies as assets, just like a QuickTime movie or PICT file. mTropolis v1.1:

* Links QTVR movies to elements

* Plays back both panoramic and object movies direct to screen, with

  standard QTVR panning and navigation behavior

* Allows the access and modification of all relevant QTVR attributes,

  including pan, tilt, zoom and current node

* Uses Panorama Messenger to send messages based on mouse events

  on QTVR hotspots and on QTVR-specific environment events, such

  as node changed, pan started/ended, zoom started/ended

* Uses the Panorama Navigation Modifier to navigate to specific nodes

  and views, such as pan, tilt and zoom) within a panorama. QTVR

  movies can be navigated to immediately or by smoothly panning.

Clips QTVR movies to arbitrary shapes

Run-Time Object Cloning/Killing Two new attributes -- "clone" and "kill" -- allows for run-time duplication and destruction of objects.

Enhanced Synchronization Capabilities

* Media Cue Messenger - The new, experimental Media Cue Messenger

  allows messages to be attached to specific points in a time-based

  media clip (sound, animation or video). Cues may be specified

  by time, by range (for mToons and QuickTime) , or by AIFF marker

  (for sounds).

* Path Motion Messaging - A new Path Motion Modifier provides

  the ability to attach a message to each point along the animation

  path.

Performance Refinements

* Immediate Display Updates - By default, screen updates now occur

  immediately rather than being collected and updating all at

  once. In most cases, this results in faster redraws, but the

  old behavior is still provided for special cases.

* mToon Synchronization - mToons now have an option to synchronize

  playback. If selected, the amount of processor time given to

  the mToon is directly proportional to how far behind the mToon's

  playback is -- so the animation will speed up if necessary

  to hit the correct average frame rate.

* Built-in mToon Compression - Built-in compression is provided

  for 8-bit mToons on all platforms, independent of QuickTime.

And Much More!

Several new attributes, accessible through Miniscript, have been added to provide more information and control to mTropolis authors. Some attribute examples are: accessing the offset to an mToon's registration point, getting and setting the current scene and accessing the number of mouse clicks.

HOW TO GET MTROPOLIS V1.1

The full version of mTropolis v1.1 may be ordered by calling 1-888-622-8669 or visiting mFactory's web site order page at http://www.mfactory.com/mtropolis/mTrop_orderform.html. The full version of mTropolis v1.1 retails for $4,995 and includes all runtime and licensing fees. The mTropolis v1.1 update is free to all registered customers of mTropolis v1.0, and will automatically be sent to them as soon as it is available.

ABOUT MFACTORY

mFactory is a provider of professional multimedia authoring tools for the development of high-performance, sophisticated new media titles that can be deployed across multiple client and Internet platforms. To meet the evolving needs of developers and the growing demand for multimedia on the World Wide Web, mFactory is applying state-of-the-art object-oriented technology to enable a new class of sophisticated and highly-interactive titles that can take advantage of distributed, networked environments. Founded in 1992, mFactory is a privately held company located in Burlingame, California.

For more information please contact:

 Rick Jackson

 mFactory, Inc.

 415-548-0600

 rickj@mfactory.com

or

 Jill Ryan

 McLean PR

 415-513-8800

 jill_ryan@mcleanpr.com


Micrografx Acquires Visual Software
Micrografx Completes Acquisition of Visual Software, Inc.

Critically Acclaimed 3D Technology Joins Family of Award-Winning Graphics Products from Micrografx

Richardson, Texas (April 3, 1996) - Micrografx, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGXI), a leading graphics software developer, today announced it has completed its acquisition of Visual Software, Inc. The acquisition became effective April 2, 1996.

Under the terms of the acquisition, Micrografx exchanged approximately

36 shares of its common stock for each share of Visual Software common stock.  Based on the approximate 880,000 shares of Micrografx common stock to be issued in the acquisition and Micrografx's closing stock price on April 1, the transaction is valued at approximately $11 million. The acquisition will be accounted for as a tax-free reorganization and a "pooling-of-interests" for accounting and financial purposes.

Founded in 1991, Visual Software publishes a full range of 3D tools and extensive 3D data for Microsoft Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT. The company's products include Instant 3D, Visual Reality 2.0, Simply 3D, and Simply 3D SuperPack. Although Micrografx will supersede Visual Software as the corporate identity for the new company, specific product names are yet to be determined and will be announced when they are introduced in the marketplace.

Micrografx is the global leader in developing and marketing graphics software which enhances visual communication and empowers creative expression. Founded in 1982, Micrografx has become a leading software publisher by responding quickly to customer and worldwide market needs. The company's U.S. operations are based in Richardson, Texas with development offices located in Los Angeles and San Francisco. International subsidiaries are located in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan.


Micron Electronics Awarded 1996 GSA Schedule
MICRON ELECTRONICS, INC., AWARDED 1996 GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (GSA) SCHEDULE

Nampa, Idaho, April 22, 1996 Micron Electronics, Inc., today announced it has received its General Services Administration (GSA) contract, number GS-35F-4317D, effective from April 1, 1996 through March 31, 1999. The new GSA contract is the first three year contract Micron Electronics has received, a result of new processes within the GSA to improve government procurement of technology products.

"Micron is becoming more focused on the federal market and we believe we have the right products to be successful," said Brian Klene, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Micron Electronics. "We continue to add resources to our government sales group and will continue to focus on this market."

Micron Electronics, Inc., manufactures electronic products for a wide range of computing and digital applications. The Company develops, markets, manufactures and supports PC systems for consumer, business and government use, provides contract manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers, maintains a component recovery operation, and assembles and markets peripheral add-on memory products. The Company is approximately 80 percent owned by Micron Technology, Inc. Micron Electronics, Inc., common stock trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol MUEI. More product information is available by calling 1-800-515-9197 or via Micron Electronics home page on the Internet at http://www.mei.micron.com.


Mitel Demos First Voice Comm. Over USB
Mitel Demonstrates the World's First Voice Communications Over the Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Demonstrates Interconnection of Computer and Telephone at the Desktop Using USB technology

KANATA, CANADA (April 19,1996) - Mitel Corporation reinforced its leadership position in computer telephony integration (CTI) by demonstrating the world's first voice communication between a telephone and a PC over the Universal Serial Bus, at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) held April 1-3, 1996 in San Jose, California. This follows Mitel's demonstration of the first USB Telephone in February 1996 at the USB Developers Conference.

In addition to being the first demonstration of voice communications over USB, this demonstration also spotlighted a number of other industry firsts involving:

* The first demonstration of USB support within Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system.

* The first demonstration of a peripheral device driver built upon Microsoft's Win32 Driver Model (WDM). Microsoft has developed the Win32 Driver Model to provide a common driver format for both the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems, thus eliminating the need for manufacturers to write separate device drivers for each system.

Mitel is part of a consortium of companies including Intel, Microsoft, Compaq and others from the PC and telecommunications industries that are developing and backing the Universal Serial Bus as a new open standard for connecting peripherals to the PC. The Universal Serial Bus is designed to provide a standard, low-cost "plug and play" interface between PCs and peripherals. Mitel has worked closely with the initial development group for USB and is both a specification co-author and the chair of the USB Sub-committee for Communications Devices.

The Mitel demonstration, which was showcased at the WinHEC general session, utilized Mitel's USB Telephone together with Mitel's TAPI compliant telephony application, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system with soon-to-be released Universal Serial Bus and WDM support. The demonstration involved the recording, retrieval and playback of a voice message on a PC with USB capability. The voice message was input from Mitel's USB Telephone via the Universal Serial Bus and was stored on the PC within the Microsoft Exchange universal message in-box, using Mitel's telephony application. It was subsequently retrieved and played back on the PC. Up until now, voice applications on the PC, like voicemail, could only be accomplished by using plug-in card solutions. USB technology allows PC telephony peripherals, like Mitel's USB Telephone, to enable voice applications on the PC using a simple "plug and play" interconnection between the peripheral device and the PC, eliminating the need to open the PC enclosure.

The Universal Serial Bus is a new connection standard that will eventually replace most existing peripheral interface ports on the PC. The benefits of this 12 Mbit/sec serial bus include easy- to-use features like self-configuring external PC peripheral installation with hot attachment capability. The result is an interface that is ideally suited to act as an integrating technology between the telephone and computer.

Ian Munns, Mitel's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Technology, said, "Mitel continues to demonstrate its leadership in USB telephony as the standard communications vehicle for integration at the desktop. The integration of computer and telephone technologies has great practical value for today's business person. Mitel's USB Telephony Peripherals will help in harmonizing work activities for the telecommuter and other home office workers by turning their PC into a personal assistant that screens calls, takes and leaves messages, sets up conference calls, forwards calls, communicates over the Internet, reads e-mails and even understands spoken commands."

Carl Stork, Director, Windows Platform at Microsoft remarked: "By being the first to demonstrate voice communication between a PC and telephone over USB, Mitel continues to be a recognized leader in USB telephony. Microsoft is committed to providing USB support on Windows in the second half of 1996. We are encouraged that market leaders like Mitel, whose efforts in making USB peripherals a reality, are accelerating the roll-out of USB into the marketplace."

Mitel Corporation is an international telecommunications equipment supplier, providing enterprise, workgroup and desktop solutions, semiconductors, public switching systems, network enhancement and gateway products, open server-based communications products, systems and components. The Company is active in major growth markets such as computer telephony integration and emerging technology systems and had revenues of $589 Million Cdn in fiscal year 1995. Mitel is committed to advancing people-to-people communications in an open distributed environment.

For further information, please call:

 Ann Hatchell

 Mitel Corporation

 Tel: 613-592-2122

 email: ann_hatchell@mitel.com

 Mitel booth 2030 South Hall A

 Bob Rinklin

 GS. Schwartz

 Tel: 212-725-4500

 email: bobr@schwartz.com


Microsoft Announces SLATE Online Publication
MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES SLATE AS NAME OF NEW ONLINE PUBLICATION HEADED BY MICHAEL KINSLEY

Kinsley Forms Executive Editorial Staff to Manage Slate

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 24, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that Slate will be the name of its new online publication, with Michael Kinsley as editor. To manage Slate's editorial content, Kinsley has selected an executive editorial staff that includes Jack Shafer as deputy editor, Jodie Allen as Washington, D.C., editor and Judith Shulevitz as New York editor. Slate will draw from the community of leading journalists, political and cultural figures, and policy makers to shape a timely and potent editorial calendar.

"I chose the name Slate, as in the blank variety, because we could pour meaning into it," Kinsley said. "It's short and crisp, and it suggests a hard reality to counterbalance the amorphousness of cyberspace."

Slate plans to deliver high-caliber journalism to the Internet, providing thoughtful commentary on public policy and culture. Slate's editorial features, interactive forums and reviews will offer a decisive, nonpartisan atmosphere for the culturally and politically engaged reader.

Shafer, who will be deputy editor, has a vast background in print media. He was most recently editor of the San Francisco Weekly. Previously, Schafer served for 10 years as editor of the Washington City Paper in Washington, D.C., shaping it into a cultural and political force in the nation's capital.

Allen, who will be Slate's Washington, D.C.-based editor, was previously the editor of the Washington Post's influential Sunday "Outlook" section of opinion and commentary. Before that, she was a member of the Washington Post's editorial board. Allen has held numerous positions in the public and private sectors, including work with the U.S. Secretary of Labor and Chrysler Corp. She is a frequent guest on news shows on CNN, CSPAN, National Public Radio and CBS' "Inside Washington."

Shulevitz, the New York editor of Slate, most recently was a columnist for New York magazine and before that was the magazine's deputy editor. Shulevitz began her editing career at Lingua Franca, a magazine about academic and intellectual life. In 1993, with Shulevitz as co-editor, Lingua Franca won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Shulevitz is also a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review.

Slate will be published by Microsoft and is scheduled to premiere this summer.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft & Casio to Collaborate
MICROSOFT AND CASIO TO COLLABORATE ON CONSUMER PRODUCT TECHNOLOGIES

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 23, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. and Casio Computer Company Ltd. today announced that the two companies have agreed to work together on the joint development of software and hardware technologies for computer-based consumer products.

This first-ever collaboration between the two companies will integrate Microsoft's strength and experience in software development with Casio's expertise in consumer electronics to jointly create a range of computer-based information and communications products with PC connectivity and compatibility.

Microsoft and Casio plan to collaborate on the architecture for a new category of computer-based consumer devices designed to connect to, and share data with, personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft will develop system software, applications and development tools for these devices, while Casio will develop the hardware and provide expertise in the consumer electronics market.

"We are excited to announce our relationship with Casio, a global leader in personal consumer electronics," said Craig Mundie, senior vice president of the consumer platforms division at Microsoft. "This first-ever collaboration is an important step in fulfilling Microsoft's vision of new computer-based devices that give users compatibility with Windows-based PCs and ubiquitous access to a variety of information. We look forward to working with Casio on developing such new interactive consumer products."

"Combining Microsoft's strength in software development with Casio's strong presence in consumer electronics allows our two companies to take leadership roles in helping define the next generation of consumer-information and communications devices," said Kazuo Kashio, president of Casio Computer Company Ltd.

Casio Computer Company Ltd. is one of the leading companies of consumer electronics in the world. Since it was founded in 1957, the company has developed electronic calculators, electronic timepieces, electronic musical instruments, LCD TVs, pagers and other communication devices under the motto "Creativity and Contribution."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Microsoft Ships Mac Internet Explorer 2.0
MICROSOFT SHIPS INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0 FOR MACINTOSH, BRINGING EASE OF USE, PERFORMANCE AND EXCITEMENT TO THE MACINTOSH PLATFORM

REDMOND, WASH. - APRIL 23, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today released its Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0 for the Apple Macintosh operating system. The best Internet client for the Macintosh, Microsoft Internet Explorer is fully compatible with Macintosh and Internet standards, offers the most responsive Internet performance for the Mac platform and supports a broad range of new interactive multimedia technologies for a more exciting Internet experience.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for the Macintosh is available now at no charge for downloading over the Internet.

"Microsoft Internet Explorer brings together the best of the World Wide Web and the best of the Macintosh to make the potential of the Internet available to millions of Macintosh users," said Brad Chase, general manager of the Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft. "It enables a level of Internet performance and excitement that hasn't been possible on the Macintosh until now. Delivering Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for the Mac is part of our commitment to be the leading software supplier for the Macintosh and to provide the cross-platform intranet support needed by corporate customers."

"Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh is a great browser for the Macintosh platform," said Joe Dunn, vice president of product management at Macromedia Inc. "It is fast, easy to use and full featured. We've worked closely with Microsoft to help ensure that Microsoft Internet Explorer takes full advantage of Macromedia Shockwave in order to provide users of Microsoft Internet Explorer a rich multimedia Internet experience."

"Microsoft Internet Explorer is one of the most exciting pieces of software ever to hit the Web," said David Segal, president of Verso, a high-end Web-site design firm in San Francisco. "As a Macintosh shop, we're impressed by the robustness, clear interface, speed and extra capabilities built into this browser. I particularly love the ability to set margins to zero - thank you Microsoft! As far as we're concerned, Microsoft Internet Explorer is gaining ground the fastest."

BEST MAC INTERNET CLIENT SUPPORTS FULL MACINTOSH INTEGRATION, EASE OF USE

This client is smoothly integrated with the Macintosh interface to give Mac users a familiar environment, with the ease-of-use options offered by Microsoft Internet Explorer. For example, the Microsoft Internet Explorer client for the Mac comes complete with an online help system based on hypertext markup language (HTML), a toolbar-based search button for quick access to searches by Yahoo, Lycos, Infoseek and other online engines, and a customizable favorites menu. Setup is also made easy with Microsoft Internet Explorer's Open Transport and MacTCP support . These features make Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 easy for both novice and experienced Internet users.

HIGH-SPEED PERFORMANCE FOR THE MACINTOSH, FULL INTERNET COMPATIBILITY

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh provides high-speed Web performance on the Macintosh, based on enhanced thread support, progressive rendering, HTTP Keep-Alive support, and a placeholder mode that loads text before slow-loading graphics.

For example, the browser supports Apple's Thread Manager and progressive rendering, which increases responsiveness of the user interface to even the most complex Web pages. HTTP Keep-Alive support allows Microsoft Internet Explorer to open and download many items over the same HTTP connection, further improving performance. Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 also has the smallest memory footprint of any commercial Macintosh Internet client, requiring fewer system resources. In addition, full integration with Apple's System 7.0.1 operating system means Microsoft Internet Explorer takes full advantage of the Macintosh user interface and underlying architecture and Apple's Thread Manager and Drag Manager. Microsoft Internet Explorer supports both 680x0 and Power MacintoshR systems.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh is fully compatible with a broad range of Internet standards, including HTML 2.0 and 3.0 tags, NTTP news reading with inline graphics, HTTP-Cookies, FTP and Gopher protocols, and SMTP for sending e-mail. In addition, it is the first version of Microsoft Internet Explorer on any platform to support Netscape plug-ins.

The software is also compatible with cross-platform versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, making it ideal for corporate intranets in mixed computing environments. That compatibility includes support for Internet Shortcuts and Bookmarks, popular features on the Windows operating system-based versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer and common user-interface components for reduced user training.

SUPPORTS EXCITING INTERNET EXTENSIONS

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh gives Mac users access to an Internet alive with new sights, sounds and animation, including scrolling marquees, background sounds, and video and 3-D virtual-reality environments. With Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0, Mac users fully experience the more than 7,000 Internet sites enhanced for Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Internet Explorer's multimedia support includes QuickTimeR and AVI digital video formats, and AU, AIFF, MIDI and .WAV audio formats for transparent cross-platform playback. It also supports VRML via QuickDraw 3D.

Internet Explorer enables Macintosh users to create their own customized Web home pages by accessing the customizable features of the home page for MSN, The Microsoft Network. Users can get instant updates on their favorite stocks, link to favorite pages, add cartoons, see news in fields of their special interests, and add other customized features.

AVAILABILITY AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The new Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh is available to download from the Internet at no charge (other than the cost of connect time, if any) at Microsoft's Web site, http://www.microsoft.com/ie/.

System requirements for Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for the Mac include a Macintosh or Power Macintosh running System 7.0.1 or higher; Apple OpenTransport or MacTCP Manager; 8MB of RAM; 2 to 4 MB of hard disk space; and a modem (14.4 bps or faster is recommended for optimum performance).

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.


Mustang Custom Connector for Wildcat! 5
Mustang Software, Inc. Launches "Custom Connector" For Wildcat! 5

Connector Is A "First"; Enables Business To Market Online Services And Products Following AOL Model Via Logo-Branded Signup Disks

Bakersfield, CA - April 23, 1996: Mustang Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSTG) announced the availability of a new Wildcat! Custom Connector interface which provides full graphical access to email, chat, messaging and file areas offered on the award winning Wildcat! 5 online system. Now, the interactive functionality found in Wildcat! 5's freely distributable Wildcat! Navigator graphic access communications program has been packaged in a custom application that allows modem users targeted access to a specific online system or service. For the first time, online system developers can have a unique logo-branded logon tool to market their online system like America's largest online service, America Online&#174 . To create the Wildcat! Custom Connector, system developers provide Mustang Software with full-color art, system name, and direct dial access/signup number or Internet address; in return, Mustang presses a gold master CD suitable for mass distribution to interested modem users. Prices for the Wildcat! Custom Connector are based on system size and start at $500.

"The business development and marketing implications in vertical markets such as small business, government agencies and non-profit organizations is tremendous," states Jim Harrer, President and CEO of Mustang Software. "Getting a customized Navigator into a member's hands is the first step to successfully marketing an online system. The Wildcat! Custom Connector is the vehicle to introduce millions of people to online services, the Internet, Intranet, and online communities."

The Wildcat! Custom Connector allows virtually any business that has direct interaction with customers in their community a very economical and quick way for customers to get online. "The bottom line is," continued Harrer, "that if a customer is one of the millions that have a computer, modem and Windows, they will get online." And the opportunity for businesses to simply hand out a disk pack or CD-ROM for customer use opens up a new arena for marketing of a business.

For example, the Wildcat! Custom Connector can be handed out by real estate agents to potential buyers who, in turn, can log onto an online site with the broker's listings. Brokers can link Wildcat! 5 to other related material on the web, including local schools and newspapers, or to other relevant material such as regional housing prices or even financing resources. Potential customers can log on, view listings, communicate with their agent and others in the area by email.

Schools can use the Wildcat! Custom Connector to bring parents, students, and teachers together with an online meeting point - an online community - by distributing disks to parents for communication with teachers, viewing curriculum, and to build a constant stream of interaction with school board members, school staff, and other parents or PTA members.

For companies with existing Web sites, the Wildcat! Custom Connector and Wildcat! 5 allow companies to deliver Web information by dialup access to the millions that have no Internet access. It also provides a convenient way for companies to set up Intranets (private internal networks inside companies) for employees to utilize Web information and resources.

Businesses and individuals interested in seeing the Wildcat! Custom Connector can DOWNLOAD THE CUSTOM CONNECTOR CREATOR from Mustang Software. Design wizards included in the program help potential users create the graphical look of the Connector, with selections for entering customized access information, help screen instructions, and icon selection. After entering all information, designers can then preview the sample Wildcat! Custom Connector. After the design process is complete, the Creator then produces a set of files that are returned to Mustang to create a gold CD-ROM suitable for duplication. Those interested in the Wildcat! Custom Connector can download the Custom Connector Creator from Mustang Software at www.mustang.com (Web), bbs.mustang.com (telnet), or 805/873-2400 (direct dial).

Recently named as "Best New Internet Product" at FOSE '96 in Washington DC, the breakthrough Windows 95/NT Wildcat! 5 offers consumers, groups, and business the power to build interactive Web sites and online communities.

Wildcat! 5 is distributed by Ingram Micro, Merisel and DistribuPro. Resellers include CompUSA, Egghead, Computer City, Software Etc., Babbages, Best Buy, Micro Center, Media Play, Fry's Electronics and Office Max. Wildcat! 5 is also available on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule 70 B/C. The Wildcat! product line has an active installed base of more than 50,000 sites.

Mustang Software can be reached by calling 805/873-2500, or 800/999- 9619; or via BBS 805/873-2400; and Web http://www.mustang.com. Founded in 1986, Mustang designs, develops, markets and supports online communications software with headquarters located at 6200 Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, California, 93306.


Netcom PersonalPage Web Authoring/Hosting
NETCOM ROLLS OUT NEXT IN LINE OF PERSONAL SERVICES

PersonalPage Web Page Authoring Service Joins Portfolio of Personal Services under NETCOMplete

San Jose, California, April 23, 1996 -- NETCOM On-Line Communication Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:NETC) today announced PersonalPage, an easy template-based web authoring and hosting service for NETCOM subscribers. As part of Personal Services under NETCOMplete, the Company's newly announced service strategy, PersonalPage is available free to NETCOM subscribers as part of their $19.95 monthly flat-rate. The new service helps users easily establish an identity on the Web and is targeted at individual subscribers and small businesses.

PersonalPage is just one in a series of new services from NETCOM that help our subscribers make the Net more interesting and useful on a personal level. This particular service has been in high demand by our customer base and was a natural second offering under our Personal Services umbrella, said John Zeisler, senior vice president of Marketing at NETCOM. As part of NETCOMplete, Personal Services further elevates NETCOM out of the pack of undifferentiated access-only providers to Internet Service Provider status.

Available immediately, PersonalPage offers a wide variety of templates and backgrounds to help users establish a personalized Internet presence. The template program collects user design preferences, prompts users to type text into pre-configured fields, and lets them import one graphical and one audio file. The templates include pages for businesses, resumes, families, teens, kids, and individuals. To develop their own page, NETCOM subscribers simply visit the Company's PersonalPage Builder page www.netcom.com/pages, enter their user ID and password, choose a template, enter the fields of information, and click the install button. The service also lets subscribers link their pages to other pages out on the Web.

For more advanced subscribers who already understand HTML authoring, PersonalPages provides a free form page builder that allows more control over page layout. Future versions of PersonalPage will give subscribers the option to create pages using their own design software and simply upload it to NETCOM for hosting.

Either method of page building allows access to a suite of tools including page counters, feedback areas, and a library of images that may be included in page creation. Also found at www.netcom.com/pages is an area to assist visitors in finding user pages, which can be browsed by using a variety of classifications including most popular pages, most-recently-changed pages, and by specialized areas such as resume or business pages.

