Shapeware Supports Lotus SmartStyle with Visio Express for Lotus
SmartSuite

Business Drawing With a Lotus SmartSuite "Look and Feel"

NEW YORK--June 28, 1994--Shapeware Corporation today announced its support
for Lotus SmartStyle--demonstrating their commitment to provide Lotus
SmartSuite users with the ability to easily create impressive business
drawings and diagrams directly within their SmartSuite applications. Lotus
SmartStyle provides developers, like Shapeware, with tools that allow them
to create applications with the Lotus "look and feel," including Smart
Icons and Smart Status bar. With these tools, third-party developers can
seamlessly integrate technology into Lotus' suite of applications by
directly accessing the Lotus user interface Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL).

Last month, Shapeware shipped Visio Express for Lotus SmartSuite, a drag
and drop drawing program designed specifically for users of Lotus 1-2-3,
Ami Pro, Freelance Graphics and Approach. Visio Express, designed with the
same "look and feel" as Lotus SmartSuite applications, gives users
powerful drawing and diagramming capabilities directly within the
applications they use every day.

"The category of suite applications is achieving great momentum in the
market today," said Gary Gigot, vice president of marketing at Shapeware.
"Lotus is having phenomenal success at building its business with Lotus
SmartSuite. Therefore, we feel it is important to provide Lotus SmartSuite
users with a Visio Express product that is designed to meet their specific
drawing needs and allows them easily to integrate business graphics into
their Lotus applications."

"We are excited that Shapeware is offering a drawing and diagramming
product specifically targeted at the needs of Lotus SmartSuite users,"
said Dave Laverty, director of marketing, SmartSuite products at Lotus
Development Corporation. "Visio Express is a great addition to the
SmartSuite applications because it provides our users with drag and drop
drawing capabilities that help them communicate effectively."

Improved Usability and Transparent Integration

Visio Express builds on the innovative drag and drop drawing capabilities
of Visio 2.0-offering a new user interface that is familiar to users of
Lotus SmartSuite applications, support for Lotus Notes, improved
integration using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) 1.0 technology, and
six stencils with SmartShapes for easily creating flowcharts, block
diagrams, organizational charts, time lines, maps and other common
business drawings and diagrams.

Visio Express includes new features and technology that enable it to work
with Lotus SmartSuite applications more closely and consistently than ever
before possible with software products that come from different companies.
For example, to add a diagram to a 1-2-3 spreadsheet, users simply click
the Visio Express icon that the program automatically installs onto the
1-2-3 toolbar. Visio Express becomes active, allowing users to use Visio's
drag and drop drawing technique with the more than 200 SmartShapes
included in the package. Once the drawing is completed, it is
automatically embedded in the user's 1-2-3 file. Visio Express maintains
the Lotus SmartSuite "look and feel" with a consistent screen layout and
"pixel-perfect" icon buttons. The familiarity of Visio Express makes it
easy for first-time users quickly to incorporate professional-quality
graphics directly into their business documents.

Visio Express' state-of-the-art implementation of OLE technology enables
business users to integrate easily the best-of-breed drawing and
diagramming capabilities of Visio into their Lotus SmartSuite programs.
SmartSuite applications are OLE 1.0-compatible, and Visio Express works as
an OLE 1.0 object augmenting the capabilities of the Lotus SmartSuite
applications. As a result, Visio Express can only be run from within
1-2-3, Ami Pro, Freelance Graphics and Approach.

Pricing and Availability

Visio Express for Lotus SmartSuite is available today from leading national
distributors, corporate resellers, retail channels and direct marketers.
The U.S. suggested retail price of Visio Express is $79, including 90 days
of free technical support and a 60-day, money-back guarantee. Visio
Express for Microsoft Office is available through the same channels of
distribution. The version of Visio Express for Microsoft Office provides
users of Word, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint the same drawing and
diagramming capabilities from within their applications.

To obtain more information on Visio Express, customers can contact
Shapeware at (800) 446-3335.

System Requirements

Visio Express for Lotus SmartSuite requires Lotus SmartSuite or one of the
following applications: 1-2-3 Release 4, Ami Pro Release 3, Freelance
Graphics Release 2, Approach Release 2.1, or at a minimum any other OLE
1.0 or OLE 2.0 container; Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later; a 386 or
higher microprocessor running at 25 MHz or faster; and 6MB of RAM.

About Shapeware

Shapeware was founded in October 1990 to develop and market business
graphics software for mainstream computer users. The Seattle-based company
pioneered the business drawing and diagramming market with the release of
Visio 1.0 in November 1992. Since then, Shapeware has released additional
drag and drop drawing products including Visio Express, Visio 2.0, the
International English version of Visio 2.0, French Visio 2.0, German Visio
2.0, Visio Home and 16 aftermarket Visio Shapes products. The company's
co-founders include Jeremy Jaech and Dave Walter, two of the founders of
Aldus Corporation, and Ted Johnson, the lead developer of Aldus PageMaker
for Windows.


Shapeware Corp
520 Pike St, Suite 1800
Seattle, WA 98101-4001
206-521-4500,  fax 206-521-4501

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