By helping subscribers easily establish an individualized presence on the Web, NETCOM aims to further add relevance to the Net experience for its users. As part of Personal Services, PersonalPage is free to NETCOM subscribers and includes 1M of disk space for Web site hosting.

PERSONAL SERVICES

Rolling out over the next few months, Personal Services will include a variety of subscription-inclusive services that directly address the Internet user requirement for easy access to information that is personalized and focused on their specific interests. Currently, Personal Services includes PersonalPage Web page development and PersonalNews, a customized news page delivered to subscribers e-mail boxes each work day morning. Future personalized services are expected to help subscribers' conduct research, manage their investments, entertain themselves, develop new skills to enhance their careers, and enjoy their leisure time.

NETCOM

San Jose, California-based NETCOM On-Line Communication Services, Inc. is a leading international Internet service provider with years of network experience. Leveraging its own high-speed, nationwide TCP/IP-based network, NETCOM provides a range of value-priced Internet services for individuals and businesses. NETCOM's complete Internet service offerings include reliable local access, software options, personalized services, 24x7 customer support, and value pricing. Internet users can learn more about the Company on-line at: http://www.netcom.com.

Certain of the above statements are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including competitive developments, and risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports.


NetSoft NS/Router Licensed to Major Vendors
NetSoft's NS/Router Licensed by Five Major Software Vendors in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Already the de facto Windows-to-AS/400 connectivity standard in the USA, NS/Router technology is now connecting across the globe.

IRVINE, CA, April 22, 1996 -- NetSoft, the worldwide leader in Windows-to-AS/400 communications technology, announced today that five international software suppliers have licensed the NetSoft/Router (NS/Router) and related software products. NS/Router, NetSoft's ubiquitous Windows-to-AS/400 connectivity engine, will be incorporated in the software vendors' respective product lines.

Intercom, Inc., headquartered in Japan, has licensed NetSoft's 16-bit and 32-bit NS/Router which runs under Microsoft's Windows 3.X operating system.

Madec Computing Ltd., headquartered in Ireland, has licensed the 16-bit NS/Router, as well as NetSoft's AS/400 data transfer and submit remote command technologies. NetSoft's AS/400 data transfer technology provides SQL-based queries from Windows. NetSoft's AS/400 submit remote command technology provides Windows software access to IBM's AS/400 job facility.

Apulse Technology Communications, Ltd., headquartered in Taiwan, has licensed the 16-bit and 32-bit NS/Router and NetSoft's NS/Folders software. NS/Folders provides native Windows access to the AS/400-based Shared Folders facility.

Z-nax Communications, Ltd., headquartered in Israel, has licensed both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions of NS/Router. The 32-bit NS/Router runs under Microsoft's Windows NT and Windows 95 operating systems.

Finally, CGS International, headquartered in Taiwan has licensed the 16-bit NS/Router.

"NS/Router is the software of choice for users who need easy and flexible Windows-to-AS/400 connectivity," said Raymond Chan, NetSoft's Vice President of Business Development. "More and more software vendors around the world have now determined that NetSoft has in fact established a de facto standard with NS/Router and are coming to us for our state-of-the-art software technology."

With the largest installed base of any AS/400-related software product, NS/Router is also licensed by such industry leaders as IBM, Novell, and Attachmate. In addition, it provides the industry-standard link to over 200 client/server applications offered by affiliated Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).

"At our current growth rate, we are predicting that by 1997 we'll be shipping 2 million copies of NS/Router per year," said Chan.

As an IBM Business Partner and a Microsoft Solution Provider, NetSoft provides the connections that link together the seemingly diverse worlds of IBM and Microsoft. Founded in 1980, NetSoft offers a comprehensive family of PC-to-AS/400 and PC-to-mainframe software products for Windows, Windows NT, Windows 95, OS/2 and DOS. Headquartered in the United States, the company operates wholly-owned subsidiaries in France, Benelux, Germany, Sweden and the UK. The rest of the world is served by partnerships with leading connectivity suppliers in strategic countries.

NetSoft worldwide corporate headquarters are located at 31 Technology Drive, Irvine, California, USA 92718. Phone: (714) 753-0800 or toll free (888) NETSOFT. NetSoft is available electronically at http://www.netsoft.com or sales@netsoft.com. A convenient fax-back service is available at (714) 450-0757.


Roaster Mac Development Tools for Java
NATURAL INTELLIGENCE, INC. ANNOUNCES RELEASE 1 OF ROASTER TO SHIP MAY 13: INCLUDES CLASS TREE AND CLASS BROWSER, VISUAL TOOLS, AND 68K SUPPORT

April 22, 1996, Cambridge, MA: Three and a half months after releasing Roaster DR1, the first set of tools for developing in Sun Microsystems' Java programming language on the Macintosh, Natural Intelligence, Inc. is entering final beta testing of its next major release, which will ship on May 13, 1996 at Apple's World Wide Developer Conference in San Jose, California. Those who buy Roaster DR1 now will automatically receive the upcoming Release 1 and Release 2 for free. Owners of DR1 will be automatically updated to both releases.

NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS

Roaster Release 1 has a revamped integrated development environment (IDE) and comprehensive feature set. Roaster DR1, released on January 5, 1996, included a hierarchical project window, powerful source code editor, interpreter, Java compiler, debugger, and speedy runtime engine. Roaster Release 1 includes the following new additions:

* Full support of Sun Microsystems' JDK 1.0, including networking

  classes

* Fully integrated class tree and class browser windows

* Support for 68K machines

* Comprehensive AppleScript support

* HTML editing functionality

* Context-sensitive online help

This release of Roaster also includes prerelease versions of the following:

 Visual tools for quick and easy interface development

 Source-level visual debugger

Roaster is the first of a series of Java development tools that Natural Intelligence is planning for the coming year. At WWDC, Natural Intelligence will be making further announcements regarding the Roaster Product Line.

FOCUS ON JAVA DEVELOPERS

"Natural Intelligence is targeting its Roaster product line toward serving the rapidly growing Java developer community," said Joshua D. Wachs, President of Natural Intelligence. We've worked hard to make Roaster the most complete, the most robust, and the most intuitive environment out there. Anyone who is interested in serious Java development should have this release."

"Roaster, the first Java development environment for the Macintosh, is now available in its first major release," said Larry Tesler, Vice President of Internet Platforms, Apple Computer, Inc. "With visual development tools and a comprehensive feature set, Natural Intelligence's Roaster truly demonstrates the Macintosh advantage for Java development."

"Natural Intelligence has done great work in engineering a timely commercial release of their product for the Macintosh environment," said Jon Kannegaard, Vice President of Products at JavaSoft. "Roaster is a critical part of establishing the Java platform across the entire developer community."

EMPHASIS ON PRODUCT SUPPORT

A good part of Roaster's appreciation by the developer community is due to Natural Intelligence's commitment to supporting its products, noted Jim Burke, Vice President of Software Development at Natural Intelligence. "By releasing our Macintosh Java product before anyone else, in a subscription format, we've made a strong commitment to the developer community. We've promised our customers that we are going to follow through on providing them with timely, frequent, high quality releases that are thoroughly supported by our staff of Java experts."

The high technical support standards maintained by Natural Intelligence have caused Macworld magazine to single out the company as having "...the most experienced Java staff in the Mac universe." "We consider tech support to be as much a part of our product as the IDE or the Applet Runner," explained John Dhabolt, Manager of Technical Support at Natural Intelligence. "Natural Intelligence strives to maintain record response times and provide a real resource for our customers."

Early adopters of Roaster concur with this assessment. "Natural Intelligence has been extremely responsive to any and all requests for information, whether technical or otherwise," said Michael Merle of w3Media of Bel Air, California. "Roaster is an extremely intuitive, solid development environment-but it's nice to know that you have access to all that Roaster and Java expertise if you need it."

ROASTER PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Roaster DR1 owners can upgrade to their free update at Natural Intelligence's WWDC expo station. Registered Roaster owners that do not attend the show will have their updates sent to them upon release.

Roaster is priced at $299. Those who do not own Roaster can purchase the commercial release through Natural Intelligence at 1-800-739-1616, or through the MacTech Mail Order Store, Apple's Macintosh Developer's catalog, MacMall, or Mac Connection Catalogs.

ABOUT NATURAL INTELLIGENCE:

Established in 1987 with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Natural Intelligence, Inc. provides quality tools and solutions in a variety of areas, specializing in cross-platform Internet development with a focus on Java development and database consulting. Natural Intelligence's products include Roaster, the Development Environment for Java, QuickCode Pro, a code editor for 4th Dimension, and DragStrip, the Ultimate Desktop Organizer for the Macintosh. For more information on Natural Intelligence, email us at info@natural.com or look us up on the Web at www.natural.com.

ABOUT APPLE COMPUTER, INC.:

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses, and markets products, technologies, and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific and engineering, and government markets in over 140 countries.

ABOUT SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.:

With annual revenues of $6 billion, Sun Microsystems, Inc., provides solutions that enable customers to build and maintain open network computing environments. Widely recognized as a proponent of open standards, the company is involved with the design, manufacture, and sale of products, technologies, and services for commercial and technical computing. Sun's SPARC workstations, multiprocessing servers, SPARC microprocessors, Solaris operating software, and ISO-certified service organization each rank No. 1 in the UNIX industry. Founded in 1982, Sun is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and employs more than 14,000 people worldwide.


Novell Partnetship Perspective Roadshow
Novell Launches "Connect Your World: A Partnership Perspective" Roadshow

Showcase Presents Networking Solutions that Increase Productivity, Reduce Costs

OREM, UTAH -- APRIL 23, 1996 -- On May 2, 1996, Novell Inc. and over 30 leading hardware and software partners are scheduled to kick off this year's Novell Solutions Showcase Roadshow, entitled "Connect Your World: A Partnership Perspective," with stops scheduled in 41 cities worldwide. This event will present business solutions that combine Novell products, including NetWare 4 and Novell Directory Services (NDS), with partner products to create the integrated networking solutions that businesses need to compete in a network-centered world. The "Connect Your World" Solutions Showcase will demonstrate to users, developers and resellers how Novell and its industry partners are working together to deliver the most efficient and cost-effective networking solutions available today. Together with its partners, Novell is offering solutions that connect businesses of all sizes to a Smart Global Network spanning from workgroup LANs to intranets and the Internet.

"At these seminars, attendees will experience networking from a new perspective with hands-on booth demonstrations from leading industry partners," said Robert Checketts, director of market development, NetWare Products Division, at Novell. "They will also learn about the benefits of integrating NDS and peripherals with Novell Embedded System Technology (NEST) into their networks through business, developer and technical breakout sessions geared toward attendee areas of interest. We've created these seminars to give customers strong evidence that Novell and its partners provide the most reliable and robust business solutions available."

NetWare and NDS, the industry-leading global directory service, are achieving strong market momentum, according to figures from International Data Corporation (IDC), a leading market research firm. According to IDC, Novell shipped more NetWare connections in 1995 (51 percent) than all other server operating systems in the world combined. In addition, sales of NetWare 4 connections increased more than 400 percent in 1995, making NetWare the world's best-selling server operating system. NetWare also maintains a 63-percent market share in the network operating system category, establishing NDS as the de facto industry standard for distributed network directory services -- a database for finding and managing network-based information. The "Connect Your World" Solutions Showcase will highlight the growing number of NDS-aware solutions available and how Novell solutions can aid management, reduce cost of ownership and increase productivity in networks of all sizes.

Multiple Track Sessions

Each event will feature a Novell Interoperability Demo that will demonstrate the strengths of NetWare and other Novell products, and over 30 breakout sessions divided into the following three special-interest tracks.

* Business: These sessions will highlight the powerful financial and administrative benefits Novell and third-party networking solutions provide to businesses and end users.

* Technical-Developer: Developers, independent software vendors (ISV), value-added resellers (VAR), original equipment manufacturers (OEM), consultants and system integrators will learn about the benefits of building native solutions to Novell's NetWare and GroupWise XTD integrated messaging system, see partner tools that significantly ease NetWare development and hear more about the benefits of developing network-aware software with Net2000 application programming interfaces.

* Technical-Information Systems: Aimed primarily at technical reseller support personnel, Certified Novell Administrators (CNA) and CNEs, sessions will focus on the technical benefits that NDS and NDS- integrated products provide for managing networks.

Novell Solutions Partner Support

Novell partners with the world's leading technology companies to deliver comprehensive networking solutions that leverage the industry- leading networking capabilities of NetWare and NDS. Seminar attendees will experience the power and versatility of integrated solutions during live demonstrations. Novell Solutions Partners include:

American Power Conversion

Axis Communications

Cheyenne Software, Inc.

Compaq

Digital Products

Exide

FileNet

Fountain Technologies

HiTecSoft Corporation

IBM

Intel Corporation

JavaSoft

Meridian Data

Microdyne

NetFRAME Systems

NetPro Computing, Inc.

On Technology

Oracle

Plextor

Powersoft

Preferred Systems, Inc.

Seagate

SimWare

SMC

Stac

Symantec Corporation

Tricord Systems

Xerox

Tour Schedule

The "Connect Your World: A Partnership Perspective" Solutions Showcase is scheduled to visit the following 27 North American cities, with additional international stops to be added at a later date.

Vancouver              May 2

Chicago                May 7

Denver                 May 7

Anaheim, Calif.        May 9

Toronto                May 9

Los Angeles            May 14

Washington, D.C.       May 14

Montreal               May 16

San Diego              May 16

Detroit                May 21

Boston                 May 23

Portland, Ore.         May 23

Atlanta                May 30

Sacramento, Calif.     May 30

Columbus, Ohio         June 11

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.   June 11

Paramus, N.J.          June 13

Tampa, Fla.            June 13

Dallas                 June 18

San Francisco          June 18

Houston                June 20

Minneapolis            June 20

New York               June 25

Philadelphia           June 27

Salt Lake City         June 27

St. Louis              July 9

Seattle                July 9

How to Register

To register for one of the free "Connect Your World: A Partnership Perspective" seminars, call 1-800-892-2922, or sign up electronically on the World Wide Web at:

   http://NetWare.Novell.com/special/partner.htm.

Information about Novell products, including NetWare 4 and NDS, can be found on Novell's World Wide Web home page at http://www.Novell.com or by calling 1-800-NETWARE.

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks part of their everyday lives.


Novell Extends NDS to the Internet
Novell Extends Novell Directory Services to the Internet

Support for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Will Enable Users to Access NDS Over the Internet

OREM, Utah -- April 22, 1996 -- Novell, Inc. today announced the extension of its industry-standard Novell Directory Services (NDSR) to fully support the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), an emerging directory access standard for the Internet. For organizations using NDS, LDAP support will enable LDAP-compliant browsers and applications to find and use the resources contained in their Novell directory over Internet connections. In addition, LDAP support will give developers greater flexibility in creating applications that leverage NDS by enabling them to write to the LDAP standard for directory access as well as to Novell's directory APIs.

"Novell's support for LDAP is one more way we are making networks smarter, by enabling people and applications to easily access the information and intelligence stored in NDS over the Internet and intranets," said Vic Langford, senior vice president of Novell's Internet/Intranet Services Business Unit. "With more than 15 million users, NDS has the largest acceptance and installed base of any directory service worldwide. As the first major vendor to open its directory to the Internet, we are making it easier for developers and users to leverage the NDS resources of that huge installed base. Novell's commitment to directory interoperability and to industry standards such as LDAP furthers our strategy to make NDS the standard global directory for the Internet and intranets."

Benefits of LDAP Support in NDS

A proposed Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard protocol, LDAP is a "lighter" version of the X.500 Directory Access Protocol (DAP), which was originally created for UNIX environments. LDAP was pioneered by the University of Michigan, made possible in part through a grant provided by the National Science Foundation. LDAP was developed for the DOS, Windows, Macintosh and Unix platforms and runs over TCP/IP. It provides the base functionality of DAP while easing the development and accessibility of directories for intranets and the Internet. LDAP is emerging as the standard protocol for directory access on the Internet, enabling any LDAP-aware client application or browser to access any LDAP-compliant directory, such as NDS.

"We're a large NetWare 4 customer and are excited that we will be able to leverage our X.500 directory and NDS via LDAP-aware applications," says Kitty Bridges, Director of Product Development and Deployment for the University of Michigan's Information Technology Division. "The more ubiquitous LDAP becomes, the more useful it is, both to U-M and other Internet enterprises such as Novell."

NDS support for LDAP offers a number of benefits to users, organizations and developers:

* Greater flexibility in developing applications that leverage NDS: Developers can create applications that access and use NDS by supporting LDAP or by using Novell's directory API set.

* Immediate increase in the number of NDS-aware applications: Existing LDAP-compliant applications, such as E-mail address books and public key security systems, will be able to automatically access NDS as their directory.

* Ability to use any standard browser to access NDS: Through any LDAP-aware browser, such as the Netscape Navigator (see corresponding Netscape LDAP announcement), Internet users will be able to access, browse and query NDS for names, e-mail addresses and other information.

* Availability of all NDS benefits to LDAP users: With LDAP support, companies can use a single directory--NDS--to support multiple applications and services. Network managers eliminate redundant directory administration tasks and gain the powerful administration and management features of NDS.

* Access to NDS using TPC/IP over the Internet: For the first time, users on any platform can connect to NDS and access NDS information across native IP connections.

* Improved developer access to NDS objects: Developers using Novell's Net2000 APIs, including Net2000 Java class libraries, will be able to store information in NDS and make it available over the Internet to users with LDAP-compliant browsers.

"The emergence of LDAP as an Internet standard is significant because it can enable both directory interoperability and directory-enabled application development," said Jamie Lewis, president of The Burton Group. "By supporting LDAP, Novell is opening NDS and extending it to support interoperability on the Internet and intranets as well as LDAP applications. That's good for Novell, good for its customers and good for the industry."

"We are very pleased that Novell will support LDAP, which we believe is emerging as the industry-standard for directory access over the Internet," said David Goodman, senior consultant at Lotus Development Corporation. "With our continuing support for LDAP and X.500 in Lotus communications products, Novell's support for LDAP in NDS means our products will now interoperate more easily. With LDAP support, Novell gives us a window into NDS. This is a win-win situation for Lotus and Novell customers."

Benefits of NDS

Novell's NDS is a distributed database that presents all network users and resources as objects that can be located, viewed and managed from a single, central location. NDS has become the de facto industry directory standard by incorporating the key features required in a global directory service:

* Based on the X.500 distributed directory standard to enable

  interoperability and industry support.

* Unlimited hierarchy to ease administration and correspond to

  any organizational and geographical structure.

* Scales from small networks to global enterprise environments

  to public data networks.

* Extensible to support new types of network resources and objects.

* Supports all popular desktop client platforms, including seamless

  integration and support for Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation

  clients.

Since its initial release in 1993, Novell has extended NDS beyond other directories by providing many advanced capabilities, including:

* Distributed management capabilities and GUI tools to ease

  administration of distributed networks.

* Enhanced security through RSA public/private key encryption, as

  well as customizable object-based access control lists (ACLs)

  to restrict access to information and resources.

* Integration with NetWare and the Novell GroupWise groupware

  solution to provide lower management costs through a single point

  of administration.

* Simplified, centralized management of users' desktop applications

  through the Novell Application LauncherR (NALR).

* More third-party application support than any other directory,

  enabling unified management of network resources.

* Simplified developer access to NDS advantages through the Net2000

  initiative, easing the creation of NDS- and network-aware applications.

"We use Novell Directory Services to provide security and access control for our intranetworking offer, AT&T Netware Connect Service," said Tom Evslin, vice president of AT&T WorldNet Service. "We believe the addition of an LDAP interface to NDS along with browser support for LDAP will help customers move more quickly to the open standards they want while leveraging the investment they have in existing directories and applications."

Availability

Novell demonstrated NDS support for LDAP at its BrainShare technical conference in March and at the NetWorld+Interop tradeshow in early April. Novell will make NDS support for LDAP generally available in the fall of 1996.

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks part of their everyday lives.


Free Upgrade to New ManageWise Customers
Novell Offers Free Upgrade to New ManageWise Customers

What:

Novell announces a new ManageWise upgrade promotion. Customers who buy ManageWise 2.0 between April 15, 1996 and July 15, 1996 will receive the next ManageWise upgrade free.

The next version of ManageWise, to be released this summer, will offer even more powerful capabilities to let customers successfully manage and control their network, servers and desktops.

Some of the new features in the next version of ManageWise will include updated desktop management capabilities also included in Intel's LANDesk Management Suite 2.5 and LANDesk Virus Protect 3.0 products, such as:

  Remote control support for Windows '95 and OS/2 Warp

  Automated inventory capabilities for Windows '95 and OS/2 Warp

  platforms

  Enhanced virus protection

ManageWise capabilities reduce costs for customers through increased productivity and enhanced network reliability. And through these cost savings, customers receive large returns on their ManageWise investment and a solution that pays for itself in weeks.

Existing ManageWise 1.0 customers who upgrade to ManageWise 2.0 between April 15, 1996 and July 15, 1996 are also eligible for the free upgrade promotion

How:

To get their free ManageWise upgrade, customers call or fax their request to Novell's ManageWise upgrade fulfillment supplier beginning April 29, 1996.

U.S. and Canada: phone (800) 395-7135, fax (510) 657-1473 Europe, Middle East, and Africa: phone +353 1 7038910, fax +353 1 7038955 All other geographic locations: phone (510) 460-5154, fax (510) 657-1473

When requesting their free upgrade customers should include a proof of purchase and the serial number for their existing ManageWise 2.0 product.

Product Background:

ManageWise is the leading integrated sever, desktop and infrastructure management solution for PC LANs. ManageWise provides the first true integration of network and systems management for PC LANs, allowing managers to move seamlessly between Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management and Novell Directory Services (NDS) administration of the network.

Novell:

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for networked world, enabling customers to connect with other people and they information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


NetWare Web Server Top Performer in Tests
NetWare Web Server Top Performer in Independent Tests

Outside Consulting Firms Find NetWare Web Server Faster than Microsoft IIS and Netscape Communications Server Running on Windows NT

BRAINSHARE EUROPE, NICE, FRANCE -- APRIL 22, 1996 -- Novell's NetWare Web Server outperforms Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) and Netscape's Communications Server running on Microsoft Windows NT, in some cases by up to 400 percent, according to tests conducted by the independent testing firms, Shiloh Consulting and Haynes & Company.

"This means the NetWare Web Server can handle more traffic than the competition, allowing users a comfortable margin for peak loads today and providing them the maximum room for growth tomorrow," said Mark Griffiths, director of product marketing at Novell's Internet Commerce Division.

The three products were tested for throughput, response time (latency) and connections per second in their response to HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and proprietary Application Programming Interface (API) requests.

When serving straight HTML to 128 clients, the NetWare Web Server attained a throughput rate of 16.00 megabits per second versus 13.77 for IIS and 4.20 for Netscape. That is nearly 400 percent faster than Netscape's Communications Server, the current industry leader.

As the number of clients making requests increased, the NetWare Web Server increased its performance advantage over the competition. Even when the NetWare Web Server was handling many more HTML requests than the other servers, its average response time was significantly less than the other two products.

Additionally, Novell's Local and Remote CGIs overwhelmingly outperformed the CGI interfaces on either of the other two platforms and was competitive with the proprietary APIs.

For more information about NetWare Web Server and the performance tests, visit Novell's home page at http:www.novell.com.

Testing Methodology

The tests were conducted in March using the NetWare Web Server 2.1, Microsoft Internet Information Server 1.0 and Netscape's Communications Server 1.12. The NetWare Web Server was tested on the NetWare 4.1 operating sys tem. Microsoft's and Netscape's Web servers were tested on a Windows NT server, version 3.51 with Service Pack 3 installed.

The tests used the WebStone release version 1.1 server benchmark, which is regarded as the industry standard for measuring Web server performance. WebStone runs exclusively on clients, makes all measurements from the point of view of the clients, and is independent of the server software. Thus, WebStone is suitable for testing the performance of any Web server, regardless of architecture, and for testing all combinations of Web servers, operating systems, network operating systems and hardware.

NetWare Web Server

NetWare Web Server turns NetWare 4.x servers into World Wide Web sites. Users can install and configure the software and create a Web page in less than 10 minutes on an existing NetWare 4.x server. NetWare Web Servers also lets the user publish documents on both the Internet and intranets, without learning UNIXR or complex Web authoring tools. NetWare Web Server utilizes Novell Directory Services and other NetWare services for seamless integration into customers' existing LANs and intranets. NetWare Web Server comes with NetWare Runtime, a fully operational version of NetWare that allows customers to cost-effectively deploy the NetWare Web Server in a dedicated server, if desired.

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Novell/Utah School-to-Career Initiative
Novell, State of Utah Deliver on 'School-To-Career' Initiative With Implementation of Novell Education Academic Partner Program

Utah's First High School CNA, Novell Executives Honored at UVSC Conference

OREM, UTAH -- APRIL 18, 1996 -- Novell Inc.'s contribution to Utah public education, and an early representative of a new program's success -- Utah's first high school student to earn Novell certification -- were recognized today at the "Second Annual Conference of Technical Preparation." The conference, held at Utah Valley State College (UVSC) in Orem, focused on "transitioning to a school-to-career-system," an effort to strengthen the vocational base being offered to high school students. Utah Gov. Michael O. Leavitt embraces the concept and Novell's program as a big step toward the "SmartUTAH" initiative.

The new Novell Education Academic Partner-Secondary (NEAP-Secondary) program enables participating non-profit secondary schools to offer Novell-authorized classes, allowing high school students to prepare for Novell's globally-recognized technical certification, the Certified Novell Administrator (CNA). Upon earning certification, students are prepared to compete in today's job market and gain access to well-paying information technology (IT) careers in networking, an area Money Magazine names in three of their "top 10 careers."

"Novell is pioneering a whole new approach to IT training in high schools," said Senior Vice President/General Manager of Novell Education, Carolyn G. Rose. "The state of Utah and Novell share a vision for providing students with highly marketable, real-world experience and training." Adding that "certification changes people's lives," Rose explained the NEAP-Secondary program offers opportunity in some of the fastest-growing careers of the decade -- opportunity previously available only through private means.

"No other school-to-career program gives the future career opportunity that the NEAP-Secondary program offers," said Dr. Scott W. Bean, Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Bean praised Novell as the first high-tech company to partner with Utah public education to bring private industry's resources and information to Utah students. This fall 18 Utah schools will implement the NEAP-Secondary program. Bean expects to double that number next year, eventually including all Utah high schools that wish to participate.

The NEAP-Secondary program allows educators to realize the full educational potential of a school's computer system, making the computer and computer technology an integral part of the curriculum rather than simply an "add-on" tool to assist with lessons in other subjects.

Ryan Andersen, a senior at Orem High, was honored at the conference as the first high school student in Utah to earn CNA certification. Andersen received training through a local Novell internship program that was a predecessor to the newly implemented NEAP-Secondary program. The CNA certification means that Andersen will be recognized globally as having demonstrated an ability to maintain a Novell network on a day-to-day basis.

Also honored was David Owen, Vice President of Technical Support for Novell Labs, who received a "Champion of Education" award in tribute to his creating the internship program in which Andersen participated. Novell Education's Rose also participated at the conference, giving an overview of the pioneering NEAP-Secondary program and its application in Utah.

Novell (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.


Netscape Destinations Information Site
NETSCAPE UNVEILS NETSCAPE DESTINATIONS, OFFERING EASY ACCESS TO EXCITING NEW CONTENT ON THE INTERNET

CONTENT LEADERS INCLUDING CNN, MERRILL LYNCH AND THE WALL ST. JOURNAL WORK WITH NETSCAPE TO CREATE NEW CONTENT ON THE INTERNET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 24, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:NSCP) today unveiled Netscape Destinations, a new information site that is part of the Netscape Web site and features some of the leading general, business, and financial news and services on the Web. Available to the millions of users who visit the Netscape site daily, Netscape Destinations enables people to find a cross-section of useful information and services quickly and easily through a central source. Netscape Destinations also showcases innovative uses of Netscape technology by Netscape customers.

This new site is aimed in particular at business users who want and appreciate quick and easy access to late-breaking news, business and financial information and related services. Visitors to Netscape Destinations have access to information sources grouped under eight categories: general news, finance, technology news, hardware and software, sports, travel, entertainment and marketplace. To help people locate useful information, Netscape Destinations also links to Netscape's Net Search page, Netscape's What's New and What's Cool pages, and Netscape's People page, which displays a variety of White and Yellow Pages services to help users locate people and organizations on the Internet.

"Netscape Destinations groups some of the best information and resources on the Internet together at a single location," said Mike Homer, senior vice president of marketing for Netscape. "The Netscape site, with up to 60 million hits a day, provides an ideal venue for showcasing new ways of guiding people to the information they need and want. We expect people will visit the site daily to check for news and business information."

As the Web grows in popularity, users are demanding easier ways to get the latest news, stock market data and popular services. Netscape Destinations responds to this need while showcasing some of the most interesting and useful sites on the Internet. To display this showcase, Netscape created site samplers, or interactive index cards, that can be rotated onscreen and give viewers a colorful interface and hyperlinks to content on a particular site. Each theme area currently offers up to five interchangeable cards as well as an alphabetical list of other sites hosting related information.

Companies currently working with Netscape and whose sites are featured in the new site sampler fashion include AT&T, Bank of America, Cisco Systems, CMP, CNN Interactive, Disney Online, GALT Technologies, Hearst New Media & Technology, IDG, Individual, Internet Shopping Network, JC Penney, Mercury Center, Merrill Lynch, Schwab Online, Silicon Graphics, Sony Music, Sportsline, The Wall Street Journal, Travelocity, Yahoo! and Ziff-Davis.

To check financial news, access financial services or monitor stock prices, for instance, people currently have a choice of site samplers from Bank of America, CNNfn, Merrill Lynch, NETworth and SchwabOnline. With the information on these sites available through a simple point and click interface, people can easily find stock quotes, consult recent economic indicators and monitor their portfolio as well as access a broad range of information and opinions from leading economic and financial experts.

For the late-breaking general news, people can now choose from site samplers offered by CNN Interactive, AT&T's Lead Story, Mercury Center, Individual's NewsPage and Money & Investing Update from the Wall Street Journal. In addition to reading breaking news stories people can watch video clips and listen to audio recordings, all of which underscore the multimedia experience of using the Web.

People interested in tracking new technology developments can consult product and technology information from a wide range of industry publications and product review services including Communications Week, Computerworld, Information Week, Infoworld, Inter@ctive Week, PC Week, and PC World, among others.

"What we are unveiling today is just the preview," continued Homer. "As Netscape further develops the technologies it offers for building and viewing sites, and as the number of participants in the Netscape Destinations area grows, we believe the value of this area will increase dramatically. Business users often do not have the time to surf the Web looking for a cross-section of information. Netscape Destinations offers these users a quick and easy way to find the information and services they want."

Future plans call for additional links to new content and additional information categories. Netscape Destinations can be accessed directly from the Netscape home page (http://www.netscape.com).

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals).


40+ Companies Support LDAP Internet Dir Std
MORE THAN 40 COMPANIES JOIN NETSCAPE AND U. MICHIGAN TO SUPPORT LIGHTWEIGHT DIRECTORY ACCESS PROTOCOL AS PROPOSED STANDARD FOR INTERNET DIRECTORIES

NETSCAPE ANNOUNCES NETSCAPE DIRECTORY SERVER TO DELIVER OPEN, CROSS-PLATFORM LDAP-BASED DIRECTORY SERVICES FOR LOCATING ONLINE USERS AND RESOURCES

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 22, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced that the University of Michigan, AT&T, Banyan, IBM, Lotus, Novell and more than 40 other companies support the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP, RFC 1777) as a proposed open standard for directory services on the Internet. LDAP is a protocol for accessing online directory services over the TCP/IP network protocol, and can be used to access standalone LDAP directory services or directory services supporting the X.500 standard. It provides a standard way for Internet clients, applications and Web servers to access directory listings of thousands of Internet users.

Netscape will deliver this technology to corporate customers in a new product, Netscape Directory Server, an open, scalable server software for running an enterprise-wide directory that contains listings of people and resources. Based on technology pioneered at the University of Michigan, Netscape Directory Server makes it simple for corporate users to quickly and easily create and query directories of people and information stored on corporate Intranets and the Internet. With Netscape Directory Server, vital corporate information such as user names, electronic mail addresses, public key certificates and contact information can be organized and published in a searchable, structured, scalable directory. This information can be replicated automatically throughout the enterprise or between enterprises.

"While proprietary directory services have been available for some time, Netscape Directory Server offers comprehensive, scalable directory services based on an open Internet standard," said Eric Hahn, senior vice president of enterprise technologies at Netscape. "With major companies lining up behind LDAP as a standard, enterprise customers can be assured of true interoperability between directory servers and applications, whether they are managing enterprise directories or searching out information across the Internet."

The more than 40 companies and organizations supporting LDAP are: @Home, AT&T, Aurum Software, Inc., Banyan, BBN Planet, The Bigfoot Directory, Inc., CADIS, Inc., Computer Associates, Control Data Systems, Inc., Digital Equipment Corporation, Excite, First Floor Software, GE Information Services, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, ICL High Performance Systems, IDT Corp., Information Dimensions, Innosoft, The Internet Factory, Inc., JYACC, Inc., Kapalua Consulting, Lotus, Lycos, Macromedia, Maximum Information Inc., NCR, Network Applications Consortium (NAC), NCD Software Corporation, Netscape, Northern Telecom (Nortel) Secure Networks, Novadigm, Inc., Novell, Inc., OnTime (a subsidiary of FTP Software Inc.), Open Horizon, Inc., Silicon Graphics, Inc., Software.com, Starfish Software, Inc., Strata Software Limited, SunSoft, Inc., University of Michigan, VeriSign, Inc., and Yahoo! Inc.

"We want to make it easy for people to find each other both on the Internet and on Intranets," said Tom Evslin, vice president AT&T WorldNet Service. "Agreement between AT&T, Netscape, Novell and others on the open LDAP standard helps assure that those who access the Internet through AT&T WorldNet Service or who build Intranets with AT&T Netware Connect Service will have rich directory services. We hope and expect that other network providers will also support this standard."

"LDAP is the most effective way to extend enterprise-level directory services to Intranets and the Internet," said John M. Paul, senior vice president of Coordinate.com, the Internet division of Banyan Systems Inc., which is extending LDAP support to StreetTalk, its highly regarded directory service, and Switchboard, the vast on-line directory of people and businesses. "The combination of LDAP and StreetTalk will make it much easier for organizations to look up people and their e-mail addresses and to effectively manage large, distributed corporate networks over the Internet."

"IBM welcomes Netscape's cooperation with the LDAP community," said Irving Wladawsky-Berger, General Manager, IBM Internet Division. "IBM strongly supports the open LDAP protocol and will support its adoption as an IETF RFC. The widespread adoption of LDAP will provide customers with a standard, interoperable way to access directory services in heterogeneous environments from a wide variety of clients. LDAP has the potential to expand enterprise, Intranet and Internet directories to include browser-enabled users."

"LDAP is an important standard for customers because it provides a base level for directory interoperability," said Vic Langford, senior vice president, Novell, Inc. "Our announcement today of LDAP support within NDS is a critical next step in taking the power of NDS to the open standards of the Internet and Intranets. It means we will continue to provide the most complete directory solution for businesses of all sizes while we grow today's NDS installed base of 15 million users."

Netscape Directory Server will include the following key features:

* Comprehensive directory services including hierarchical entries, extensible attribute/value pairs, support for text, graphics and other data types, access control and many other advanced features

* High-performance scalable architecture supporting up to 200,000 entries and up to 100,000 queries/hour on typical servers

* Support for replication between multiple directory servers using the LDAP protocol, and selective replication for replicating portions of the directory

* Support for LDAP, or Internet RFC1777, including enhancements developed at the University of Michigan

* Compliant with X.500 directory servers supporting the Directory Access Protocol (DAP)

* Integration with Netscape Certificate Server, also announced today, for the storage and management of enterprise-wide X.509 keys

* Integration with the new Netscape Mail Server 2.0 for the resolution and routing of encrypted electronic mail

* Cross-platform, open administration and seamless integration with Netscape SuiteSpot suite of Web server software for the enterprise

* Security features based on the SSL 3.0 open protocol for Internet security.

Netscape also plans to support LDAP in future versions of Netscape SuiteSpot and Netscape Navigator client software. LDAP-compliant address book and electronic mail applications in Netscape Navigator will provide users easy access to Netscape Directory Server and other LDAP-compliant directory servers. Netscape's products will also include support for attributes in the Versit Consortium's "vCard" specification for electronic business cards. VCards make it easy for individuals or corporations to exchange contact and directory information in a universally-recognized format.

Under the LDAP protocol, corporate directory entries are arranged in a hierarchical structure that reflects geographic and organizational boundaries so that companies can map their corporate directory to their actual business processes. Entries representing countries appear at the top of the tree and below them are entries for states or national organizations. Below them appear entries representing departments, people, printers and documents, making it easy to find the information a corporate user needs to conduct business over a network. In addition, LDAP's connectivity to X.500 enables customers to utilize Netscape Directory Server or other LDAP based software in conjunction with existing directory services.

"The lack of a global directory interface has significantly impeded the deployment of enterprise applications and has caused significant pain to the end-user community for far too long," said Larry Gauthier, chairman of the Network Applications Consortium Strategic Interest Group on Directories. NAC's members include Compaq Computer, Continental Grain Co., MCA, Pacific Gas & Electric and the World Bank. "This announcement by Netscape and other industry leaders is a significant step forward in solving the directory chaos that exists today," added Gauthier. NAC, a strategic end-user organization dedicated to improving the interoperability of mission-critical applications in a heterogeneous inter-enterprise computing environment, published a position paper on directory services supporting LDAP in July 1995 and is focused on influencing vendors to move in this direction.

The LDAP technology Netscape adopted was derived from software and algorithms developed and tested over many years under rigorous work loads at the University of Michigan, where it was servicing more than 5 million queries per week of more than 100,000 university listings. Continuing on Netscape's tradition of drawing on the work of the best and brightest university talent, Netscape and the University of Michigan will continue to work together to extend the LDAP technology even further. A number of the key university researchers will join Netscape to implement this close relationship. Other companies are invited to work with the university as Netscape is doing, to facilitate the further implementation and deployment of LDAP.

"We are very excited that Netscape has chosen to use our technology," said Kitty Bridges, director of product development and deployment for the University of Michigan Information Technology Division. "It is good for the Internet and it is good for the University of Michigan. It will make it easier for people to find the information they need on the Internet."

Netscape Directory Server is scheduled to be available on Microsoft Windows NT and major UNIX platforms by the third quarter of 1996. The product is expected to be available as part of future versions of Netscape SuiteSpot. Individual product pricing is expected to be $995; final pricing will be announced at the time of product release.

The University of Michigan, a leader in the use of technology in education, has a student enrollment of 51,000 and more than 5,600 faculty on three campuses. It supports the largest research program of any university in the country, with more than $400 million in annual research expenditures, and its academic programs are consistently ranked among the top in the nation.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).


Netscape Certificate Server Encrypts Data
NETSCAPE ANNOUNCES NETSCAPE CERTIFICATE SERVER TO ENABLE COMPANIES TO ENCRYPT ENTERPRISE COMMUNICATIONS AND DATA

NEW SERVER SOFTWARE FILLS OUT NETSCAPE'S ENTERPRISE SECURITY OFFERING BY ALLOWING INTRANET USERS TO ISSUE THEIR OWN DIGITAL IDS

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 22, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NCSP) today announced Netscape Certificate Server, easy-to-use Web server software that makes it easy for organizations to safeguard their private online communications and manage their own certificate authority service over Intranets. Netscape Certificate Server issues, signs and manages public-key certificates so organizations can enable users of compatible software products such as Netscape Navigator client software and Netscape SuiteSpot server software to authenticate communications over the Internet using the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) open protocol for Internet security. The new server software fills out Netscape's enterprise security offering by inexpensively enabling SSL-based security technology throughout the company's leading open Internet software platform.

Public-key certificates, or digital IDs, are a digital authentication mechanism similar to a driver's license or employee badge that can be used to verify someone's identity on the Internet. Certificates are a stronger form of authentication than user name and password and are appropriate when running Internet applications such as encrypted electronic mail and single user log-on to multiple Web servers. A certificate authority is an entity that attests to the identity of a person or an organization and issues certificates attesting to that identity. Netscape Certificate Server enables corporate MIS departments and others to act as their own certificate authority so they can generate, revoke, renew and otherwise manage certificates for Internet clients and servers.

"As corporations continue to adopt the open standards of the Internet for enterprise computing solutions, they need a mechanism to protect the mission-critical data and private communications running on Intranets and the Internet," said Eric Hahn, senior vice president of enterprise technology at Netscape. "Netscape Certificate Server is a vital addition to the Netscape SuiteSpot family of servers, enabling customers to manage their own certificate infrastructure. With the addition of this technology, customers using the Netscape software platform can establish the identity of an employee or email recipient via certificates before communications begin."

Designed by Netscape and VeriSign, Inc., Netscape Certificate Server uses the X.509v3 open standard for certificate content encoding and the SSL 3.0 protocol to enable encrypted communications, message integrity and authentication via public-key certificates. SSL is the most widely deployed security communications technology on the Internet. It offers three crucial security services in Netscape Certificate Server: message privacy using encryption, message integrity and authenticated parties via public-key certificates.

In conjunction with the announcement of Netscape Certificate Server, a number of other companies have announced they plan to offer X.509v3- based products and services to Netscape customers. These partners include GTE, Key Witness, Northern Telecom (Nortel) Secure Networks, VeriSign, Inc. and Xcert Software Inc.

"We are pleased to offer certificate services for Netscape's full line of Internet software, including Netscape clients, servers and commercial applications," said Stratton Slavos, chief executive officer of VeriSign, Inc. "As one of Netscape's early partners in the certificate business, we are committed to offering the highest quality certification services for Intranets and the Internet based on the X.509v3 standard."

Netscape Certificate Server is cross-platform Web server software that is based on open Internet standards including HTML, HTTP, X.509v3, SSL 3.0, lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), and public key cryptography standards (PKCS). As a result, companies can run Netscape Certificate Server in heterogeneous computing environments using existing hardware platforms and operating systems to issue certificates to compatible applications. Netscape Certificate Server also features:

* Encrypted remote administration - System administrators can use the easy point-and-click interface of Netscape Navigator in conjunction with HTML forms and JavaScript scripts to manage Netscape Certificate Server from remote computers on the network. The administration server that accesses Netscape Certificate Server uses SSL 3.0 to ensure the remote administration is encrypted and authenticated.

* Certificate data publishing - Netscape Certificate Server publishes certificate data to Netscape's newly announced Netscape Directory Server and other LDAP-compliant directory services, allowing corporations to distribute and replicate certificate data across the entire enterprise.

* Remote queries over the Internet - Netscape Certificate Server allows Internet client software to request data, including a user's certificate or a certificate revocation list, over the network using standard Internet protocols such as HTTP. It works with Netscape Directory Server so users can look up another user's email name and receive that user's public key to send encrypted Internet email.

* Open standards based certificate management - Netscape Certificate Server supports open standards that allow organizations to manage their certificate infrastructure over the network using such standards as X.509v3, LDAP, PKCS, HTTP, and HTML.

Netscape Certificate Server is scheduled to be available on major UNIX platforms and Microsoft Windows NT in the third quarter of 1996. The product will be offered as part of future versions of Netscape SuiteSpot. Individual pricing for Netscape Certificate Server is expected to be $995. Final pricing will be announced at the time of the product's release.

VeriSign, the only company focused 100 percent on digital authentication products and services, provides its customers with the confidence necessary to conduct electronic commerce worldwide. VeriSign's Digital IDs play a key role in ensuring the privacy and authentication of electronic transactions and communications. VeriSign was founded as a spin-off of RSA Data Security. The company is working with its investors including Ameritech, Visa and Kleiner Perkins and partners such as Netscape to open the digital marketplace to all consumers. For more information, contact VeriSign at 415/961-7500, or visit their Web site at http://verisign.com.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).


Netscape Mail Server 2.0 Announced
NETSCAPE ANNOUNCES NETSCAPE MAIL SERVER 2.0 WITH ENHANCED PERFORMANCE, SCALABILITY AND REMOTE CONNECTIVITY

OPEN, CROSS-PLATFORM ENTERPRISE MESSAGING SOLUTION FEATURES IMAP4 SUPPORT, MAKING IT EASY FOR MOBILE USERS TO CONNECT REMOTELY TO THEIR EMAIL

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (April 22, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced Netscape Mail Server 2.0, next generation open standards-based client-server messaging software that provides superior performance, scalability and remote connectivity for enterprise customers. Through support of the Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP4), Netscape Mail Server 2.0 makes it easy for mobile users to access their messages while away from the office. Netscape Mail Server is seamlessly integrated with Netscape Navigator client software enabling users to read and post electronic mail or administer the mail server remotely on the network.

Offered individually or as part of Netscape SuiteSpot, Netscape Mail Server 2.0 features common server management and centralized network administration with Netscape SuiteSpot servers simplifying management of a corporate network. Featuring support for the Java and JavaScript programming languages for creating, managing and deploying enterprise applications on Intranets, Netscape SuiteSpot is an integrated suite of cross-platform Web server software that brings the open standards of the Internet to users on internal corporate networks.

"Too often companies using proprietary products for enterprise messaging end up with incompatible messaging systems or a patchwork of gateway solutions and problematic system administration," said Eric Hahn, senior vice president of enterprise technology at Netscape. "Netscape Mail Server 2.0 is a native SMTP/IMAP/MIME messaging solution that interoperates with other SMTP compliant messaging systems, providing faster, higher-quality message delivery. It offers enterprise customers a robust, high-performance corporate messaging backbone they can rely on."

Netscape Mail Server 2.0 is a full featured message transport engine built on the open standards of the Internet. Its features include:

* Remote messaging support - Traveling employees attempting to access the corporate network have often been overlooked in traditional messaging solutions. Netscape Mail Server 2.0 supports remote and connected users through the Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP4) specification (RFC1730). It enables users to create, delete, and rename mailboxes, check for new messages, permanently remove messages, search messages, and selectively fetch messages while working off-line

* Seamlessly integrated with Netscape Navigator and many other messaging clients to enable mail reading, posting and administration remotely on a network

* Performance and scalability - Netscape Mail Server 2.0 delivers performance that is several times greater and more scalable than proprietary messaging systems. It can support several thousand users on an appropriately configured server and outperforms many other file-sharing and client-server messaging systems in its processing of messages, message queue and directory lookups

* Security features - Through support for the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 3.0 protocol, Netscape Mail Server enables encrypted remote server administration. Other security features include a dynamic single session key that encrypts client passwords and client/server communications, multiple levels of password protection, and administrator control over which domains or hosts can send and receive email

* Open standards support - Netscape Mail Server conforms to the open standards of the Internet, enabling wide interoperability with other mail systems. Standards supported include HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 1.0, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) for sending and receiving messages with rich content types, Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP4) for remote connectivity support, and Post Office Protocol (POP3) for broad interoperability with email clients such as Zmail, Eudora Pegasus Mail, and Microsoft Exchange

* Intuitive server management - Netscape Mail Server setup and administration are easy using HTML forms and the point-and-click user interface of Netscape Navigator. Also, administrative costs are lowered by allowing users to manage their own account information, including passwords, auto-replies, and auto-forwarding.

Netscape Mail Server 2.0 is scheduled to be available for major UNIX operating environments and Windows /Alpha NT in the second quarter of 1996. Pricing is expected to begin at $995. Final pricing will be announced at the time of product release.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/528-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/528-3777 (individuals).


Olicom 2nd Generation PCI Token Ring Adapter
Olicom Introduces Second Generation PCI Token-Ring Adapter

Includes enhanced support for switched Token-Ring environments

APRIL 22, 1996, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK -- Olicom (NASDAQ:OLCMF), a leading supplier of high-performance networking solutions, today introduced the Token-Ring PCI/II 16/4 adapter, a second-generation card that supports the new Dedicated Token Ring standard and dramatically increases network performance in switched Token-Ring environments.

Delivery of the PCI/II strengthens Olicom's front-running position in the fastest growing segment in the Token-Ring adapter market. The company now offers Token-Ring network managers the fastest, most reliable PCI solution for servers and clients running CPU-intensive applications such as those integrating voice and video. In switched Token-Ring environments, the adapter provides an ideal solution for servers with full duplex (simultaneous send and receive) connections and clients with dedicated, full bandwidth network connections.

"The PCI bus is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways for network managers to boost LAN productivity," said Erik Johannsen, Director of Product Marketing at Olicom. "The first version of our Token-Ring PCI adapter earned top market share worldwide in 1995 because of its market-leading performance and high-reliability. With the release of the Token-Ring PCI/II adapter, we're increasing performance and providing a range of advantages, such as reduced network bottlenecks when used with Token-Ring switching. We expect this will strengthen the significant market share that this adapter already has."

The Token-Ring PCI/II 16/4 adapter combines an improved version of Olicom's industry leading PowerMACH" technology, as well as an improved ASIC design to maintain CPU utilization at an extremely low level. PowerMACH is the same technology that has enabled Olicom's Token-Ring ISA adapter to be rated No. 1 for more than a year in performance and price/performance in PC Week's ongoing benchmark.

To deliver low cost-of-ownership, the adapter provides Plug and Play installation and is fully compliant with all relevant industry standards, including latest version of the PCI Local Bus Specification (revision 2.1), IEEE 802.5r for Dedicated Token-Ring, IEEE 802.2 and IEEE 802.5. The adapter is fully compatible with IBM Token-Ring standards. It also provides support for the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) and an SNMP desktop agent.

Device driver support for the adapter is available for all major network operating systems including Novell NetWare, IBM LAN Server and Windows NT Advanced Server. It supports client systems based on DOS, OS/2, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT and Windows 95.

In switched Token-Ring, the Token-Ring PCI/II 16/4 adapter is ideal for servers and clients running multitasking operating systems such as Windows 95, Windows NT, and OS/2. The Token-Ring PCI/II 16/4 adapter, with its low CPU utilization and support of full-duplex operation, has the capacity to handle the high throughput generated by multitasking operating systems and the associated groupware applications. This helps reduce network bottlenecks thereby increasing network speed.

Pricing/Availability

The Token-Ring PCI/II 16/4 Adapter (OC-3137) is currently shipping in volume at a suggested retail price of US$325. The adapter includes a lifetime warranty.

Company Background

Olicom develops and markets Token-Ring, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and ATM local area network products. In the Token-Ring market, Olicom is established as one of the world's leading suppliers. Olicom products, known for high performance and competitive prices, are distributed worldwide by a network of strategic partners and resellers. Founded in 1985 in Copenhagen, Denmark, the company is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol OLCMF.

AMERICAS:

OLICOM USA, INC.

Kevin Kohleriter

Tel: (+1) 214 423 7560

Fax: (+1) 214 423 7261

E-mail: kevink@olicom.com

Web Server: http://www.olicom.com

EUROPE, ASIA-PACIFIC AND AFRICA:

OLICOM A/S

Even Claussen

Tel: (+45) 45 27 00 00

Fax: (+45) 45 27 01 01

E-mail: egc@olicom.dk

Web Server: http://www.olicom.dk


ONTOS PATENTS OBJECT INTEGRATION TECHNOLOGY

NEW SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS DATA ACCESS FOR OO APPLICATIONS

April 22, 1996, Lowell, MA--ONTOS, Inc. today announced the U.S. Patent Office has allowed its patent entitled "Object-oriented Data Store Integration Environment."

The patented technology provides the means for smoothly integrating any data with objected-oriented (OO) applications. The technology is likely to give users significant competitive advantage, according to ONTOS. "There are several approaches that provide transparent access to relational databases within C++ programs. However, this newly patented technology isn't limited to integration with relational data stores. It enables transparent integration with any data and provides the flexibility to change data location and format without changing the application program," says ONTOS co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Craig T. Harris. "This is a key differentiator from other integration technologies and greatly extends the practical potential of OO application development across the enterprise.

"The competitive protection afforded by this patent permits ONTOS to focus on integrating information from diverse persistent data stores into a common OO framework," Harris continues. The technology underlies the ONTOS OO framework for information access and distribution, and is commercially available in the ONTOS Object Integration Server (OIS) product family.

COST-EFFECTIVE OO DEVELOPMENT

The newly patented technology separates the logical view from the physical view of data and segregates the mapping between those views into a separate repository. This approach provides benefits to programmers, database administrators, and IT executives.

The technology makes it easy for application programmers to integrate new OO applications with existing data and to respond to new requirements in a fast-changing IS environment. C++ applications, for example, can interact with an existing database without any requirement for the developers to know data formats, application program interfaces (APIs) or the data manipulation language (DML) used to access the information. As a result, OO applications can be built more rapidly and cost-effectively than with alternative approaches.

In the past, database administrators have been constrained in tuning system performance because changing schemas tended to break existing applications. With ONTOS's newly patented technology, administrators can effectively tune systems to attain optimum performance, knowing that the effect on applications is isolated and easily managed in ONTOS's mapping repository.

"Over time, most organizations have become locked into certain databases simply because the cost of rewriting applications to take advantage of new database technologies is just too prohibitive," Harris maintains. "By making it possible to easily migrate information from one database platform to another, this technology gives IT executives the freedom to select the most appropriate database environment for OO applications."

ABOUT ONTOS

ONTOS, Inc. develops and markets an OO framework for developing and deploying distributed, network-based applications. Key components include ONTOS OIS, a software product family that enables transparent access and integration between OO applications and heterogeneous data stores, and ONTOS DB, the company's flagship object database.

ONTOS is an Oracle Business Alliance member, a Sybase Open Solutions Partner, and a member of the Object Management Group (OMG) and the Object Database Management Group (ODMG).


Designing for the Web: Getting Started
DESIGNING FOR THE WEB: GETTING STARTED IN A NEW MEDIUM

By Jennifer Niederst with Edie Freedman

180 pages, ISBN: 1-56592-165-8, $24.95

We've just released "Designing for the Web: Getting Started in a New Medium." Written by O'Reilly designers who were pioneers on the Web, this book gives you the basics of web design--the information you need to hit the ground running.

Author Jennifer Niederst garnered her expertise the hard way. Way back in 1993, she designed O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator (GNN),the first entirely Web-based publication. Looking back at her plunge into the new world of Web design, Niederst says, "I wished at the time that there was just one place I could go to quickly learn all the technical stuff, without having to ferret it out myself, so I could get on to doing what I enjoyed the most--designing!" In "Designing for the Web," Niederst and co-author Edie Freedman share the painstaking lessons they learned about basic principles, special techniques, and workarounds for effective Web design.

"Designing for the Web" doesn't teach you how to design. Instead, it aims to help you adapt your skills to the Web. It's a practical guide to the unique considerations of Web design. Although the book is aimed at designers, the techniques in this book are useful to anyone who wants to put graphics online.

"Designing for the Web" includes:

 > A brief introduction to the Web

 > A step-by-step tutorial on putting together a Web page from scratch

 > Pointers on creating graphics that are optimized for the Web

 > Recommendations for reducing download times of images

 > Instructions for transparency and interlacing to Web graphics

 > A discussion of the impact of different browsers and platforms on

   Web design

 > A listing and demonstration of the HTML tags used for design

 > Tips on using background images and colors in Web pages

 > Guidelines on navigational and orientation aids, and on

   conceptualizing a Web site as a whole

This book and other O'Reilly products are available in the Americas, Japan, Oceania, and Eastern Europe through bookstores, or directly from the publisher (credit card orders 800-889-8969 in the US & Canada; Email order@ora.com). GSA # GS-02F-6095A. For a list of our international distributors, access the Web and gopher servers listed below.

O'Reilly's Catalog and Resource Center can be accessed on the Web

 at http://www.ora.com or through gopher or telnet to gopher.ora.com (telnet login: gopher)

For Information: Phone 707-829-0515 (800-998-9938 in US & Canada); Fax 707-829-0104; Email info@ora.com; or write O'Reilly & Associates, 103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA, 95472, USA.


New Plaintree LAN Switching Products
PLAINTREE ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF NEW LAN SWITCHING PRODUCTS

OTTAWA, Ontario, April 24, 1996 -- Plaintree Systems Inc., a leader in LAN switching products, today announced three new products in its WaveSwitchR family of network switches, expanding Plaintree's product line to deliver switching solutions from the data center to the desktop.

The new WaveSwitch 4800, WaveSwitch 1216, and WaveSwitch 1018 LAN switch systems are built around Plaintree's next generation ASIC technology. The switches are designed to provide simplicity of management, and a clear migration path to emerging high-speed networking technologies.

KEY FEATURES

Plaintree's new WaveSwitch products feature:

* Multi-layer VLAN architecture for simplicity of management,

  configurable by port, address or protocol;

* SmartVIPS (Virtual IP Subnets) to span multiple switches for

  administration-free installation and automation of adds, moves

  and changes within an IP network;

* RMON implementation for all nine RMON groups included in all

  switches;

* WaveView Switch Manager, an intuitive graphical user interface

  providing full SNMP-compliance for comprehensive network management

  in HP OpenView for Windows, Microsoft Windows, Novell's ManageWise

  and Castle Rock's SNMPc;

* Interfaces to all high speed standards including 100Base-TX,

  100Base-FX, FDDI, ATM and 100VG-AnyLAN;

* Integrated IP/IPX routing; and

* Wire-rate full-duplex throughput on all 10Base and 100Base ports.

"With these new products, we are expanding our product line to give our customers end-to-end switching solutions. We have responded to the need for management features that simplify administration of switched networks and the migration to switching," said Bruce Walter, president and CEO of Plaintree Systems.

"Plaintree's WaveSwitch family provides the performance and management features we need. With a large IP network, the SmartVIPS feature is particularly attractive as it should greatly simplify the use of VLANs as we deploy switching in our network," said Alex Rosenbaum, Manager Network Engineering, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Washington, D.C.

WAVESWITCH 4800 LAN SWITCH

Plaintree's WaveSwitch 4800 top-of-network switch for data centers is an 800 Mbps, non-blocking switch offering eight full-duplex 100 Mbps option slots for use with any combination of FastLinx Modules and Plaintree's optional Vrouter virtual routing module (scheduled for release in Q4, 1996). The WaveSwitch 4800 system provides 1.19M fps forwarding, 4096 addresses per port and N+1 redundant power. The WaveSwitch 4800 system is particularly well suited for switching FDDI, or networks with mixed high speed media.

WAVESWITCH 1216 LAN SWITCH

The WaveSwitch 1216 system features 16 10Base-T full-duplex ports and two 100 Mbps option slots for any combination of FastLinx feature modules and Plaintree's Vrouter. In addition to the features included in all members of the new WaveSwitch family, the WaveSwitch 1216 system provides forwarding at 536,000 fps, a 4096 MAC address filter data base, and optional external redundant power.

WAVESWITCH 1018 LAN SWITCH

The WaveSwitch 1018 system is Plaintree's workgroup switch featuring 16 full-duplex 10Base-T ports and two fixed full-duplex 100Base-TX ports which permit stacking, server access, or backbone access. The WaveSwitch 1018 system forwards at 536,000 fps and provides all of the other features found in the WaveSwitch product line.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Plaintree's WaveSwitch 1216 and 1018 products are available today. The WaveSwitch 4800 system will be available in June. Pricing: $4, 995 for the WaveSwitch 1018 system; $5,995 for the WaveSwitch 1216 system; and $29,995 for the WaveSwitch 4800 system (including management and switching modules).

DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT

Plaintree Systems sells its products worldwide through multiple channels designed to reach a broad range of customer segments. Plaintree works with selected resellers, distributors, network and system integrator partners. Plaintree also has sales distribution agreements with several OEMs. In addition, Plaintree employs direct sales, service, and support personnel to provide personalized assistance to end users as well as channel partners.

PLAINTREE SYSTEMS

Plaintree began operations in 1988. It is a publicly-owned company, with its stock listed on the NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbols LANPF and LAN, respectively. Plaintree's US headquarters are in Waltham, MA. R&D, manufacturing, and customer service operations are located in Ottawa, Canada. Plaintree maintains a Bulletin Board Service located at http://www.plaintree.com/plaintree on the Internet.


Final Version of RealAudio System 2.0 Ships
Progressive Networks Ships Final Version of RealAudio System 2.0 with Open Architecture Enhancements and Ability to Deliver Synchronized Multimedia Capabilities

Channel Partners Announce Availability of Audio and Streaming Multimedia Standard

LAS VEGAS, April 2, 1996 -- Progressive Networks (PN) today announced the release of the final version of the RealAudio System 2.0, which will be available from the Progressive Networks' Web site as well as through system integrators and resellers. The announcement is being made in conjunction with the launch of Progressive Networks' Intranet offerings of a corporate licensing program and Intranet Server pricing, and the availability of a RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit, which allows system administrators to build custom firewall solutions to support RealAudio. The company made these announcements today at Interop Dotcom, being held here through Thursday, April 4th, at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center in booth #312.

The RealAudio Player 2.0 for Microsoft Windows 95 with printed documentation and support is available for purchase at the Progressive Networks World Wide Web page (http://www.realaudio.com) for $29.00. Progressive Networks continues to offer a free player from its site for personal use. The RealAudio Server 2.0 has a suggested retail price of $495.00 for the five stream RealAudio Entry Server, $1895.00 for the 20 stream RealAudio Standard Server and $8495.00 for the 100 stream RealAudio T-1 Server. The number of simultaneous streams simply measures the maximum number of end users who can listen to RealAudio simultaneously from a particular RealAudio Server. Larger stream packages are also available.

The final version of RealAudio 2.0 features the following new capabilities: improved sound and music quality; browser integration with Netscape Navigator synchronized multimedia for presentations with audio; open architecture; bandwidth negotiation to accommodate varying modem speeds; and firewall support.

Progressive Networks will distribute RealAudio through value-added resellers and system integrators with locations throughout the U.S., including: Acclaim Technology Inc., Audio Images, Arrowhead Technologies Inc., Claremont Technology Group, Inc., Compucentre, CSI Digital, Inacom Information Systems, InterNex Information Service, Personal Workstations, Thurber Technology Group, UltraPlex Information Systems, Webfactory and Workgroup Solutions Inc.

"The market for audio and streaming multimedia has surpassed our expectations," said Rob Glaser, CEO and chairman of Progressive Networks. "Working with Channel Partners will help propel RealAudio into both the consumer and corporate marketplace."

"The Progressive Networks product lines are great for Intranet customers delivering audio-based applications like just-in-time training," said Todd Tomlinson, vice president of Claremont Technology Group. "With over four million RealAudio Players in distribution, RealAudio has been the standard for audio and streaming multimedia on the Internet."

PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS' VAR PROGRAM

Mike Henningsen, Channel Manager at Progressive Networks, announced that membership information in the RealAudio Channel Partners Program can be accessed at the RealAudio Web site: http://www.realaudio.com/channel.

Progressive Networks will support their VAR program with RealAudio Seminars for RealPartners; a series of seminars for potential VARs that will take place in Los Angeles on May 7th; in San Francisco on May 10th; in New York on May 14th; and in Chicago on May 30th.

RealAudio 2.0 features the following new capabilities (demonstrations are available online at the RealAudio 2.0 Showcase):

* BETTER SOUND QUALITY -- RealAudio 2.0 includes support for RealAudio 28.8. This is a new algorithm that provides enhanced sound quality to users with 28.8 baud modems or faster. The benefit is that users can now enjoy "mono" FM-quality sound which provides a clearer audio experience for real-time delivery of multimedia over the Internet.

* BROWSER INTEGRATION -- RealAudio 2.0 offers "plug-in" capabilities for the Netscape Navigator. This functionality allows end users and content creators to integrate RealAudio directly into their Web page layouts.

* COMPELLING PRESENTATION WITH SYNCHRONIZED MULTIMEDIA -- RealAudio 2.0 allows end users and content providers to create compelling audio-based multimedia shows and presentations. This benefits content providers since they can attract more visitors and commerce to their sites.

* OPEN ARCHITECTURE ENHANCEMENTS, which allow third-party application developers to take advantage of the RealAudio System with access to a Playback Engine API (Application Programming Interface) and an Encoder API. Software Publishing Corporation's ASAP WebShow and Macromedia, Inc.'s SoundEdit 16 are the first products to take advantage of RealAudio's open architecture.

* BANDWIDTH NEGOTIATION -- RealAudio 2.0's bandwidth negotiation allows for greater flexibility for selecting the most appropriate connection. The RealAudio System can be delivered to users transparently by detecting the best possible connection method for 14.4, 28.8, etc.

* FIREWALL SUPPORT -- RealAudio 2.0 offers comprehensive solutions for firewalls, including a TCP-only data option, native support from major firewall vendors, custom firewall proxy kit and client-side integration.

ABOUT THE REALAUDIO SYSTEM

Progressive Networks' RealAudio client-server software system enables Internet and online users equipped with conventional multimedia personal computers and voice-grade telephone lines to browse, select and play back audio or audio-based multimedia content on demand, in real time. This is a real breakthrough compared to typical download times encountered with delivery of audio over conventional online methods in which audio is downloaded at a rate that is five times longer than the actual program; the listener must wait 25 minutes before listening to just five minutes of audio. Since its introduction last April, over four million RealAudio Players have been distributed with over 25,000 being downloaded from the RealAudio Web site daily. Thousands of RealAudio Servers are currently delivering audio and streaming multimedia content on the Web. The RealAudio Personal Servers will also be shipped with future versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The RealAudio System consists of the RealAudio Player, a client-based software enabling Internet/online users to access existing audio for instant playback, and the RealAudio Server, which enables major media content providers to distribute audio or audio-based multimedia streams over the Internet to a broad base of consumers and end users. A RealAudio Encoder allows individuals to encode their audio programming for nearly any analog or digital source.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS

Progressive Networks (http://www.realaudio.com) based in Seattle, develops and markets software products and services designed to enable users of personal computers and other digital devices to send and receive audio and audio-based multimedia services using the existing infrastructure.


RealAudio 2.0 Intranet Offerings
Progressive Networks Launches RealAudio 2.0 Intranet Offerings with Corporate Licensing Program and Intranet Server Pricing

RealAudio 2.0 Ships with RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit

LAS VEGAS, April 2, 1996 -- Progressive Networks (PN) today announced RealAudio 2.0 Intranet offerings including a corporate licensing program and pricing for Intranet customers. The company also announced the availability of a RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit, which allows firewall and system administrators to build custom firewall solutions to support RealAudio. Separately, Progressive Networks announced the final release of RealAudio 2.0 and the availability of RealAudio through system integrators and a number of resellers. The company made these announcements today at Interop Dotcom, being held here through Thursday, April 4th, at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center in booth #312.

"The Intranet is a phenomenal way to communicate within an organization," said Rob Glaser, CEO and chairman of Progressive Networks. "Using RealAudio to enhance that communication makes it much more compelling and comprehensive than presentations that are text- and graphics-based only. Our Intranet program will enable corporations to easily provide RealAudio to all of their employees."

"We use RealAudio to provide technical training to our employees," said David Metcalf, lead multimedia developer at the Kennedy Space Center. "After producing the video we realized that we could reach a larger audience around the clock by producing a companion Web site. Leveraging the existing content and look of the video helped tie the two delivery media together and significantly reduced the development time for the Web-based training."

"AT&T Network Wireless (Lucent Technologies) uses RealAudio to let employees hear speeches given by their executives and industry speakers," said Bob Yurkovic, manager, Information Solutions Group, Lucent Technologies. "AT&T previously relied upon distributing cassette tapes of industry speakers but found that providing them in RealAudio on their internal Web site was cost effective and centralized the management of the information."

REALAUDIO INTRANET OFFERINGS

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The RealAudio Server 2.0 for corporate Intranets is available for $495.00 for the five stream/10 seat RealAudio Entry Server, $1895.00 for the 50 stream/50 seat RealAudio Standard Server and $3995.00 for the RealAudio Unlimited Server with 100 seats. The number of simultaneous streams simply measures the maximum number of end users who can listen to RealAudio simultaneously from a particular RealAudio Server.

RealAudio Player 2.0 for corporate licenses starts at $25.00 per seat for 10 seats with volume pricing for larger enterprises. Order forms are available through the RealAudio Web site.

RealAudio can be used in corporate Intranets in the following ways:

* CORPORATE BROADCASTS -- RealAudio's live and audio-on-demand features allow corporations to make live announcements and facilitate speedy communication. Some companies use RealAudio for special events while others make daily announcements in the morning.

* TRAINING AND PRESENTATIONS -- RealAudio's synchronized multimedia feature provides the audio and visual materials needed to comprehensively train people remotely. It allows content providers to deliver presentations throughout a company over the Intranet by embedding URLs into the audio stream. This allows graphics and text to appear while the narrator explains the information.

* CORPORATE WEB TOURS -- RealAudio's integration with URL events gives corporate Web site users a tour of services available on the Intranet. RealAudio lets company spokespersons narrate while touring Web pages that contain corporate information such as phone lists, company events, procurement procedures, travel policies and daily announcements.

PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS' REALAUDIO FIREWALL PROXY KIT

Progressive Networks' RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit allows firewall and system administrators to build custom firewall solutions to support RealAudio. The public proxy is targeted at organizations using either proprietary or public domain firewalls to protect their networks. In addition the RealAudio 2.0 System supports a new TCP-only data option which will allow a large number of corporate customers to access RealAudio without any firewall modifications. Today's announcement compliments efforts underway by leading commercial firewall manufacturers to support the RealAudio protocol with their products. The RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit includes specifications and reference source code that can be used to build either a transparent or application-level firewall proxy. Organizations interested in building a RealAudio proxy for use on their firewall can obtain copies of the RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit from Progressive Networks' Web site located at http://www.realaudio.com.

Progressive Networks has teamed up with the leading commercial firewall manufacturers to have RealAudio supported in future versions of their firewall products, including Checkpoint Software Technologies, Inc., Border Network Technologies Inc., Trusted Information Systems, ANS, Morning Star Technologies, Global Technology Associates, Milkyway Networks Corp., Technologic, Inc., enterWorks.com (the network products subsidiary of Telos Company) and Cypress Consulting, Inc.

ABOUT THE REALAUDIO SYSTEM

Progressive Networks' RealAudio client-server software system enables Internet and online users equipped with conventional multimedia personal computers and voice-grade telephone lines to browse, select and play back audio or audio-based multimedia content on demand, in real time. This is a real breakthrough compared to typical download times encountered with delivery of audio over conventional online methods in which audio is downloaded at a rate that is five times longer than the actual program; the listener must wait 25 minutes before listening to just five minutes of audio. Since its introduction last April, over four million RealAudio Players have been distributed with over 25,000 being downloaded from the RealAudio Web site daily. Thousands of RealAudio Servers are currently delivering audio and streaming multimedia content on the Web. The RealAudio Personal Servers will also be shipped with future versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The RealAudio System consists of the RealAudio Player, a client-based software enabling Internet/online users to access existing audio for instant playback, and the RealAudio Server, which enables major media content providers to distribute audio or audio-based multimedia streams over the Internet to a broad base of consumers and end users. A RealAudio Encoder allows individuals to encode their audio programming for nearly any analog or digital source.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS

Progressive Networks (http://www.realaudio.com) based in Seattle, develops and markets software products and services designed to enable users of personal computers and other digital devices to send and receive audio and audio-based multimedia services using the existing infrastructure.


RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit
Progressive Networks Announces RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit

RealAudio Gains Network Security Support From Eleven Companies

Public Proxy and Third Party Solutions Further Commitment to Open Systems and Interoperability

LAS VEGAS, April 2, 1996 -- Progressive Networks today announced the availability of a RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit allowing firewall and system administrators to build custom firewall solutions to support RealAudio. The announcement is being made in conjunction with the launch of Progressive Networks' Intranet offerings of a corporate licensing program and Intranet Server pricing, the shipment of the final release of RealAudio 2.0 and the availability of RealAudio through a number of resellers and system integrators throughout the U.S. The company is making these announcements today at Interop Dotcom, being held here through Thursday, April 4th, at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center in booth #312.

"The RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit works as advertised," said Thes Hansen, manager of interactive services at MCA/Universal Studios. "The people within my organization are absolutely thrilled that they can now hear RealAudio. This technology is terrific."

The RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit includes specifications and reference source code that can be used to build either a transparent or application-level firewall proxy. A common feature on the Internet, firewalls represent a common security technique which effectively hides an organization's internal network from the rest of the Internet. Firewalls act as security boundaries between joined networks, relaying only authorized communications from one network to the other. Organizations interested in building a RealAudio proxy for use on their firewall can obtain copies of the RealAudio Firewall Proxy Kit from Progressive Networks' Web site located at http://www.realaudio.com.

The public proxy is targeted at organizations using either proprietary or public domain firewalls to protect their networks. In addition, the RealAudio 2.0 System supports a new TCP-only data option which will allow a large number of corporate customers to access RealAudio without any firewall modifications. Today's announcement compliments efforts underway by leading commercial firewall manufacturers to support the RealAudio protocol with their products.

"Progressive Networks is firmly committed to concepts of open systems and interoperability," said Rob Glaser, CEO and chairman of Progressive Networks. "We have already announced plans to publish our protocol and playback engine API's, and the publication of our firewall proxy furthers this commitment into the network security arena."

Working in cooperation with NCSA's Firewall Product Developers Consortium, Progressive Networks has teamed up with the leading commercial firewall manufacturers to have RealAudio supported in future versions of their firewall products. Network security companies shipping RealAudio support this month include: Checkpoint Software Technologies, Inc., Border Network Technologies Inc., Trusted Information Systems, Morning Star Technologies, Cisco Systems, Global Technology Associates, Technologic, Inc., enterWorks.com (the network products subsidiary of Telos Company), Network-1 Software and Technology, Inc., Cypress Consulting, Inc. and Workgroup Systems Ltd.

"The RealAudio people seem to be doing many things right," said Peter Tippett, president of the National Computer Security Association. "When Progressive Networks approached the Firewall Product Developers Consortium with a security question about passing real-time multimedia through commercial firewalls, the members of the consortium applauded the action and unanimously endorsed their proposal."

Other network security companies planning on supporting RealAudio in future versions of their products include: ANS InterLock Service, Atlantic Systems Group, Digital Equipment Corp., Harris Computer Systems Corp., IBM, Internet Security Systems, Livermore Software Laboratories, Inc., Milkyway Networks Corp., Norman Data Defense Systems, Inc., Raptor Systems, Inc., Secure Computing Corp., Sterling Software, Smallworks, Inc. and Sun Microsystems.

"CheckPoint Software is proud to be the first network security company to support RealAudio," said Deborah Triant, president and CEO of CheckPoint Software Technologies, Inc. "We are pleased to see the rest of the industry follow our lead in providing support for this important emerging Internet and Intranet application."

ABOUT THE REALAUDIO SYSTEM

Progressive Networks' RealAudio client-server software system enables Internet and online users equipped with conventional multimedia personal computers and voice-grade telephone lines to browse, select and play back audio or audio-based multimedia content on demand, in real time. This is a real breakthrough compared to typical download times encountered with delivery of audio over conventional online methods in which audio is downloaded at a rate that is five times longer than the actual program; the listener must wait 25 minutes before listening to just five minutes of audio. Since its introduction last April, over four million RealAudio Players have been distributed with over 25,000 being downloaded from the RealAudio Web site daily. Thousands of RealAudio Servers are currently delivering audio and streaming multimedia content on the Web. The RealAudio Personal Servers will also be shipped with future versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The RealAudio System consists of the RealAudio Player, a client-based software enabling Internet/online users to access existing audio for instant playback, and the RealAudio Server, which enables major media content providers to distribute audio or audio-based multimedia streams over the Internet to a broad base of consumers and end users. A RealAudio Encoder allows individuals to encode their audio programming for nearly any analog or digital source.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS

Progressive Networks (http://www.realaudio.com) based in Seattle, develops and markets software products and services designed to enable users of personal computers and other digital devices to send and receive audio and audio-based multimedia services using the existing infrastructure.


OIS to Resell Pure Software Quality Prods
PURE SOFTWARE EXTENDS DISTRIBUTION OF AUTOMATED SOFTWARE QUALITY PRODUCTS TO ADA 95 MARKETS

Objective Interface Systems to Resell and Support Quality Development Products

SUNNYVALE, CA -- April 23, 1996 -- Pure Software today announced an agreement with Objective Interface Systems, Inc. (OIS) of Reston, Virginia, to market, resell and support three of Pure Software's industry-leading automated software quality products -- Purify, Quantify and PureCoverage. The agreement demonstrates an increased effort by both companies to provide the highest-quality tools to developers of mission-critical Ada applications. Under the terms of the agreement, OIS will bundle the Pure Software products into its Acumentor suite of Ada 95 development tools under the name Acumentor/Pure.

Purify is the industry-leading run-time error detector, with more than 40,000 licenses sold worldwide. Based on Pure Software's patented Object Code Insertion (OCI) technology, Purify locates run-time errors and memory leaks anywhere they occur in Windows and UNIX applications, enabling developers to spend less time debugging and more time developing.

Quantify, also based on Pure Software's OCI technology, automatically identifies portions of application code that slow down execution speed and assists in optimizing application performance. Quantify locates performance bottlenecks and displays performance results in a graphical user interface.

PureCoverage, a powerful code coverage analysis product, ensures code quality by locating unexecuted, and therefore, untested code. PureCoverage is fully integrated with Purify.

"Acumentor/Pure provides Ada programmers with industry-proven, commercial code testing tools," said Bill Beckwith, chief product engineer at OIS. "We have first-hand experience with Pure Software's products and use them in our own development lab. Code quality is vital when building distributed systems. Many critical systems today rely on Ada to deliver high-performance and reliability. Acumentor/Pure enhances Ada's built-in quality features for delivering systems that work. Our Ada customers will stand for nothing less than clean, proven code; they can't afford the alternative," stated Beckwith.

"By teaming with OIS, we're able to deliver our automated software quality products to Ada developers," said Pamela Roussos, product manager at Pure Software. "OIS has a strong history of providing high-quality development tools to customers building mission-critical, distributed applications. We're excited to work with OIS to extend our products to the Ada software development market."

Initial availability of the Acumentor/Pure product suite is planned for the second quarter of 1996 on SunSoft Solaris and HP-UX.

Pure Software, with more than 4,000 corporate customers, is the world leader in Automated Software Quality (ASQ) tools that improve the reliability, scalability and performance of Windows, UNIX and Web applications. Pure Software is the only ASQ company that addresses the entire software lifecycle of development, testing and deployment. Based in Sunnyvale, California, Pure Software posted revenues of $44 million for 1995, a 100 percent increase over 1994 revenues. The company's shares are traded under Nasdaq: PRSW. More information on Pure Software is available on the Internet at: www.pure.com.

Founded in 1989, OIS of Reston, Virginia, develops and markets tools for software applications developers. OIS products are offered under the Acumentor object-oriented development suite of fully interoperable components. Included in the Acumentor suite of programming tools are: Acumentor/Orbix for Ada 95, a CORBA development environment for building distributed systems (a joint product of OIS and IONA Technologies, Ltd.); Acumentor/Orbix for C++; Acumentor/Orbix for Java (available Q3 1996); Acumentor/SQL (available Q2 1996), a high- performance, object-oriented data management framework based on ODBC; Acumentor/GUI (release Q3 1996), an advanced graphics development environment that represents OIS's implementation of the X Consortium's Fresco standard; and, Screen Machine, a platform-independent, graphical user interface builder for Ada. OIS also develops, maintains and supports two Sybase-marketed products: Open-Client/Ada and Ada Workbench.

Pure Software Inc.

1309 South Mary Avenue

Sunnyvale, CA 94087 USA


PurePerformix/Web Swr Quality Tool
Pure Software Ships PurePerformix/Web for Improving the Performance and Scalability of Intranet Applications

Load Testing For Mission-Critical Web-Based Applications

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- April 15,1996 -- Pure Software, Inc. today announced shipment of PurePerformix/Web, an automated software quality tool for load testing multi-user Web applications. PurePerformix/Web emulates large numbers of Intranet users to ensure the quality, performance and scalability of Web-based client/server applications. With PurePerformix/Web, Pure Software's best-of-breed load testing products provide an accurate and efficient way to load test simultaneously database applications that use a mix of platforms including the Web.

PurePerformix/Web removes some of the primary barriers facing organizations deploying mission-critical Web-based applications today. Performance, scalability, response time and throughput have always been requirements of mission-critical applications regardless of platform. Many organizations are inhibited by the inability to predict how Web applications will behave in a real-world setting. PurePerformix/Web removes these concerns by providing an accurate picture of how applications will respond under the demands now created by Web users.

"As the Web takes off, more companies will want to leverage it for deploying mission-critical applications. Load testing is the critical element to this evolution," said Jeff Straathof, business unit manager of Pure Software's load testing products. "We're glad to offer a comprehensive solution for load testing mission-critical applications that incorporate the Web. PurePerformix/Web complements our load testing solution and enables customers to emulate accurately their client/server application workload on a variety of client platforms all from one control machine."

PurePerformix/Web captures and replays the activities of Intranet users, allowing developers and quality assurance professionals to measure the performance of a Web application as the number of users increases. PurePerformix/Web differs from pre-packaged Web server benchmarks because it is able to simulate accurately the typical workload on a Web application. The product emulates a group of users representing any mix of activities and network speeds, making it ideal for testing transaction-intensive Web applications.

PurePerformix/Web comprehensively load tests any and all Web applications, including those that employ Java, and works with all Web servers and Internet browsers. Typical uses of PurePerformix/Web include:

* Refining and tuning a Web application during development;

* Demonstrating the performance of an existing Web application;

* Determining the maximum number of simultaneous hits a Web

  application can withstand (sometimes called stress testing); and

* Determining the optimal configuration of Web servers for

  a particular application.

PurePerformix/Web also is available as an add-on product for existing customers of PurePerformix/CS, the industry-standard client/server load testing product. The PurePerformix load testing product line enables synchronized testing of mixed-platform applications that may incorporate Web, client/server, X-Window and/or character-based components.

Pure Software, with more than 4,000 corporate customers, is the world leader in Automated Software Quality (ASQ) tools that improve the reliability, scalability and performance of Windows, UNIX and Web applications. Pure Software is the only ASQ company that addresses the entire software lifecycle of development, testing and deployment. Based in Sunnyvale, California, Pure Software posted revenues of $44 million for 1995, a 100 percent increase over 1994 revenues. The company's shares are traded under Nasdaq: PRSW. More information on Pure Software is available on the Internet at: www.pure.com.

Pure Software Inc. 1309 South Mary Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94087 USA


QMS Ultra Technology for Hi-Perf PostScript
QMS Image Management Solutions Division Announces QMS Ultra Technology for High Performance PostScript Printing and Viewing

New QMS Ultra Technology Will Enable Viewing and Printing of PostScript Files At Speeds of up to Several Hundred Pages Per Minute

APRIL 21, 1996 - MOBILE, AL - QMS, Inc. (NYSE:AQM) today significantly advanced the capabilities of its CrownImage enterprise-wide digital imaging products with the announcement of the QMS Ultra page description language (PDL) processor, which is optimized for Windows NT and its inherent Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) capability. The combination of this new multi-threaded version of QMS' highly successful PostScript-compatible language and the native scaleability of NT-based multiprocessor systems makes it possible to provide a dramatically higher level of performance for high end printing and enterprise-wide viewing of Postscript documents than ever before possible.

"The QMS UltraScript PDL Processor which we developed in 1988 was designed from the beginning with parallel computing paradigms in mind," said Donald L. Parker, QMS' Chief Technology Officer. "The inherent page-object orientation of our intermediate processing representations and the structure of our interpreters and graphics libraries all make it possible to realize a high degree of parallelism in PostScript language interpretation and the page rendering process. By combining this language processor with the multiprocessing and multi-threading capabilities of Windows NT, we have realized heretofore unreachable speeds in PostScript processing on affordable, open-system platforms. This is a market-responsive solution for anyone requiring the fastest available printing and viewing of Postscript language files.

"In recognition of the processing requirements of Postscript language processing, particularly in high volume environments, we began work in the late 1980's to create an implementation that could take advantage of the improvements offered by parallel processors. While other companies are proposing to deliver parallel compatible systems, QMS Ultra technology accomplishes multiple-processor rendering of images more efficiently and cost-effectively, and with better overall throughput than any other solution available," added Parker.

The first use of the QMS Ultra technology is in the CrownImage digital imaging system products from QMS Image Management Solutions (IMS) Division. The QMS CrownImage products represent a new level of integrated functionality for document imaging products. The system provides support for standard electronic printing, image/document capture, image processing for document imaging (view, print, intelligent recognition, storage, and retrieval), digital copying services, and document publishing through enterprise messaging and on-line services. In this context, QMS Ultra technology enables the CrownImage systems to become very powerful "front-end" systems for today's highest performance print systems, while also providing work center and enterprise-wide document viewing capability.

"One of the top considerations for customers who are implementing enterprise imaging systems is fast performance," Perry Hockaday, Director of IMS said. "These customers have seen their earlier solutions fall behind their current needs in the three critical areas of capture, management and presentation (viewing and printing) of information. QMS Ultra allows us to address the specific need for very high first-copy-speed PostScript printing and viewing."

When QMS Ultra is used as a high speed printer front-end, a typical configuration is a Quad-Pentium server receiving PostScript input files from the network and producing output matched to one or more attached printing engines (monochrome or color). In such a configuration, speeds up to several hundred pages per minute are achievable. By adding one or more CrownImage scanners, this system becomes a very high speed digital copier as well. When QMS Ultra is used in support of PostScript viewing it can be implemented as a local applet or as a server-processor configuration. Given these varied configurations, the technology is extremely scaleable and can service demands from desktop to reprocenter usage.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Windows NT and Windows `95 versions of CrownImage are available today. The QMS Ultra option for CrownImage will be available for select installations in the summer of 1996. For information on the developing family of QMS Ultra-based products contact the IMS Division of QMS. QMS is currently in discussions with several companies regarding OEM configurations of the QMS Ultra server product and is pursuing OEM licensing arrangements with these companies.

While pricing is dependent on configuration, the single license cost for QMS Ultra as an option to CrownImage is $1997. The price of a minimum CrownImage system including CrownImage software, a high performance 36 ppm scanner and a Windows NT CrownImage server starts at approximately $25,000. QMS Crown ImageServer Print Systems, with print speeds from 10 to 45 pages per minute, range in price from $3,000 to $60,000. Marking engines planned for the QMS Ultra server-based front-end configuration range from 12-50 ppm color offerings and 40-300 ppm monochrome versions.

QMS, INC.

QMS develops and manufactures document imaging solutions for the world's most demanding customers. These innovative products and services include color and monochrome print systems, complete imaging solutions, and a host of adaptable technologies that seamlessly bridge the gaps that exist in virtually all enterprise computing environments.

QMS employs a rich array of technical assets and two decades of experience to deliver the best possible document services. QMS draws upon broad enterprise network experience, extensive document handling expertise and deep knowledge of virtually all printing standards, languages, and connectivity requirements to lower costs and improve efficiency by off loading network traffic, providing on-demand document publishing, forms printing, and offering an easy migration path from older generation printing devices and computing environments. QMS document imaging systems are revolutionizing the way enterprises integrate and manage documents and information.

QMS maintains a strong commitment to fully integrated customer solutions. QMS designs the most adaptable, most powerful, most flexible and most cost-effective products in the industry. QMS document print systems are available in the U.S. directly from QMS, Inc. and its network of authorized distributors and resellers. Outside the U.S., document print systems are available from authorized QMS distributors. QMS, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AQM.

QMS, Inc.

One Magnum Pass

Mobile, AL 36618

(800) 523-2696 or (334) 633-4300

QMS Internet Address [http://www.qms.com]

Email to: ims@qms.com


Quark & Diba Technologies in Info Appliances
Quark and Diba to merge technologies for new "information appliances"

QUARKIMMEDIA TO PLAY INTEGRAL ROLE IN NEW CLASS OF INFORMATION DEVICES

April 26, 1996 -- DENVER -- Quark Inc. announced today that Diba Inc., a Silicon Valley hardware and software company, will support QuarkImmedia in Diba's new interactive digital electronic appliances (IDEAs), which will make QuarkImmedia-formatted multimedia and interactive content accessible to millions of consumers nationwide. In addition, Quark also announced it has acquired an equity position in Diba. Financial terms of the purchase are not being disclosed by either firm.

IDEAs are designed to blend the convenience and affordability of consumer appliances with the power of personal computers. Each unit will be encased in a hard plastic exterior containing a microprocessor, built-in memory, Diba operating software, and custom application software designed by Diba and information service or content providers. Depending upon the IDEA, consumers will be able to view content either through an LCD (liquid-crystal display) or via the consumer's television.

"Diba is building the foundation for a new generation of information tools," said Quark president and CEO Fred Ebrahimi. "And with the introduction of QuarkImmedia, Quark is building the foundation for content creators to create QuarkImmedia-based information that will be accessed by millions of consumers through Diba's appliances."

QuarkImmedia, to be released in the United States in midsummer, is a multimedia and Internet authoring tool which consists of two components: the QuarkImmedia design tool and the QuarkImmedia Viewer. The design tool works in conjunction with QuarkXPress to let designers create multimedia projects by incorporating interactivity, sound, animation, movies, and hyperlinked text into QuarkXPress documents. The QuarkImmedia Viewer, which can be distributed royalty free, is a stand-alone application that runs projects created in QuarkImmedia.

"The fact that so many publishers, advertising agencies, and retailers worldwide already use QuarkXPress as their electronic publishing tool of choice will provide Diba consumers with instant access to the wealth of QuarkImmedia-designed content," said Farzad Dibachi, cofounder of Diba. "In addition, we think supporting the QuarkImmedia Viewer on our platform will provide IDEA users with compelling new interactive and dynamic multimedia applications."

Diba unveiled the first prototypes of its appliances, based on the Diba-application software foundation, to the press this week. A particular IDEA will perform a single function, enabling consumers to use the devices right out of the box. For example, a Diba-based Internet appliance with the QuarkImmedia Viewer will give consumers inexpensive and easy access to the burgeoning amount of information on the Internet and World Wide Web. The QuarkImmedia Viewer is expected to be part of a number of Diba's forthcoming family of appliances.

"We are strong believers that consumers are looking for alternative -- that is, easier to use and more affordable -- ways to access the wealth of digital information available today," Ebrahimi said. "Personal computers and workstations will increasingly be used by software professionals to develop content, while devices such as Diba's IDEAs will be used by consumers to access this content."

Diba's IDEAs will be compact, ranging from the size of a standard telephone to the size of a portable CD player. They will cost less than $300 to manufacture, and depending upon the business model of the content and service provider, could be offered to consumers for either a nominal fee or at no cost (along with an information service fee). The first devices will be available by the end of 1996. Diba's IDEA platform will be one of many to support the QuarkImmedia Viewer.

Located in Belmont, Calif., Diba Inc. is a software platform and tools company specializing in IDEAs for homes, schools, and offices. The company was founded in 1995 by Farzad Dibachi, formerly senior vice president of Oracle Corp.; and Farid Dibachi, formerly CEO and founder of Wavetron Microsystems Inc. Diba is privately owned and financed.

Based in Denver, Quark Inc. develops and distributes publishing software for commercial publishing, graphic arts, and corporate communications professionals using microcomputer-based systems. Quark's products include QuarkXPress for Macintosh, Power Macintosh, and Windows; QuarkXPress Passport, the multilingual version of QuarkXPress; QuarkImmedia, professional design software for multimedia and Internet publishing; and the Quark Publishing System, a high-performance editorial management and document production system. Founded in 1981, Quark is privately held.


Sequent Extends High-End Data Warehousing
Sequent Extends High-End Data Warehouse Offering; Demonstrates Enterprise Warehouse Solution With New Scalable Data Interconnect (SDI)

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - APRIL 12, 1996 - Sequent Computer Systems, Inc., today announced a collaborative effort with Oracle Corp. designed to bring scalability to the very high end of the decision support and data warehouse markets. This effort, based on a strong, ten-year working relationship between the two companies, has resulted in a new scalable data interconnect (SDI) for enterprise-class, terabyte-size systems.

Referred to as the Sequent Enterprise Warehouse initiative, this effort builds on the "best practices" from successful DSS projects implemented at over 100 demanding customer environments worldwide. The long list of companies turning to Sequent for high-end DSS solutions includes widely recognized names such as Edgars Stores Limited, Preferred Direct Insurance (PDI), Reuters, Trustee Savings Bank (TSB), and Unocal.

Sequent's SDI is a low-latency, high throughput interconnect for clustered Symmetry Systems. With SDI, Oracle has implemented the Internode Parallel Query Option (IPQ) previously only available with massively parallel computer architectures. Sequent's SDI is the first implementation to provide these requirements within a clustered SMP environment.

Sequent's new SDI high-speed data pump enables customers to create and analyze extremely large data warehouses that are accessed by hundreds to thousands of users running intensive applications, such as data mining programs. SDI, optimized for the Oracle7 Parallel Everything database, provides out-of-box scalability on up 120 Intel Pentium processors.

"Oracle and Sequent have been working together for more than a decade to provide the most powerful and flexible open systems solutions for business critical environments," said Richard French, vice president of Oracle's Intel UNIX Products Division. "The next generation of data warehouse user requirements will need multi-terabyte databases supporting hundreds to thousands of users. Oracle's database and application products running on Sequent's Symmetry systems have already set the standard in reliability, availability and sheer performance at the high end. Sequent will continue to set the standard for these high-end users with innovations, such as SDI, and through its expertise in the next generation of NUMA-Q technologies. With the ability to provide Oracle's Internode Parallel Query Option on these technologies and proven customer success with large Data Warehouses, Sequent is poised to be an impressive force for enterprise-class DSS systems".

Sequent's Enterprise Warehouse initiative focuses on a holistic view of the data warehouse solution/project and brings together solutions from Sequent and its partners. These partners provide all the software components of a successful data warehouse from data extraction through data analysis and leading edge knowledge discovery tools.

Sequent's comprehensive, business-centric methodology is continually evolving, yet well tested, and has resulted in Sequent's reputation for being able to successfully architect complex DSS solutions. DSS is currently the fastest growing segment of Sequent's business.

Sequent will demonstrate its proven Enterprise Warehouse solutions at the European Oracle User Group conference which begins here April 14. Attendees will see several examples of the Oracle7 Parallel Everything database running on Sequent's powerful, clustered Symmetry systems.

Sequent is one of several companies participating in Oracle's Test-to-Scale Program, a program designed to test and certify data warehouses exceeding a terabyte. Sequent expects to finalize participation and certification in this program later this year.

Sequent's SDI has been designed for the demanding high-end business environment with affordability and manageabilty features not traditionally found in the standard MPP solutions.

"Sequent's SDI solution will enable sophisticated users to scale enterprise decision support and data warehouse applications into the multi-terabyte realm," said Gary Smaby, president of Smaby Group, a leading IT industry research and advisory firm based in Minneapolis. "While this performance range exceeds the requirements of most mainstream users today, we believe there is a tier of leading edge customers in financial services, manufacturing, and retail that can and will, in this decade, design applications to take advantage of this unprecedented level of performance."

"Turning data into meaningful, applied information has become a strategic business imperative for many organizations," noted Alan Cox, Sequent's DSS business group manager. "The challenge our customers face can be simply stated - they are looking for the best ways to mine strategic information from the mountains of data they have - quickly, efficiently and reliably. Sequent offers the capability today with the growth path to satisfy the escalating needs of our customers well into the 21st century."

According to Drew Kennedy, group IS manager for Edgars Stores Limited, a major retailer in South Africa, "We realized that the best way to address our current and future business needs was to form a partnership with a computer vendor who would provide us with an open, best-of-breed business solution supported by sound technology. We found the answer in Sequent."

In addition to SDI, Sequent is introducing an enhanced High Availability package for its customers. This offering features Sequent's new Model 20 processor board that has the industry's first error detecting and correcting (EDC) circuitry guarding the processor's data cache, along with the Intel 166 MHz Pentium processor. Sequent's enhanced High Availability program is designed to provide mission critical environments the highest levels of availability (99.95%) with well coordinated professional service offerings to ensure business success.

Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNT), is a leading architect and provider of open client/server solutions for enterprise business computing. With an installed base of nearly 8,000 systems, Sequent leads all other vendors of high end UNIX systems supporting very large-scale on-line transaction processing (OLTP), decision support (DSS) and internet-based applications. Sequent's project-oriented offerings include consulting, educational and professional services geared to help organizations re-architect their existing information technology infrastructures.

Sequent's World Wide Web address is http://www.sequent.com. This news release and other information is available from Sequent's news-on-demand fax service at 800-356-0834.


SPA Offers Hi-Tech Co's Advice in IPOs
SPA OFFERS HIGH-TECH COMPANIES ADVICE ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING A COMPANY PUBLIC

APRIL 24, 1995, (Washington, D.C.) - "We went public, but we weren't ready," said one former marketing director. "The company went under about 10 months after the IPO." Companies like this one would have benefited from the new "Investor Relations Handbook: An Introduction to Initial Public Offerings and Mergers and Acquisitions," published by the Software Publishers Association's (SPA) Public Relations Special Interest Group (PR SIG). This guide details the steps of an initial public offering (IPO) and provides tips to get the most money and exposure for your company during an IPO, merger or acquisition.

Targeting the public relations professional in a high-tech business, this easy-to-follow guidebook concentrates on how public relations - or its role in a company's structure - is likely to change during an IPO, merger or acquisition. Intended as an introduction to the concept of public ownership, the "Investor Relations Handbook" includes topics such as reasons to go public, working with the SEC, the shareholders' role and investor relations vs. public relations. It also includes a glossary of terms, collection of financial Web sites, commercial online services, investment and business statistic news groups and a bibliography of related books and periodicals.

"The public considers technology hot, and the industry is responding with IPOs. The 'Investor Relations Handbook' is an excellent tool for public relations and investor relations professionals in our industry whose companies are changing from a privately held to a publicly traded company," said SPA President Ken Wasch. "Over the last decade, several SPA member companies have gone public, and the PR SIG has put a tremendous amount of effort into addressing this in the handbook," said Wasch.

"Investor Relations Handbook: An Introduction to Initial Public Offerings and Mergers and Acquisitions" is free to SPA PR SIG members, $99 for SPA members and $150 for SPA nonmembers. To order the publication, contact Sandy Meadows at smeadows@spa.org or (202) 452-1600. SPA's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 also available through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823.

An Introduction to Initial Public Offerings and Mergers and Acquisitions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 1. Introduction

 2. Why Does a Company Go Public?

 3. In the Grip of the Regulators

 4. The Need for an Investor Relations Department

 5. A Quick Course in Corporate Finance

 6. The Initial Public Offering

 7. The Investor Relations Department's Basic Goals

 8. About the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

 9. The Importance of a Corporate Disclosure Policy

 10. Going High Tech: Electronic Communication

 11. Glossary

 12. Bibliography

 13. Resources

Software Publishers Association

1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036

202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756


PCs Now in 34% of US Households
Personal Computers Now in 34% of U.S. Households

Software Publishers Association Fifth Annual Consumer Study Finds PCs in More Homes and Used More Often

APRIL 22, 1996 (Washington, D.C.) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today the results of its fifth annual study of computers in the home. The random digit telephone survey queried home PC owners on software use and PC configurations. Survey results show the use of home personal computers increased slightly in 1995, with penetration of PCs reaching 34 percent by January 1996, representing 33.9 million households, up from 32.6 million the same period a year ago.

Word processing is still the software application used most widely in the home. It has held first place since 1993 when 80 percent of home users reported using it, compared with 89 percent this year. At least 50 percent of PC households use seven application types, up from 5 percent in 1994. Overall, respondents reported using an average of nearly nine different types of software, with online and Internet users reporting more than 11 types.

Among other key survey findings:

* Multimedia capabilities clearly spurred PC purchases in 1995. Of all PCs purchased in 1995, 83 percent were equipped with CD-ROM drives, compared with 55 percent in 1994. Currently more than 70 percent of both Apple and Intel PC primary (most-used) installed base PCs report CD-ROM capability.

* Online and Internet use increased. Seventy percent of PC households reported owning a modem. Of modem owners, 46 percent subscribe to an online service, and an additional 26 percent use the Internet through another type of gateway, such as an office, educational institution or gateway provider. Seventy-seven percent of Internet users report accessing the Web. Once there, research/reference, entertainment and education sites are visited by the greatest number of respondents.

* Macintosh/Apple share holds steady, while Windows base strengthens. Although 79 percent of respondents reported their primary computer is an IBM/compatible, the share of households with an Apple II, Macintosh or Power Mac remained at 16 percent. Of households with Intel-based machines, only 15 percent do not run Windows or Windows 95 on their primary computer. Eighteen percent of home users reported running Windows 95, and 35 percent of the nonusers planned to upgrade within the next six months.

* Faster is better, even for consumers. Twenty-four percent of PC households report owning a Pentium as their primary computer, with processors slower than a 286 down to less than 15 percent of the most-used computers. Last year, only 4 percent of primary PCs held a Pentium chip.

SPA's "1996 Consumer Survey" is free to members and $500 for nonmembers. To order, call (202) 452-1600, ext. 341.

The Software Publishers Association's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading 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 press releases are available 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


ASAP Webshow Viewer for Presentations
SOFTWARE PUBLISHING CORPORATION ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ASAP WEBSHOW: A VIEWER FOR WEB-EMBEDDED PRESENTATIONS

ASAP WebShow Delivers Reports, Presentations and Graphical Communications From any Web Page at Extraordinary Speeds

SAN JOSE, CALIF., APRIL 22, 1996 -- Software Publishing Corporation (SPC) (Nasdaq:SPCO) today announced the immediate availability of ASAP WebShow, a viewer for presentations that are created with the Company's award-winnning ASAP WordPower presentation software and posted to the World Wide Web. ASAP WebShow is a Netscape Navigator 2.0 Plug-In, and will also run as a helper application for other leading browsers on the World Wide Web. The product is available for download at no cost from the Company's web site at http://www.spco.com.

"The combination of ASAP WebShow and ASAP WordPower provides a rich set of tools to enhance communications over the Internet," said Brad Peppard, vice president of North American marketing. "Together, these two products offer users a complete solution for creating and viewing stunning content on the World Wide Web. Anyone can type an outline in a popular word processing program, convert it into an ASAP WordPower presentation with one click of a mouse, and in a single line of HTML, place it on a public or private page for web viewing.

ASAP WordPower's small file size allows for the quick viewing and download of content from the World Wide Web. Transmission times dramatically less than standard streaming rates are achieved through the use of SPC's Intelligent Formatting engine. For example, 30 heavily graphical pages occupy as little as 11K, permitting users with a 14.4K modem to download the entire report or presentation in under ten seconds. An ASAP WebShow user can view a presentation in interactive or auto-run mode, download the materials for later viewing, or print hardcopies for local use.

ASAP WebShow also supports Progressive Networks' RealAudio, allowing viewers to get combined sound and voice within graphically rich pages with text, gradient colors and a wide variety of graphical objects such as tables, pyramid and organization charts. The addition of sound provides significant enhancements to web-based materials that can be used for sales and advertising, training materials, corporate communications and financial reporting. Audio clips can be synchronized to individual slides with use of the RealAudio player.

INTERNET AND INTRANET ADVANTAGES

With ASAP WebShow, corporations will be able to communicate to their satellite offices via the Intranet. For example, quarterly results, internal training, company policies and benefits can be broadcast to remote sites without the need to hold costly company meetings at corporate headquarters. In addition, the sales force can communicate visually via the Internet to its customers eliminating the need for some on-site visits.

ASAP WordPower version 1.95 reads and writes Microsoft PowerPoint 7.0 files and ASAP WebShow will enable content from existing PowerPoint presentations to be quickly and easily posted to the web with only minimal editing and to be viewed or printed from any remote site. The PowerPoint files will be three to ten times smaller when converted to ASAP WordPower file format, making it easier to view presentations on the Internet.

ASAP WEBSHOW PUBLISHING KIT

SPC has developed the ASAP WebShow Publishing Kit, a comprehensive guide detailing how web page authors can easily embed ASAP WordPower presentations on the Internet. The document includes instructions on how to: embed the ASAP WordPower presentation; add sound capabilities; compress large graphics for faster transmission over the Internet, and configure the server. The ASAP WebShow Publishing Kit is posted on SPC's home page.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

ASAP WebShow is available for immediate download from SPC's web site at no charge. The Company's URL is http://www.spco.com.

Software Publishing is also offering a run-time player for ASAP WordPower. This allows users to view ASAP WordPower presentations on systems without the application being installed. ASAP WordPower presentations can be freely distributed with the player on disk or via e-mail. The run-time player is free and is also available for download from SPC's web site.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

ASAP WebShow requires a 486 or higher IBM PC or compatible, Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or Windows NT operating systems, 2 MB of available memory, 2 MB of hard disk space (4 MB needed for installation), DOS 5.0 or higher (for Windows 3.1), Netscape Navigator 2.0 or other leading browser for viewing on the World Wide Web, a mouse, and a 16-color VGA or higher display.

THE COMPANY

Software Publishing Corporation is an international supplier of business productivity software for the IBM personal computer and compatibles. The Company develops and markets visual communication solutions which enrich the user's ability to see, understand and communicate information to make more effective business decisions. The Company's product line includes ASAP WordPower, ASAP WebShow, ASAP, Harvard Graphics, Harvard ChartXL, Harvard Spotlight, and Harvard Montage. For more information, users can access the Company's website at http://www.spco.com, or contact its Customer Service Department at 800/336-8360.


ReachOut Remote Access Swr WinNT 4.0 Support
Stac Announces Planned Support for Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 in ReachOut Remote Access Software

AWARD WINNING REMOTE ACCESS PRODUCT TO BE TIGHTLY INTEGRATED WITH MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT 4.0

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 - Stac, Inc. (NASDAQ:STAC) today announced that it will release a new version of ReachOut, award-winning remote access software, for Microsoft's Windows NT 4.0 following the shipment of Windows NT 4.0 later this year. The current version of ReachOut will be demonstrated at the Networld + Interop show April 2-4 in Las Vegas, Booth #5745.

"As more and more corporate users migrate to Windows NT, Stac plans to meet their demands by developing ReachOut with a superior design that will take advantage of the 32-bit architecture," said John Bromhead, vice president of marketing for Stac. "ReachOut will deliver the fastest, most reliable performance under Windows NT 4.0."

ReachOut's design allows it to detect screen changes in real time and transmit them to the remote viewer as they occur. Consequently, the image on the ReachOut viewer screen stays synchronized with the user's keyboard and mouse actions. pcANYWHERE32, on the other hand, saves up screen changes and sends them at intervals, causing the viewer screen to lag behind what the user is doing.

"ReachOut users see each character as they are typing, rather than having to wait until half a sentence is typed before they get any feedback," continued Bromhead. "ReachOut's architecture provides a much faster response time for the user."

"Stac has consistently met our customer requirements with ReachOut providing a faster, more capable, and more reliable solution than any other remote access product currently available for Windows," said Bill Botti, president of Computer Networks, Inc., a value-added reseller that specializes in remote access software. "We are eagerly anticipating the release of ReachOut for Windows NT later this year and looking forward to the added benefits that an integrated 32-bit solution will provide to our users."

In one single package ReachOut provides support for Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and DOS, with modem, network, host and viewer components all included. A free 30-day timed evaluation of ReachOut is also available on Stac's home page at http://www.stac.com.

STAC

Stac develops and markets networking and storage technologies, systems management software and Internet applications for the Enterprise. Stac was founded in 1983, and its products are sold worldwide through a variety of channels. Stac can be reached at http://www.stac.com, 1-800-522-7822, or (619) 794-4300 in the U.S. and +44 (0) 1344-302900 in Europe.


Stac Announces New Service Product Offerings

ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS TO BENEFIT FROM WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT SUPPORT

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2, 1996 -- Stac, Inc. (NASDAQ:STAC) today announced new product support offerings that provide efficient, cost-effective, world-class service and support. The enhanced service offerings allow users of Stac's storage and communications products greater flexibility of choice when selecting the services that best meets their enterprise needs.

"Stac's new product support offerings reflect our ongoing commitment to provide world-class service to our customers," said Greg Coleman, director of service and support at Stac. "Product support is an integral part of our overall product set; Stac's goal as a company is to provide an enhanced set of service offerings that give our new and existing customers an increased level of flexibility in selecting a service program that best meets their needs."

Stac offers its customers multiple service product options, each complementing their specific service requirements. Customers have the option to choose from a variety of packages including StartUp Service, which provides service during the initial installation phase and is included with the purchase of any Stac software product; OnDemand Service, which provides support on a "pay-as-you-go" basis and includes both per-minute and per-incident options; or Premier Service, which provides an annual unlimited option geared towards larger enterprise customers. The Premier Service program provides the highest level of service and support for Stac's enterprise customers, including priority 800 number access, extended service hours, and the option to add both 24 hour, 7 day a week priority response, and a named Stac service account representative.

"Customers can tailor a service plan to meet their needs in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible. We will also be offering similar service options for resellers who participate in our new Solution Partnership programs," continued Coleman.

For more information on Stac's Service Offerings please call 1-800- 522-7822 or visit Stac's home page at http://www.stac.com.

STAC

Stac develops and markets networking and storage technologies, systems management software and Internet applications for the Enterprise. Stac was founded in 1983, and its products are sold worldwide through a variety of channels. Stac can be reached at http://www.stac.com, 1-800-522-7822, or (619) 794-4300 in the U.S. and +44 (0) 1344-302900 in Europe.


StarSQL Data Access Driver for OS/2
STARSQL FOR OS/2 NOW SHIPPING

Fast, direct, low-cost driver for DB2 data access available from StarWare and IBM

BERKELEY, CALIF., APRIL 15, 1996 - StarWare Connectivity Software today announced the shipment of its flagship StarSQL data access driver for OS/2 platforms. The StarSQL driver enables direct access to IBM DB2 databases from within native OS/2 applications. The new driver, which supports IBM's CM/2 APPC engine for communications with IBM hosts, is available directly from StarWare and from IBM.

Introduced in February, 1995, StarSQL is a software driver that allows any ODBC-compliant desktop program to access data directly from IBM midrange, mainframe and UNIX systems, which currently store more than 70 percent of corporate databases. Leveraging IBM's Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) technology to request host data, StarSQL is a client-only package that requires no special software or maintenance on the host system. StarSQL allows users to bring record-by-record information from IBM DB2 databases into desktop applications without having to leave their application. At the same time, the new driver enables programmers to develop transparent client/server applications for DB2 data access, using tools such as Visual Basic or Lotus Notes.

DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO MORE DATABASES

StarSQL features full support for the entire range of IBM databases, including SQL/DS, IBM's advanced DB2 database for VM/VSE architectures; DB2/2 for the OS/2 system and DB2/6000 for the AIX UNIX environment. Users may connect to these systems through standard SNA gateway servers, such as Microsoft SNA Server or Novell NetWare for SAA.

The new StarSQL version supports direct PC-to-host connections, through client-based SNA router software. With StarSQL, users may leverage IBM's NS/Win router for direct connections over SNA; NetSoft's Elite SNA router, or IDEAssociate's SNA router. In fact, StarWare is shipping specialized versions of StarSQL optimized for each router, at no additional cost.

Other major features include:

* Support for native OS/2 applications. While other leading data access drivers use intermediate software for data access on the OS/2 platform, StarSQL supports a native implementation that provides faster, more efficient data access.

* Demonstration version for World Wide Web users. Users can download a copy of StarSQL for a free one-hour demonstration. StarWare's web page is http://www.starware.com/.

* Enhanced support for Gupta data querying and reporting tools. StarSQL provides Gupta users with full read/write access to DB2 databases.

ABOUT STARWARE

Headquartered in Berkeley, California, StarWare Connectivity Software offers a line of data communication software products for connecting PC and UNIX systems with IBM systems. The company provides remote database access, 5250 terminal emulation, file transfer, remote command execution and remote data queues, and remote print spooling. StarWare products are marketed directly by StarWare and by StarWare's domestic and international resellers. The company is privately held.

StarWare on World Wide Web: http://www.starware.com/


SuperFlex 5000 Dual Controller RAID Storage
Storage Dimensions Introduces SuperFlex 5000 for Windows NT and NetWare; Delivers Dual Controller RAID Storage at an Affordable Price for PC LAN Environments

DUAL REDUNDANT CONTROLLERS, PREVIOUSLY FOUND ONLY IN HIGH-END STORAGE SYSTEMS, ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT 40% BELOW THE HIGH-END SYSTEM PRICE

MILPITAS, CA, APRIL 22, 1996 -- Storage Dimensions, the leading independent vendor of high-availability client/server storage systems, today introduced SuperFlex 5000, the first affordable, dual controller RAID storage system for mission-critical Windows NT and NetWare servers. SuperFlex 5000 is priced 40% less than the leading dual controller system, Clariion Series 1000, which was designed for traditional high-end UNIX environments. By introducing SuperFlex 5000 for NT and NetWare, Storage Dimensions has lowered the bar in price versus the traditional high-end storage providers, while raising the bar in resiliency versus current solutions from Intel-based server vendors.

"With PC servers consolidating under NetWare 4.1, and applications migrating from mainframe and UNIX environments to NT, there is an increasing need for high-availability storage for the Intel server market,"; said Ted Chen, vice president of marketing for Storage Dimensions. "A problem exists, however, because storage vendors who focus on the centralized mainframe and high-end UNIX markets have pricing structures that are out of line with LAN environments. By contrast, server vendors who specialize in LAN environments have not delivered high-end resiliency at any price. Storage Dimensions has recognized these problems and, with SuperFlex 5000, has introduced the first affordable, high-availability storage solution for NT and NetWare."

Intel-based server technology is rapidly becoming an attractive alternative for midrange application servers, database servers, and Inter/Intranet Web servers. These servers have the following key characteristics: (1) they are mission-critical, (2) their capacity requirements are constantly growing, and (3) they are bringing more storage management responsibility out of the data center and into distributed locations. SuperFlex 5000 addresses the demands of these mission-critical servers by delivering (1) the high-availability, (2) maximum scalability, and (3) comprehensive storage management tools that they demand.

SUPERFLEX 5000 DELIVERS HIGH-AVAILABILITY RAID STORAGE

SuperFlex 5000 minimizes the risk of a single point of failure in the storage system by featuring dual redundant controllers. With automatic failover, if the primary controller fails, the system automatically switches to the standby controller avoiding any system downtime. The failed controller is then hot-swappable and can be replaced without impacting the storage system's operation.

In addition to providing dual redundant controllers, SuperFlex 5000 incorporates dual redundant power supplies, triple redundant cooling fan modules, and dual lockable A/C inputs. All redundant components and disk drives are hot-swappable under load.

In the event of a power failure, battery-backed cache preserves cache contents for up to 48 hours. This reduces the chance of data corruption and increases the system's resiliency. The write-back cache is also mirrored in the standby controller so that the data in cache is preserved in the event of a controller failure.

SUPERFLEX 5000 DELIVERS SCALABLE RAID STORAGE

SuperFlex 5000 features RAIDFlex-D, a new version of the Company's SCSI-to-SCSI RAIDFlex array controller with redundancy. RAIDFlex-D is a powerful i960 RISC-based processor providing from 4 MB to 32 MB of cache. SuperFlex 5000 with RAIDFlex-D supports RAID levels 0, 1, 0+1, and 5, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Mixed RAID levels can run concurrently within a single enclosure.

SuperFlex 5000 incorporates seven bays, each capable of housing a 3.5" 2.1 GB or 4.3 GB 7200 rpm disk drive module. As many as five SuperFlex 5000 enclosures can be configured per available SCSI channel providing over 150 GB of total capacity (129 GB of RAID 5 capacity) per channel. In a typical Intel-based server, total capacity can scale to over 600 GB.

RAIDFLEX-D MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE SIMPLIFIES RAID ADMINISTRATION

SuperFlex 5000 includes RAIDFlex-D Management Software enabling the system administrator to easily configure and monitor disk arrays from the host CPU console. The system administrator can configure RAIDFlex-D controllers, select RAID levels and disk groupings, initialize arrays, define cache policies, select stripe depth, perform disk rebuilds either manually or automatically using a hot spare drive, and schedule parity checks. The Management Software provides the ability to monitor arrays and other devices on the network, and it provides centralized fault administration.

SINGLE CONTROLLER MODEL ENABLES LOWER ENTRY PRICE WITH UPGRADABILITY

SuperFlex 5000 will also be offered in a single controller model providing a lower entry price for a resilient system with battery-backed cache. A second controller can be added at any time in the future if needed. The economically priced upgrade kit demonstrates Storage Dimensions' commitment to providing modular systems that allow for a minimum entry price while enabling future upgradability.

AVAILABILITY, PRICING, AND SUPPORT

SuperFlex 5000 with support for Windows NT will ship in May. NetWare supported systems will ship in June. SuperFlex 5000 for Sun was announced in an earlier press release and begins shipping in April.

An entry-level SuperFlex 5000 configured with three 4.3 GB Fast/Wide 7200 rpm drives and dual redundant RAIDFlex-D controllers will have an estimated corporate volume price of $16,500. A high capacity SuperFlex 5000 with seven 4.3 GB Fast/Wide 7200 rpm drives and dual redundant controllers will have an estimated corporate volume price of $26, 000. SuperFlex 5000 comes standard with a differential Fast/Wide SCSI interface allowing the storage system to be placed up to 60 feet away from the host CPU.

SuperFlex 5000 is supported by Storage Dimensions' SpeedExchange advanced exchange warranty. Under the generous terms of SpeedExchange, customers can receive replacement components within 24 hours of the request. The warranty coverage is for five years on disk drives and three years on all other components. SuperFlex 5000 comes with free on-site IBM service for one year. 7 x 24 priority service is also available.

Founded in 1985, Storage Dimensions is a leading independent vendor of high-availability disk and tape storage systems for client/server and open systems environments. In addition to award-winning, leading-edge products, the Company provides a number of innovative and sophisticated support programs to help customers minimize the total cost-of-ownership over the life-cycle of their storage investment. The Company is ISO 9002 certified and primarily serves Fortune 1000 corporations and large institutions that have business- and mission-critical applications requiring high capacity, performance, reliability, and availability. Storage Dimensions products are available through a worldwide network of authorized resellers and distributors. The Company is located at 1656 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 and can be reached at 408-954-0710.


Symantec Update for Cyberjack Internet Suite
Symantec Posts Update for Cyberjack Internet Suite

Users One-Click Away From Getting Table Support in Browser, Telnet Client and Base Level Integration with Netscape 2.0 Browser

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- APRIL 17, 1996 -- Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ:SYMC), the worldwide leader in communications software, today announced an update for its Windows 95 Internet suite, Cyberjack 7.0. The update adds support in the Cyberjack browser for HTML 3.0 Tables, a full featured Telnet client, and base level integration with Netscape Navigator 2.0 that enables users to use Netscape for browsing but automatically launches Cyberjack's additional components, such as FTP file transfer, IRC for chatting and others, when encountered.

"Our strategy is to continue to develop and add value to the Internet experience with Cyberjack," said Mike Brookbank, Cyberjack product manager at Symantec's Delrina Group. "Cyberjack's tight integration with Windows 95 provides users with a very gratifying experience. It has easy configuration and connectivity, more than 500 sites in the Guidebook to get a user surfing immediately, plus seamless integration between the various components like file transfer, Internet chatting, accessing news groups and of course the Web. To that end we have enhanced the Cyberjack browser to support Tables, a feature of many Web pages today. In addition, we recognize Netscape's position in the market and want to assure users that their investment in Cyberjack will not preclude them from using the Netscape browser." Symantec plans to have periodic updates for Cyberjack that further integrates it with Netscape and Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

According to Greg Falzon, industry analyst with market research firm Computer Intelligence InfoCorp of La Jolla, Calif., Web browser developers face a quandary in deciding whether to support the Netscape or Microsoft browser extensions. "The Web is supposed to be a standard, with all browsers being able to view any content that is posted, but that scenario is changing too fast for developers," said Falzon. "It doesn't make much business sense to try to maintain two parallel and divergent development paths knowing that in the end someone is going to give their browser away for free. The ability to provide a high value- add to the non-Web areas of the Internet, while providing seamless integration with any browser the customer decides to use, is a solid strategy that can yield the biggest benefits to the user."

In addition to the base level integration with Netscape 2.0 and Table support in the Cyberjack browser, the update includes a full featured Telnet client. Telnet enables users to remotely access Unix-based host computers that are connected to the Internet but cannot be accessed with a Web browser. Telnet is typically used by IS managers for managing remote systems and especially by students, to access their e-mail accounts and Internet news groups stored on university and college computers.

To provide for easy updates and upgrades for users, Cyberjack has a unique built-in capability. All the user has to do is select Upgrade from the Setup menu, and Cyberjack automatically checks itself across the Internet against a special Symantec server where new postings are available. If there is new code, Cyberjack prompts the user to download it and then provides instructions on how to proceed or automatically re-runs the Installation Wizard.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported included IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company has offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling 1-800-441-7234 toll free, or (541) 334-6054 or via the Internet at www.symantec.com.

Symantec Corporation

10201 Torre Avenue

Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

Tel: 1-800-441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


InterMax Formed for Intranet Solutions
InterMax Solutions Formed to Provide Client/Server Intranet Solutions to Fortune 1000 Corporations

SAN MATEO, CALIF. -- APRIL 16, 1996 -- The formation of InterMax Solutions, Inc., a new company headquartered in San Mateo was announced today. The new company is focused on providing client/server solutions for mission critical applications by offering rapid development, ease of change and immediate deployment using the Internet or corporate Intranet. InterMax Solutions' unique combination of technology, consulting and training services positions the company as a leading provider of client/server application solutions for the corporate sector.

The new organization's flagship product Sydney is based on the application development and execution engine from Symantec Corporation's (Nasdaq:SYMC) award-winning Team Enterprise Developer product, combined with Internet technology extended by DBSS, Inc. DBSS, formerly a client/server consulting and training firm servicing the Fortune 1000, had been looking for a toolset to add to their design services in order to provide a total solution for corporate applications development that takes advantage of the rise in intranetworking. Leslie McNeill, former chief executive officer of DBSS has been named president and CEO of InterMax Solutions and Ted Schlein, Symantec's vice president of networking and client/server technology will serve on the InterMax Solutions board of directors.

"Mission-critical applications in the corporate environment must deliver decision support information with security, control and in a cost-effective manner," McNeill said. "Our development environment, Sydney, provides the rapid development and ease of change required by corporate customers combined with immediate deployment featuring an HTML view of all aspects of the application UI. The HTML view is created dynamically at execution time and is visible to the client with no HTML coding required via the Internet/intranet communications capability," he added.

"Symantec recognizes the need in corporate IS for a total solution based on client/server application development technology. The combination of InterMax Solutions' expertise with Internet/intranet technology and the Enterprise Developer engine provides a powerful solution to solve enterprise-wide application development problems," said Symantec's Schlein.

InterMax Solutions is privately held with Symantec holding a minority ownership. The Symantec Enterprise Developer technology will be used by InterMax Solutions as core technology. Future development, marketing, sales and support services will be determined by InterMax Solutions. In addition to its San Mateo headquarters, InterMax Solutions has a sales and support office in the Philadelphia area, and has established offices in the United Kingdom to service and support customers in Europe. The company also maintains a development office in Melbourne, Australia.

Technical support will be available for existing Enterprise Developer customers for a limited time, after which a migration path will be available for those customers wishing to upgrade to the Sydney Applications Environment. For companies interested in any of the InterMax Solutions products and services call (415) 358-5900.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free, or (541) 334-6054.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


Norton Administrator for Networks Top Honors
Symantec Reaffirms Network Administration Leadership

Norton Administrator for Networks Wins Top Honors During NetWorld+Interop

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 12, 1996 -- During NetWorld+Interop, the industry's premier networked computing conference, Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ:SYMC) received awards from three of the leading trade publications read by corporate decision makers: LAN Magazine, Network Computing, and PC Week. The company's Norton Administrator for Networks (NAN) won LAN Magazine's Product of the Year for best asset management product. NAN also received top honors from Network Computing for Best Enterprise Desktop Product. In addition, PC Week awarded NAN an IT Excellence Award for LAN administration/application management.

"Norton Administrator for Networks is the number one choice for network administration at corporate sites. The fact that these leading publications selected NAN for such prestigious awards confirms the product's leadership in providing a solution for conducting hardware and software inventory, software metering and distribution," said Ted Schlein, vice president of Networking and Client/Server Technology at Symantec. "NAN has always been a market-leading solution for large, multi-thousand node network sites. Now Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition is the perfect complement to meet the needs of the network administrator at single site LANs."

A January, 1996 IDC study shows that the network administration market continued to grow at a rapid pace in 1995, with worldwide sales of administration suite products increasing 187% to $215 million. Symantec holds the number two market share position in this burgeoning market, with 23% of sales in 1995.

Source: International Data Corporation, 1996

LAN MAGAZINE

Norton Administrator for Networks won LAN Magazine's Product of the Year for asset management. According to the publication, "Norton Administrator for Networks from Symantec takes a true enterprise approach to asset management. The product is NOS-independent, it gives network managers the tools to break down a WAN into manageable sites, and it lets the network manager limit the product's impact on WAN performance via utilization limits and other features."

NETWORK COMPUTING

Network Computing lauded NAN as "the complete manager" and honored the product with its "Well Connected" award in the category of Best Enterprise Desktop Management. The magazine states that "NAN 2.0 is a complete desktop and asset management tool that helps IS managers and support staff regain control of their network and workstations. NAN offers a long list of impressive features that make it a viable suite for almost any network."

PC WEEK

Since the publication introduced its current reviews system in 1994, it has put more than 1,000 products through the demands of corporate testing. PC Weeks' IT Excellence Awards honor products that PC Week analysts would recommend had they been running their own company performing in a consultative role. According to the publication, "Multi-site replication and administration over a WAN link make Norton Administrator for Networks one of the few truly enterprise-capable management products on the market."

Norton Administrator for Networks is a member of the Norton Network Series. Also announced at Networld+Interop was the Norton Administrator Suite - Essential Edition which integrates a wide array of features, including hardware and software inventory, software metering and distribution, desktop virus protection, desktop configuration management, and remote control -- essential features that a network administrator finds useful in the day-to-day management of the network. The Essential Edition is developed for network administrators of single site LANs. Pricing starts at $635 for 10 nodes.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


Symantec Licenses AntiVirus Swr to Netscape
Symantec Licenses AntiVirus Software to Netscape that Revolutionizes Internet AntiVirus Protection

Norton AntiVirus Internet Scanner for Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and Windows NT on Netscape Power Pack CD-ROM

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 11, 1996 -- Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq:SYMC), a leading supplier of utilities software products, today announced the licensing of its award-winning Norton AntiVirus software to Netscape Communications Corporation as part of Netscape Power Pack 2.0 for Windows, companion utilities and plug-ins for Netscape Navigator. Seamlessly integrated into Netscape Navigator, Norton AntiVirus Internet Scanner provides comprehensive virus protection by automatically checking for viruses as the user saves files downloaded from the Internet.

Norton AntiVirus Internet Scanner provides effective detection and elimination technology, catching most viruses before they can do any damage to a user's files. This lets the user safely download programs, documents and other files. NAV Internet Scanner detects over 7,300 viruses and eliminates almost all, including the Word Macro viruses and also the Boza Virus, which targets the Windows 95 operating system. The Netscape Power Pack 2.0 for Windows, with the Norton AntiVirus Internet Scanner, will be available this month and has an estimated retail price of $39.95.

"Cruising the information superhighway without virus protection is like driving your car without insurance. You can do it, but why take the risk?" said Mary Engstrom, general manager of Symantec's security business unit. "This integration of Norton AntiVirus with the Netscape Navigator provides you with that insurance, and represents an easy new way for Internet users to protect while they connect."

Symantec's antivirus products are backed by an unsurpassed range of virus information, update services and the industry's leading antivirus research center. Users can access the Symantec AntiVirus Reference Center on Symantec's web site to obtain up-to-date information on viruses and virus protection. This site also contains the monthly updated virus definitions for all Symantec antivirus products. Additional virus information is available to all users on The Virus Hotline, (541) 9-VIRUS-9.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

"Users need to feel comfortable accessing and downloading information from the Internet," said Mark Szelenyi, product manager at Netscape. "Norton AntiVirus software allows us, through Netscape Power Pack 2.0, to provide our customers with one of the leading Internet virus protection products available."

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


New Symantec Release of C++ for Power Mac
Symantec Announces New Release of C++ for Power Macintosh

New version includes support for Java, Pascal, 68K Macintosh

CUPERTINO, CALIF. -- APRIL 8, 1996 -- Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq:SYMC), the worldwide leader in Macintosh development tools, announced today Symantec C++ for Power Macintosh, Version 8, Release 5. This new release provides support for Java, Pascal, and 68K development, as well as additional improvements to the environment. Release 5 includes Symantec Caffeine, the first Sun-standard graphical development environment for Java on the Macintosh.

"With Release 5, we have extended our tool set to give customers access to Java, Pascal and 68k development tools," said Mansour Safai, general manager of the Symantec Development Tools Division. "We are also responding to customer requests by reducing memory requirements and adding additional high-priority features."

Java Support

Caffeine is a stand-alone Java development environment that includes a full-featured project manager, a Java source code editor with automatic syntax highlighting, full support for AppleScript to allow automation of repetitive tasks, error reporting capabilities, the Sun Macintosh JDK (Java Developers Kit), the Sun standard Java compiler hosted in the Symantec Project Manager (SPM) environment, and automatic triggering of the Java Applet viewer from within the SPM. With Caffeine, customers can create Java applets and applications that run on Macintosh, Windows, and Unix systems.

Pascal Support

Release 5 also includes support for Pascal and for creating 68K applications. Pascal support is provided via a Pascal compiler from Language Systems. This Pascal compiler allows customers who have Pascal code written for 68K Macintoshes (such as THINK Pascal projects) to generate applications that run native on the Power Macintosh. Release 5 also provides support for creating 68K applications (flat model) and native Power Macintosh applications using the same project file. Therefore, a developer can use the advanced SPM environment and take advantage of its superior feature set while being able to generate code that runs on 68K Macintoshes and is highly optimized for Power Macintosh.

Other improvements and enhancements in Release 5 include:

* Drag and drop text editing in the editor;

* Performance enhancements, including faster file searching and

  boosted performance in the SPM environment;

* Memory requirements have been reduced by approximately 40%.

  Pre-compiled headers now use less memory as well;

* Tutorials in Apple Guide format are now provided so that beginning

  programmers or users not yet familiar with the SPM can get up

  to speed quickly;

* Debugging improvements, including deferred debugging;

* Full support for OpenDoc 1.0 development

Pricing and Availability

Symantec C++ Version 8, Release 5 for the Power Macintosh is available today directly from Symantec and its resellers with an Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of $399.00. A trade-up from any Symantec, Metrowerks, or Natural Intelligence Macintosh development tool is available with an ERP of $149.95. All registered C++ for Power Macintosh customers will be sent Release 5 free-of-charge as part of the Symantec C++ Subscription for Macintosh.

Java is a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems for developing cross-platform applications across the public Internet and corporate intranets.

Symantec Corporation develops, markets, and supports a complete line of application and system software products designed to enhance individual and workgroup productivity as well as manage networked computing environments. Platforms supported include IBM personal computers and compatibles, Apple Macintosh computers as well as all major network operating systems. Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free or (541) 334-6054.

Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

(800) 441-7234 or (541) 334-6054


USR Adds CD-ROM to Sportster Modem Line
U.S. Robotics adds CD-ROM to Sportster line

SKOKIE, Ill. U.S. Robotics Corp. (NASDAQ:USRX) today announced it is shipping U.S. Robotics Connections, an exclusive, interactive CD-ROM, with all Sportster modem models except the PC Card and ISDN lines.

The CD-ROM includes a wide variety of software and all the necessary information and software to use the Sportster products.  The CD-ROM, which can be used on both Mac and PC platforms, is divided into five sections for easy navigation of the disk contents:

* The Internet section contains information on all the major Internet browsers, New Riders' Official WWW Yellow Pages, and VocalTec's Internet Phone.

* The Online section contains applications for the Dow Jones Personal Journal and the leading online service providers, CompuServe and America Online.

* The Software section contains applications for fax, data and voice. It also contains United Airlines Connections travel software, a sample application for Quicken, PC411 (a national directory service), and Iris Anti-Virus software.

* The Cool Stuff section includes applications for Bullet Software's The Edge (stock quote tracking software), Ex Machina Notify! (paging software) and NetGuide magazine.

* The Customer Service section contains customer support contacts, warranty information, user guides, and frequently asked questions.

"Our research indicates over 85 percent of all home computer systems currently sold in the U.S. are equipped with CD-ROM drives," noted Neil Clemmons, vice president of marketing for the Personal Communications Division. "We're using this capability to bring a wealth of easy-to-use information and services to our customers. Sportster Connections will enhance all facets of their online and Internet experiences."

A quick, no-cost fulfillment path for 3.5 inch diskettes is in place for customers who do not have a CD-ROM drive. They can dial an 800 number included in the U.S. Robotics Connections packaging to receive printed copies and diskettes of the essential material contained on the CD-ROM.

U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile client products, modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. Its customers include Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies and a wide range of other large and small businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's fiscal 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first quarter of fiscal 1996 were $364.8 million.

U.S. Robotics, 8100 North McCormick Blvd, Skokie, IL 60076

800-949-6757;  708-982-5010


Software Developers Endorse RemoteWare
Software Developers Endorse RemoteWare as a Mobile Messaging and Communications Platform

High Performance MAPI 1.0 Messaging Infrastructure Facilitates Application Deployment for Remote or Mobile User Populations

ATLANTA (April 22) -- Software vendors across multiple industries today endorsed XcelleNet, Inc.'s RemoteWare for its standards-based systems architecture, which allows integration and deployment of third party software products in effective remote enterprise computing solutions. Developers of MAPI 1.0 compatible software products now automatically gain the benefits of the highly optimized messaging, communications and systems management services of the RemoteWare system.

Companies such as Sybase (Burlington, Mass), Janna Systems (Toronto), and SalesKit Software Corp. (St. Louis), and many others, this week joined the growing ranks of the RemoteWare Independent Software Vendor (ISV) alliance program in conjunction with the RemoteWare North American Developer's Conference and the release of RemoteWare 3 for Windows NT.

"Since 1989, RemoteWare has enabled our customers to meet the inherent challenges of remote and mobile computing" said Dennis M. Crumpler, chairman and chief executive officer of XcelleNet. "The relationships we have built with companies as our partners in business solidify RemoteWare as the leading technology used in any organization that has remote and mobile constituents and who routinely work away from their central systems."

SYBASE, INC.

"Sybase SQL Anywhere and RemoteWare 3 for Windows NT are a powerful combination for deployment of mobile client/server applications, "said Dave Boswell, vice president and general manager of the Sybase Workplace Database Division. "RemoteWare's MAPI 1.0 high performance messaging infrastructure for dial-up, wireless and Internet environments combined with Sybase's SQL Remote replication technology provide the functionality and flexibility to enable mobile database applications for the new workplace."

JANNA, INC.

"Contact and document management companies such as ours will realize immediate advantages in becoming an XcelleNet ISV," said Steve Cherry, vice president of sales and marketing for Janna Systems. "Our relationship with XcelleNet reflects the mobile professional's need for solutions that leverage the expertise of other leaders in information technology. Because Janna Systems works so closely with our customers, we will only recommend solutions we believe will have a dramatic impact on their ability to do business. RemoteWare is one of them."

SALESKIT SOFTWARE

"Our partnership with XcelleNet reflects the need for solutions that leverage the expertise of the SFA industry information companies such as ours with other leaders in information technology," said Wade Baker, President of SalesKit Software. "SalesKit Software works to offer our customers unique solutions that boost their productivity and our newly-formed relationship with XcelleNet can help us do just that."

REMOTEWARE NORTH AMERICAN DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE

These companies will join with co-sponsors XcelleNet and Microsoft for the 1996 RemoteWare Developers Conference on Wednesday, May 8 through Friday, May 10 at The Stouffer Waverly Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia. Peter Knook, General Manager of Industry Sales and Marketing for Microsoft, will present the keynote address on how RemoteWare and BackOffice are "Expanding Foundations" of remote and mobile computing. The conference will draw hundreds of systems integrators, VARs, ISVs, and corporate developers as well as Microsoft and XcelleNet solutions providers.


New RemoteWare for Remote & Mobile Computing
XcelleNet Announces New System Software Platform for Remote and Mobile Computing

Standards-based RemoteWare Infrastructure Brings New Application Agents and High-Performance Wireless Capabilities to the Microsoft BackOffice, Lotus NOTES and SQL Applications Environments

ATLANTA (April 22, 1996)--XcelleNet, Inc. (Nasdaq-NM:XNET) announced today a new, standards-based generation of RemoteWare, the only system software optimized to efficiently support large populations of remote and mobile computer users who work "unplugged" from corporate information resources. The third generation of RemoteWare provides new services that significantly improve communications efficiencies for remote enterprise computing; leverages key messaging standards to provide a common platform for developing and deploying a changing mix of line-of-business applications; and extends the full strength of Microsoft Windows NT and BackOffice to connection-deferred users.

"Client/server designs for mobile communications are dictated by high-latency, limited-bandwidth communications," said Karen Scherberger, Research Director at The Gartner Group. "This means that, for most new applications, deferred connections based on intelligent messaging will be better suited to the needs of the mobile workforce."

"XcelleNet is delivering superior client/server computing technology to a new class of users who require a powerful communications architecture," said Dennis M. Crumpler, CEO of XcelleNet. "This third generation of RemoteWare extends corporate intranet resources to remote and mobile users by leveraging existing investments in SQL databases, remote LAN access, Lotus Notes, Windows NT and Internet technologies."

THE REMOTEWARE QUEUED EVENT ARCHITECTURE

The power of RemoteWare is embedded in the product's underlying architecture, known as the RemoteWare Queued Events Architecture (QEA). Based on a unique agent-based extension of the client/server model, QEA makes it possible to support multiple applications with a single wireline or wireless communications session.

"Remote or mobile communications cannot consume the worker's time unnecessarily, nor can it be overly complex," commented Scherberger. "It must allow workers deferred access to a myriad of back-end systems and enable workers to send and receive information asynchronously through a single communications session."

The three layers of the RemoteWare Queued Event Architecture are:

* Communications - handles a wide variety of communications and networking protocols that allow RemoteWare to be utilized in wireline, wireless, and LAN-based environments including the Internet.

* Session - manages all sessions with protocols optimized for file, message or transaction levels of interchange, and provides services that manage the security, scheduling, and automation of the sessions.

* Agent - handles interaction with applications at both the server and client ends of the system. Functionality in this layer may be either generic or specific to third-party products such as Microsoft-Exchange or Lotus Notes.

RemoteWare applies very sophisticated compression and file transfer algorithms to minimize connection time over the low-speed communications lines typically used by remote and mobile computing users.

REMOTEWARE, THE THIRD GENERATION

The third generation of RemoteWare brings new technical innovations to the Queued Event Architecture that create a common platform for the development and deployment of a heterogeneous mix of applications in remote and mobile computing environments.

At the Sessions Layer, the third generation adds two new features that optimize communications efficiencies for remote enterprise computing. Support for the MAPI 1.0 messaging standard allows third-party, MAPI-based applications to run natively over RemoteWare without modification. XcelleNet has built in has developed a message transport and directory service underneath designed to the MAPI 1.0 specifications that provides a superior mechanism for moving MAPI-based messages and supporting MAPI-based applications for connection-deferred users.

Also at the Sessions Layer, the third generation of RemoteWare features a new Transaction Session technology that minimizes data packets transmitted resulting in lower connection time and to provide provides immediate response when accessing performing transactional requests such as inventory or order confirmations over wireless connections, such as RAM, CDPD, and CSC.

At the Agent Layer, RemoteWare includes support for four new application agents that make it easier to develop and deploy customized, line- of-business applications using RemoteWare's file, message and transaction handling services. New application agents include:

* Microsoft Exchange Server Gateway- RemoteWare includes a tightly integrated gateway that allows RemoteWare service users to send and receive mail messages to and from any headquarters' users who are running the Exchange client and communicating with Exchange servers. The directories stay synchronized and the messages flow transparently.

* Lotus Notes Replication Agent- RemoteWare includes an application agent for Lotus Notes Replication that transforms a substantial portion of the Notes replication process into an off-line activity. On-line connection time may be reduced as much as 50 to 80 percent depending on application and data volume specifics.

* Data eXchange Agent - RemoteWare now includes a set of an OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) controls, called Data eXchange Agent, that make it easier for database application developers to develop and deploy mobile and remote applications that post, retrieve, and route data.

* Subscription and Publishing Agent - This agent allows organizations to more efficiently meet the information and content needs of mobile users no matter where the information is stored or how it was created. For example, organizations can publish human resource manuals for managers in the field or provide access to spare parts inventory lists for remote service technicians.

"With the new generation of RemoteWare, we are able to manage communications, implement software distribution and reduce communications costs for our hundreds of remote users," said Keith Gilbert, Certified Network Engineer MIS Manager for Labor Ready, a growing supplier of temporary labor to the construction and industrial markets. "RemoteWare is completely open and provides our Windows NT environment with the best remote enterprise computing infrastructure available."

LEVERAGING THE WINDOWS NT PLATFORM

The third generation of RemoteWare has been designed to aggressively leverage the full strength of the increasingly popular Microsoft Windows NT platform. The RemoteWare server is a full 32-bit, multi-threaded application that runs on Windows NT Server. System administration for the new RemoteWare offering is integrated with the Windows NT administration facilities through a common log-in procedure and support for the NT message log, registry, and performance monitor.

XcelleNet's RemoteWare enterprise system software foundation is a good example of a product which meets customer requirements for integration with Windows NT Server and BackOffice, said Mike Nash, group product manager in the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft Corp. RemoteWare facilitates application deployment for remote and mobile users by leveraging the standards supported in BackOffice.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

The third generation of RemoteWare is available immediately. RemoteWare is licensed based on both server and client components. For example, a configuration including 100 RemoteWare clients and a RemoteWare server that supports up to 8 concurrent sessions is $28,000.

Specific features will be delivered over the course of 1996 according to the following timetable:

* RemoteWare 3.0 - available now and includes basic communications, sessions automation, system management, and software distribution.

* RemoteWare 3.1 - general availability is planned for later this quarter. It includes application agents for Lotus Notes Replication, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Subscription and Publishing. RemoteWare 3.1 includes support for Windows NT 32-bit clients and support for MAPI 1.0, TAPI, and ODBC.

* RemoteWare 3.2 - general availability is planned for the third quarter of 1996. RemoteWare 3.2 will add support for the Data eXchange Agent. In addition, it will include a RemoteWare Workshop tool kit to allow non-IS staff to quickly deploy and develop simple remote applications


Adobe PageMill 2.0 Web Publishing Software
Adobe Announces Adobe PageMill 2.0 Web Publishing Software for Windows and Macintosh

Mountain View, Calif., (April 22, 1996) (Nasdaq: ADBE) -- Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe PageMill 2.0 Web publishing software for Windows 95, Windows NT and Macintosh. Featuring the same easy-to-use feature set of Adobe PageMill 1.0, version 2.0 adds professional-level editing, layout and HTML coding capabilities, making PageMill one of the industry's most intuitive tools for Web publishing. The Windows and Macintosh versions of Adobe PageMill 2.0 are expected to be available in July 1996 at an estimated street price of $99.00.

Adobe PageMill 2.0 offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use Web publishing application that will enable mainstream business customers to quickly create and enhance content for the Web. Through Adobe PageMill's advanced editing, linking and page layout capabilities, a broad range of computer users can develop content for corporate Intranets as easily as typing, dragging and dropping.

"Adobe PageMill 1.0 established a new category of personal Web communication tools by allowing average desktop computer users to easily make content for the Internet," said Kevin Wandryk, director of business development, Internet products group, Adobe Systems. "PageMill 2.0 continues this revolution by adding even more powerful features in the same user-friendly environment that has made Adobe PageMill one of the most successful Internet software products on the market."

PageMill 2.0 New Features

Adobe PageMill 2.0 software combines all the easy-to-use features of PageMill 1.0 with enhancements most requested by both mainstream business customers and experienced Webmasters. These powerful new features include WYSIWYG table creation and editing, integrated viewing and editing of HTML source code, inline support for multimedia data types, and enhanced layout and editing features.For Immediate Release For more information Please contact: Rick Brown 415 962.6060 ribrown@adobe.com

 Support for Windows 95, Windows NT and Macintosh

Adobe PageMill 2.0 Web authoring software will be simultaneously available on the industry's most popular business computing platforms, providing a cross-platform Web authoring solution for the broadest number of customers.

 WYSIWYG Table Creation

Adobe PageMill 2.0 software provides an intuitive interface for creating HTML tables, including nested tables, with extensive layout and design options.

 Integrated viewing and editing of source HTML

With the click of a mouse, PageMill 2.0 switches into HTML source viewing and editing mode with industry-standard color coding support.

 Inline support of multimedia data types

Customers can easily create and preview pages that incorporate popular multimedia data types used on the Web, including Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files and QuickTime videos.

 Support for popular HTML extensions

Customers can easily use popular HTML extensions within PageMill 2.0, including wraparound text, right alignment, "hidden" fields, and the embed tag.

 Powerful Search and Replace capabilities

PageMill 2.0 provides Search and Replace features designed specifically for Web page creation and editing, including the ability to find and replace text in pop-up menus and tables. In addition, customers can drag and drop elements from a Web page, such as a graphic, into the PageMill 2.0 Search and Replace dialog box and replace it with other elements on a Web page, such as another graphic, a link, text, etc.

 Import capabilities from popular business software packages

PageMill 2.0 provides a full range of filters that enable customers to import information from a wide variety of industry standard software applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets and page layout tools, directly into a PageMill page.

Ease-of-Use

Adobe PageMill software sets the standard for easy-to-use, WYSIWYG Web page creation. Customers familiar with the word processing metaphor can use Adobe PageMill 2.0 to create content without having to learn the complexities of HTML. In addition, Adobe PageMill 2.0 offers an intuitive interface that allows customers to create links, insert images and develop forms with simple drag-and-drop functions or pull down menus. Adobe PageMill software also provides powerful graphics capabilities: users can edit images, and create image maps, background images and transparencies with a simple click of a button. The result is a powerful package that lets a wide range of customers create rich pages for the Web.

Price and Availability

Adobe PageMill 2.0 software is expected to be available in July 1996 at an estimated street price of $99.00. In addition to Adobe authorized dealers and mail-order catalogs, Adobe PageMill 2.0 software will be available for purchase on the Adobe World Wide Web server (http://www.adobe.com) and will include electronic versions of all documentation. All registered customers that purchase Adobe PageMill 1.0 after April 22, 1996 are eligible to receive a free upgrade to Adobe PageMill 2.0. Upgrade pricing for all other registered PageMill customers will be announced when Adobe PageMill 2.0 ships.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http:// www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows 95/NT
Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows 95 & Windows NT Now Available

Adobe Premiere 4.2 Movies Played Back in Real-Time from NAB '96 Web Site; New Version Wins PC Graphics & Video PRIME TIME PRODUCTS of NAB Award

Mountain View, Calif. (April 24, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE)--Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the availability of Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows, a new 32-bit version of the industry's leading non-linear desktop editing application optimized for both Microsoft Windows 95 and Intel-based CPUs running Windows NT 3.51.

"Adobe Premiere has always been a powerful, easy-to-use program," said Andrew Hoffman, technical/multimedia specialist at Cognetics Corp., a multimedia development company in Princeton, N.J. "The improved performance and 32-bit architecture of Adobe Premiere 4.2 running under Windows NT make professional video editing on the PC platform a compelling solution."

The Adobe Premiere 4.2 Deluxe CD-ROM includes software from VDOnet Corp. that allows users to create movies for real-time viewing over the Web without downloading the files to their desktops. This process, referred to as streaming video over the Internet, is made possible using VDOnet's VDO Live codec and VDOLive Personal Server, software that enables users to compress video clips in Adobe Premiere directly into VDOLive format for playback over the Web on Windows 95/NT systems.

New Features

The Adobe Premiere 4.2 program's new 32-bit architecture and optimizations in the program set new performance standards for non-linear desktop editing software based on Microsoft's Video for Windows by providing up to more than double the acceleration under either operating system. The 32-bit architecture enables Adobe Premiere to continue to provide additional capabilities video professionals require for on-line quality video on the desktop--capturing higher data rate video for improved image quality and faster rendering.

Performance

The 32-bit architecture of Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows enables the program to perform up to 2.5 times faster than Version 4.0, depending on the hardware, when running under either Windows 95 or Windows NT. Users of Adobe Premiere 4.2 can expect the best performance when running under NT, as all of the video components in the operating system are 32 bit.Version 4.2 also leverages the Windows NT capabilities of multitasking with support for background compiling of movies. The program's open, extensible plug-in architecture lets Adobe Premiere take advantage of new technologies, like ActiveMovie, Microsoft's revision of Video for Windows, as they become available.

Windows 95 and Windows NT Support

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows features an enhanced interface that supports the look and feel of Windows 95 and Windows NT with such features as Long File Names; Background Compiling; Right-Mouse Button Control of all windows; Tool Tips, and an Uninstaller Utility.

Special Processing Features

New special processing features are designed to optimize playback from CD-ROM or over the Internet, eliminating the many steps typically required to prepare a movie for playback in low data rate environments. Users now have more control over keyframes, cropping, filtering, batch movie-making capabilities and other functions for creating cross-platform movies. Special processing features include: Keyframe Control for designating keyframes at regular intervals, and at edits or markers, in the Con-structionWindow for cleaner playback and faster response rates during interactivity; Batch Movie Maker for processing multiple movies in batch mode, unattended; Frame Size Settings/Cropping for cropping frames numerically or interactively to remove unwanted pixels from movie edges, and Noise Reduction with Median and Gaussian Blur to soften edges and reduce noise on lower data rates. Also include are the Gamma Correction option to lighten or darken movies by changing brightness levels of the middle-gray levels while leaving the black and white areas unaffected, and enhanced support for Intel's Indeo Interactive provides bidirectional prediction and lets users mask alpha channel transparency, resulting in better picture quality at higher frame rates and resolution.

New Filters

The Camera View Filter lets users create all of the basic 3D effects with clips that can be animated over time. Six controls are included: Azimuth (side to side, or y-axis rotation), Latitude (top over bottom, or x-axis rotation), Roll (z-axis rotation), focal length, distance and Winsize. The Lens Distortion Filter lets users apply realistic lens distortions to their clips and use extreme filter settings to simulate special effects like zooming into a chrome ball or making a clip flow in from a corner of the screen. Controls are included for Radial distortion (fish-eye-type lens distortion); Decentering, and Thin Prism. All controls can be varied over time to create limitless effects. The Audio Swap Filter allows users to swap the Left and Right audio channels during playback. This is useful for inverting clips with directional sound, such as footage of a train passing by, or for correcting video captures with miswired left and right audio capture channels. The Mosaic Filter divides the image into a grid of squares and makes each square the average color of all the colors in the square. Users can gradually increase or decrease the effect as the clip plays by adjusting the Start and End controls in the filter's dialog box. The Strobe Filter simulates a stroboscopic effect, or strobe light, by hiding frames at a regular rate as the clip plays. Users set the regularity of the effect by specifying the number of visible and hidden frames and can create flashing titles or other special effects.

Additional New Features

New 8 kHz Audio support offers enhanced audio compression support for many formats, including IBM ADPCM, TrueSpeech and CCITT, enabling users to create movies in Adobe Premiere for streaming playback over the internet using a codec such as VDOLive. New Menu Commands in the Edit Menu include a new Razor at Edit Line command and The Clip Menu has "Mark In" and "Mark Out" commands. 4K Output Support lets users specify output resolution of a movie up to 4096x4096 (film resolution), as well as 32x32 for iconic movies, which are useful for Web-browser movies.

Added Value

The Deluxe CD-ROM comes bundled with additional software from Adobe and from third parties: Adobe Photoshop 3.0.5 LE for Windows; Crystal Flying Fonts 3.0.1 LE for Windows, CrystalGraphics, Inc., a program for creating and animating 3D titles and logos; VDOLive Personal Server software and codec from VDONet Corp. for streaming video over the Web; ATM 3.0.2; Acrobat Reader 2.1; Adobe Premiere 4.0a for Windows 3.1.

Earlier this month, Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows won a PC Graphics & Video PRIME TIME PRODUCTS of NAB award and played a keyed role on the NAB '96 Web site at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) annual event held earlier this month in Las Vegas. Web movies of this year's NAB show were produced on-site using Adobe Premiere and VDOnet Corp.'s video streaming technology for playback from the NAB web site.

Price and Availability

Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows is available immediately from Adobe Authorized Resellers at a suggested retail price of $795. In the United States, registered users of Adobe Premiere 4.0 for Windows may upgrade to the Deluxe CD-ROM for $49. Customers purchasing Adobe Premiere 4.0 on or after March 4, 1996, will receive a free Deluxe CD-ROM upgrade. Through July 31, 1996, registered users of Adobe Premiere 1.x and Adobe Premiere LE may upgrade to the Deluxe CD-ROM Version 4.2 for $99. After July 31, 1996, the price will rise to $149. For more information or to order, call 1-800-642-3623 and ask for offer ID 21801.

System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Windows include an Intel i486 - or Pentium-based PC with 8 MB of RAM for Windows 95 and 16 MB of RAM for Windows NT 3.51; a 100-MB hard drive; an 8-bit color (256-color) display adapter and monitor, and a CD-ROM drive to use the software on the Deluxe CD-ROM. For optimal performance, Adobe recommends 16 MB or more of RAM, a 16-bit or 24-bit color display adapter and monitor; a 500-MB or larger hard drive for editing full-screen video, and a video digitizing board to produce movies in Video for Windows.

Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.


Super Windows Clipboard Buffer Utility
Brighton Beach Software is pleased to announce the release of ClipBuff, our Super Windows Clipboard Buffer Utility

DESCRIPTION: ClipBuff is a utility which you can use to store temporarily (or permanantly) a number of clipboard buffers (or scratchpads) that you can call upon at any time. It makes the Windows Clipboard 10 times more useful!

ClipBuff minimises to a tiny little window, which resizes when you move your cursor over it. From this window, you can access a toolbar with 10 text buffers in which you can store and retrieve text from the Clipboard.

FTP Site:

Primary site: ftp.cyber.com.au in the /pub/brighton_beach directory

ALSO

ClipBuff should be available from the uploads section and soon the desktop section of CICA (aka, ftp.winsite.co) in the /pub/win3 directory.

ClipBuff is ShareWare and registration costs USD$12

For further details, contact:

        Brighton Beach Software

        Level 8, 140 Queen Street

        Melbourne 3000

        Victoria, Australia.

        Or Fax it to +61 3 9642 5998

        (within Australia, Fax (03) 9642 5998)

        Or email it to

        bbs@cyber.com.au

Our phone number is +61 3 9642 5997

(within Australia, call (03) 9642 5997, hours 9am to 5pm EST)


Revelar Connection Utility for Newton to Mac
Newton/Desktop Connectivity is a Reality!

Network Multimedia and Revelar are pleased to announce the public availability of the Revelar Connection Utility 2.0 Beta 4. This version is very close to final. Revelar decided to issue a fourth Beta in order to get more feedback on features before going final, and allow users access to the existing feature set, which is substantial.

RCU is a real-time data link between a Macintosh computer and your Newton running OS 2.0. This is not synchronization software or fancy text-transfer, but full access to all information stored in your Newton as quickly as you can click. This includes support for text and graphics. RCU will correctly ignore information that it doesn't understand, allowing editing of entries without worry of information loss.

Users are presented with a familiar interface, consisting of an Overview (user-defined multiple column view) and an Entry (similar to the "Show All" on the Newton). Clicking on information in the Overview causes a specific record to load into the Entry, clicking on a Field in the Entry allows editing. Fields may be added by clicking on a dynamic list of available types. Different Entry types (Person, Company, Outline Note, etc.) can be added by simply clicking on another list.

The only feature left out of Beta 4 is import/export. The following features have been added to Beta 4 since Beta 3:

* Support for Calendar, including repeating meetings and events.

  Support for Names and Notes existed in previous versions and is

  still included, with the addition of graphics (see below).

* Read-only support for To Do and Calls. Data in these applications

  may be viewed but not edited.

* Support for graphics in Notes (including notes in Names). Sketches

  may be viewed on the Macintosh and copied into other applications.

  Macintosh PICTs can be pasted directly into Notes on the Newton.

* Release of the ADF File format documentation and the first Beta

  version to include an external ADF file. This allows extensions

  to built in applications and definitions of other 3rd party

  applications to be added to RCU. It also allows localization of

  application-specific information.

* Support for Find in all applications.

This Beta version is intentionally limited in the following ways:

* Localization support for English and Spanish only.

* Import and Export is disabled.

* Range palette is disabled.

* You must have a serial number. This version is intended for RCU 1.5

  registered owners who wish to upgrade to version 2.0 and will test

  this last Beta for us. It is also intended for MP120 and MP130

  owners who do not want to use RCU 1.5, but would rather buy this

  Beta 4 version and receive a free upgrade to the final version when

  it ships.

Visit our WWW site at http://www.xmission.com/~revelar or download the software directly. Note that our ISP has been experiencing extreemly high load on the WWW server; you may want to download the files directly:

 RCU 2.0 Beta 4 (738 Kb):

 ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/users/r/revelar/macintosh/RCU2.0.B4.hqx

 RCU 2.0 Beta 4 Documentation (Envoy document) (741 Kb):

 ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/users/r/revelar/macintosh/

       RCU2.0.B4.user-guide.hqx

Watch for our development toolkit to be released soon. This set of AppWare ALMs can be used to develop custom front-ends to the RCU Newton package, allowing programmers direct access to soup information as well as package downloading, etc.

Revelar, Inc.

2350 E. Parleys Way, STE#3

Salt Lake City, UT 84109-1239

800-669-5191 Sales/Support

801-485-3291 Office/International Sales

801-485-3296 Fax

AOL: REVELAR

http://www.xmission.com/~revelar

sales@revelar.com

support@revelar.com

Network Multimedia, Inc.

650 East 4500 South, Suite 100

Salt Lake City, UT 84107

801-261-8293

801-261-9668 Fax

http://www.networkmultimedia.com

sales@networkmultimedia.com

support@networkmultimedia.com


Seagate OS/2 Warp Support for TR-4 Tapes
SEAGATE OFFERS OS/2 WARP SUPPORT FOR NEW TR-4 MINICARTRIDGE TAPE DRIVES

COSTA MESA, Calif., April 22, 1996 -- Seagate Technology, Inc. (NYSE:SEG) today announced the availability of three new Travan TR-4 tape backup solutions for the OS/2 market. These one-inch high, 3.5-inch TR-4 minicartridge tape systems provide OS/2 Warp users with 8GB of compressed capacity, a data transfer rate of up to 60MB per minute, and backward read/write compatibility with the QIC-3080 format.

Available in either SCSI or IDE interfaces, Seagate's new TR-4 tape backup kits include the internal CTT8000R SCSI, CTT8000R IDE, or external CTT8000E SCSI tape drive with Computer Data Strategies' comprehensive, easy-to-use Back Again/2 backup and recovery software, a Travan tape and documentation.

"We are pleased to provide the IBM OS/2 market with a comprehensive hardware and software tape backup solution that leverages the high performance of our new Travan TR-4 minicartridge tape drive", said Brian Dexheimer, vice president of product line management and marketing for the Seagate Tape Operation.

Seagate's family of high performance minicartridge tape drives has been designed to use 3M's Travan and Sony's QIC-Wide media for providing reliable, high capacity data storage on a single low-cost cartridge, which makes these drives the most cost-effective backup solution on the market today.

Back Again/2, designed exclusively for systems running in the OS/2 environment, features an intuitive graphical interface, a built-in scheduler, a stand-alone restore facility, password protection, and "drag and drop" file selection flexibility.

Price and Availability

The CTT8000R(internal SCSI), CTT8000E(external SCSI), and CTT8000R(internal IDE) OS/2 bundled solutions are currently available to distributors, VARs, and system integrators. The expected retail price for the internal configurations of both SCSI and IDE models is $399, and $499 for the external SCSI. Each configuration includes a Seagate TR-4 minicartridge tape drive, Back Again/2 OS/2 application software, tape, and an installation guide. Users requiring pre-sales technical support can call 1-800-526-6637 for both SCSI and IDE products.

Based in Costa Mesa, Calif., the Seagate Tape Operation, formerly Conner Peripherals, offers a complete line of digital audio tape (DAT) and minicartridge tape drive products for DOS, OS/2, Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows, UNIX, and NetWare systems, plus drives for Compaq, DEC, IBM, Apple, Sun, and other platforms.

Seagate Technology, Inc. is a data technology company that provides products for storing, managing, and accessing digital information on the world's computer and data communications systems. Seagate is the largest independent disc drive and related components company in the world. Seagate's home page address on the World Wide Web is http://www.seagate.com.


SCS Connect Four Game for Macintosh
Release: SCS Connect Four v1.0.1

SCS Connect Four is the *ultimate* Connect Four game for the Macintosh. It has a wide variety of opponents, for all skill levels. Plus, the 3D graphics are all professionally rendered by artist PG Hurh of Leakey Faucet & Trailer Hitch. Hey, there's even gory death scenes!

To quote one satisfied user, "You turned a boring Mitlon Bradley travel game into a sleek multimedia wonder."

Shareware, 10$

It can be obtained at <http://members.aol.com/regulus240/>

Enjoy!

Aaron Davidson

Silicon Creek Software

Regulus@kagi.com

http://members.aol.com/regulus240/


Netcom to Provide SurfWatch to Subscribers
NETCOM TO PROVIDE SUBSCRIBERS SURFWATCH AS PARENTAL CONTROL WITHIN NETCOMplete SERVICE

Leading Internet Provider Chooses Internet's Filtering Software Leader

LOS ALTOS and SAN JOSE, Calif., April 29, 1996 -- SurfWatch Software, Inc., and NETCOM On-Line Communication Service, Inc. (Nasdaq:NETC) today announced an agreement which will enable NETCOM to offer SurfWatch's parental control capabilities to its more than 400,000 subscribers. SurfWatch, recently acquired by Spyglass, Inc. (Nasdaq:SPYG), has gained industry praise as an easy-to-use and robust software program and will be provided to NETCOMplete subscribers at no charge.

SurfWatch lets parents, teachers and employers block unwanted material from their Internet access without restricting the access rights of other Internet users. The SurfWatch software removes no material from the Internet or any server, but simply blocks it at any computer or local network where it is installed. SurfWatch screens Internet newsgroups, World Wide Web, FTP, Gopher, Chat and other services.

Announced this month, NETCOMplete is a comprehensive service package aimed at providing "Internet Aware" users with a complete Internet solution. NETCOM's newly branded service is comprised of five strategic components including access, software, service, support, and value.

"Part of our strategy under NETCOMplete is to provide software solutions that help subscribers gain better control over their Internet experience. As the leading parental control solution, SurfWatch will be a tremendous benefit to our subscribers who have these concerns."  said John Zeisler, senior vice president of Marketing at NETCOM. "Most of our subscribers are mixed-use professionals who carry their Internet access home with them. SurfWatch will empower our users with appropriate technology tools to restrict access to selected portions of the Internet on behalf of their families."

"Despite the powerful educational and entertainment benefits of the Internet, widespread access brings the risk that kids will see, accidentally or deliberately, inappropriate sexually explicit material," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch Software. "SurfWatch is the rational, practical alternative to censorship, and were delighted that NETCOM subscribers will now be able to take advantage of this powerful tool."

SurfWatch Becoming Industry Standard

SurfWatch's unique Dynamic Filtering Technology not only blocks sexually explicit Internet content, but it also keeps children from initially searching for material in many of the popular Internet search engines. This powerful feature has helped to make SurfWatch the market leader in Internet filtering and parental control software.

SurfWatch runs on both Macintosh and Windows-based personal computers. As a founding member of the PICS consortium, SurfWatch is also supporting the development of industry-wide Internet rating systems. The software is available directly from SurfWatch or through software distributors and retail outlets. As part of its strategy, SurfWatch Software is forging ties with major Internet services providers such as NETCOM.

NETCOMplete subscribers will receive the initial software free of charge when they sign up for either a six or twelve month subscription to SurfWatch site updates. The NETCOMplete price for a six month subscription to the SurfWatch site updates is $19.95 or twelve months for $29.95. As a stand-alone product, SurfWatch retails for $49.95, with a monthly subscription fee of $5.95 for site updates.  The service will be available to NETCOM subscribers in May.

NETCOM

San Jose, California-based NETCOM On-Line Communication Services, Inc. is a leading international Internet service provider with years of network experience. Leveraging its own high-speed nationwide TCP/IP-based network, NETCOM provides a range of value-priced Internet services for individuals and businesses. NETCOM's complete Internet service offering includes reliable local access, software options, personalized services, 24x7 customer support, and value pricing. Internet users can learn more about the company on-line at: http://www.netcom.com/.

SurfWatch Software, Inc.

SurfWatch Software, Inc. based in Los Altos, CA, is pioneering the development of new technologies for the Internet. SurfWatch was acquired in April 1996 by Spyglass, Inc., a leading licensor of World Wide Web client and server technology. Founded in January 1995 with a vision of creating high-quality technology products which have a positive impact on peoples' lives, SurfWatch Software, Inc. was the first company to ship Internet software for blocking access to inappropriate material and has licensed Internet filtering technology to the on-line services industry. SurfWatch Software can be reached at 415-948-9500, info@surfwatch.com, or via the World Wide Web at http://www.surfwatch.com.

Certain of the above statements are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including competitive developments, and risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports.

 SurfWatch Software                      Phone:  415-948-9500

 175 S. San Antonio Rd, Ste 102          Fax:    415-948-9577

 Los Altos, CA 94022                     http://www.surfwatch.com


Submitting Press Releases For Distribution
HOW TO SUBMIT PRESS RELEASES & OTHER INFORMATION FOR DISTRIBUTION

There is *NO CHARGE* to anyone submitting material for distribution and we generally distribute all PC, Macintosh or video game related material submitted, with very little selection or re-editing on our part. All material is distributed electronically via our areas on America Online (keyword = NEW PRODUCTS) and Delphi (Go COMPUTING PRODUCT), with daily updates to both areas.

At the end of every month we distribute news archives containing all news articles processed during that month. The news archives are available in two formats - ASCII text, or a WinHelp hypertext format. The files are located in our download areas on both services, then distributed via the SimTel Internet archives later the following month (see below for WWW info).

Submitting material for distribution is simple. Just add our name to your normal press release mailing list for paper input; or for faster processing, Email electronic input to either of these addresses:

                     RBakerPC@delphi.com

                     RBakerPC@aol.com

Alternately, material may also be faxed to us at:  609/582-9204, but be advised that fax input is generally the most time consuming input to process at our end and distribution may be slightly delayed. Just be sure submitted information is in the form of a press release suitable for the general public.

** Note that electronic input should be standard ASCII text, with no special characters, tabs, etc. and an absolute maximum size of 28K. The simplest and preferred method is to just include the text of your announcement in the body of an Email message and send it to one of the addresses shown above. Please avoid sending material as mail attachments!

As an added benefit, all PC related company/author and product information from submitted news is cataloged in our PC industry reference database that currently appears as an online searchable database (the PC Vendor Database) on America Online. The same material is also distributed on disk and CD-ROM by EMS Prof. Software as their PC Products Database ($25+S&H, see below for contact information). Plus a subset of our data is now available in "The Computer Phonebook" from No Starch Press (check your local book store or see below for contact information) with listings for over 14,000 U.S. and Canadian companies and authors.

Our full database currently includes over 25,000 companies/authors and over 75,000 product listings, covering the entire PC market - including shareware authors! Company/author information includes mailing addresses, telephone numbers, Email addresses and more. Product information is a brief 60 character record per product that simply lists the product name and a brief description or associated keywords. If you don't have any current news for distribution but want to be included in our database - feel free to write or Email us your company address, phone, Email and product information for free inclusion in our next releases.

We're always looking for additional news input.... If you have a product release, upgrade announcement or special offer, let us help tell the world about it! Remember, there is no charge for submitting material for distribution.

Please address all news and database submissions, or inquiries concerning using our news or database information for other applications, directly to our attention:

     BAKER ENTERPRISES

     20 Ferro Drive

     Sewell, NJ 08080 USA

     Tel: 609-582-9203

     Fax: 609-582-9204

     Email: RBakerPC@delphi.com  -or-  RBakerPC@aol.com

For access to our news archives via the Internet, check:

     http://www.coast.net/SimTel/msdos/bakernws.html

     http://www.coast.net/SimTel/win3/bakernws.html

Watch for our new book 'The 1996 Computer Phonebook' from No Starch Press and available through local book stores --- with contact information for over 14,000 U.S. and Canadian companies and authors. Copies can be ordered direct from the publisher at $12.95 plus $3 S&H (US only). For more details, contact:

     No Starch Press

     401 China Basin St, Ste 108

     San Francisco, CA 94107

     Tel: 800-420-7240

          415-334-7200

     Fax: 415-334-3166

For more information on our PC Products Database, contact:

     EMS Professional Software

     4505 Buckhurst Ct.

     Olney, MD 20832-1830 USA

     Tel: 301-924-3594

     Fax: 301-963-2708

     BBS: 301-774-1486

     Internet: ems@wdn.com

               http://www.wdn.com/ems

For information on subscribing to the America Online service, you can call toll free within the US at 1-800-827-6364 for details.

For information on subscribing to Delphi, you can call toll free within the US at 1-800-695-4005 or you can reach them via Internet Email addressed to:  info@delphi.com